Comments on: What shall we do with the drunken apples?

By: Brittany

Brittany — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 09:45:00 +0000

Brilliant! I am not a fan of suet mince meat. I believe I have made vegetarian mincemeat in culinary school, but I think we used the suet “substitute”…boo, hiss!
I must try this, it looks fantastic. And what thereputic prep it must require. Chopping…That is my zen.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:01:00 +0000

I love mince pies, me

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:52:00 +0000

Christmas was always my favourite time of the year too but it hasn’t been the same since my mom passed away 4 years ago. Plus here in London I’m so busy that it kind of sneaks up on you and before you know it it’s Christmas eve and you haven’t had time to make mincepies! I do usually make my own mince pies but have never tried my own mince - maybe this should be the year

By: Lizet Kruyff

Lizet Kruyff — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 12:47:00 +0000

We used to spend Christmas with friends in Vienna, with al the Christkindl markets and decorated streets, lots of Chrismas carroll concerts and usually snow. Soooo romantic.

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 21:42:00 +0000

Lizet, christmas is my favourite time of year because it means family time to me. I will always love it and we try very hard not to make it just about commercialism. We do a big present (like a new bike if hse needs one, etc.) at birthdays and christmas is about little treasures, homemade gifts and being thoughtful. And of course, mince pies

Belinda, she is definitely showing more of a desire to bake herself lately, up until now she has just wanted to lick the bowl. So fingers crossed

By: Belinda

Belinda — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:31:00 +0000

Oh, Inge, those rows of your wonderful homemade mincemeat, waiting to star in Christmas pies are just a delightful hint of things to come. And that anticipation is really a part of what makes holiday rituals so magical and joyful. Its the comfort of things done, on schedule, things done with and shared by family…I bet your little girl will be ready to don her aprom and spend wintery afternoons baking with Mom this Christmas.

By: Lizet Kruyff

Lizet Kruyff — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:34:00 +0000

Alack and alas: traditionally we don’t make as much of Christmas as you do, in our Calvinistic country. But we do like to decorate the house inside as well as outside. And of course, those who cook will do so. Your mincemeat looks so wonderful, it chases me to the kitchen to try my hand.

By: african vanielje

african vanielje — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:03:00 +0000

Anon, hurray! Another christmas lover. I admit it is my favourite timeof the year. Christmas has all my favourite things in abundance, food, family, an excuse to bake and decorate, and at it’s core, a celebration of the truly good in all of us. What’s not to like. And I’m pretty sure I will have to do a few test runs before December

Kit, you’re right, In South Africa I always made it much closer to Christmas but here in the cold I don’t need to keep it in the fridge. I never have the radiator in the kitchen on and the window is always open for the cat so it’s only when I’m in there cooking that it heats up, and generally not to an unbearable level so my precious mincemeat is safe. I store it in the fridge once opened but to be honest I usually use a bottle at a sitting. I mostly make deep dish pies and do four trays at a time, which does the job. I also often add a little fresh zest just before baking, or add some fresh zest to the pastry. I love that you and your sister in law tag team the mince pies. I bet you can’t have too many with kids in the house.

By: Kit

Kit — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 06:59:00 +0000

I also make our mincemeat with apples grated in instead of suet and it is sooo much nicer than the shop stuff. Yours looks delectable! I usually wait till nearer Christmas cos with outside temperatures rising it has to stay in the fridge and it takes up too much room. I make the fruit mince and my sister in law makes the best pastry so she turns it into mince pies. We also do an extra Christmas in July here, to enjoy them properly, all cuddled up by the fire, so we get two goes at mince pies in a year!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:32:00 +0000

Never apologise for loving the mystery and pageantry of Christmas - I think it’s only the truly cynical who can’t look past the tacky tinsel to the glorious glow behind the wings. Perhaps this is why horses need those comforting blinkers to complete the race..Mmm! those rows and rows of mixture look positively drooly, I’m not sure they should ALL wait till mince pie days.