The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-12-21
CHRISTMAS DINNER.

Gastronomic Suggestions Concerning the
Observance of This Annual Festival.
Now good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on bothl
| No other festival is so universally cele-
brated throughout Christendom as is
Christmas, and no festival carries with it
quite such a spirit of joyousness apart
from its own inherent reasons for joyous
ness. Century after century poetry and
art have been adding to the associations of
the Christ child's day new and beautiful
conceptions and associations more than
making up for the gradual dropping off
of the groSSer traditions and delights of
the Christmas of our early English an
| cestors, when "the mightiest ale was
preached and the boar's head grimly
stared" as the ''wassai cup" went round
But if there is less "wassail" the an
nual feast known as the Christmas din
ner remains an interesting feature in the
programme of the days celebration.
There is less novelty in modern Christ
mas fare than in any other yearly feast
except Thanksgiving. The time hon.
ored mince pie ranks first as standard
Christmas dessert, although real Eng
hsh plum pudding may take its place,
WHICH DOtu diC hOG plONluCu IL 10 W luc
SaXonS that we are indebted as the orig
inators of the fruity mince pie. The
Saxon kings and mobiles always had pie
! upon their Christmas tables, sometimes
I so large as to fill up the width of the
| board. These were often used as a
means of presenting surprises in the way
| of gifts that were hidden underneath the
| crust. To such excess was the mince
pie carried that Cromwell and his fol-
lowers looked with horror upon it, and
| the Scotch and English Presbyterians
adopted instead what they called plum
porridge, and from this plum porridge
was gradually evolved the English plum
pudding, which today stands as the
great rival of the mince pie
In place of the boar's head and stout
sirloin, we long ago adopted that national
bird, the turkey, which in the past few
years has given way in some households
to the goose.
For the housekeeper it is an agreeable
fact that the preparation for the Christ
mas dinner can be made so long in ad-
| vance. The apples for the mince pies,
for instance, many early be selected for
peeling, and the fatted heifer killed for
suet and meat. This relieves the prepa-
rations that under any circumstances will
pile up as the day approaches.
A standard receipt for mince pies: Sc
lect from the round three pounds of beef
it is best not to have it fat-and boil it
in water enough to cover it. Smoked
tongue is n valuable ingredient to add
with less of the beef. Chop fine and mix
with it three pounds of suet, four pounds
of apples, four pounds stoned raisins,
two pounds of currants, one pound of
off Of Of
lemon and orange peel, the juice of four
oranges and four lemons, four pounds of
coffee sugar, two grated nutmegs, a tea
spoonful each of ground cloves, allspice,
cinnamon, mace, pepper and two table
spoonfuls of salt, cider enough to moisten.
The plum pudding may be made ready
also in advance and await the glorious
| day. Here is a receipt which cannot be
bettered: Stone pound of raisins and
pour on them half gill of brandy. Lay
on them two ounces of citron, and one
each of candied orange and lemon peel
sliced, the grated juice and rind of one
orange and one lemon, four ounces of
blanched almonds, pound of currants,
pound of suet chopped, a pound of
coffee sugar, and the interior of bakers
loaf crumbed, mix well with grated nut
meg, little cayenne and teaspoonful
of salt. Pour over gill of sherry and
set away in cool place. Just before
boiling the pudding add eight eggs and
enough sweet cream to moisten it.
This is Miss Corson's receipt, and she
says, Now let all the young ladies of
the house descend and in turn vigor-
ously stir the fruity compound for good
luck" Butter the water tight pudding
mold, dust with flour, and pack the
pudding i'll, allowing q couple of inches
for the pudding to swell. Boil or steam
for ten hours. and do not open the mold
until the pudding is ready to serve. Just
before using boil again for two hours.
just before serving pour over it glass
OF brandy or rum, set it on fire and send
in blazing. The sauce is made of equal
quantities of butter and sugar favored
with rum or brandy.
There is one thing we have not all
learned, and that is, that heaven has not
| granted us stomachs according to our
wealth. The rich man cannot eat more
than the poor man because he Is rich. For
that reason there is no use of providing a
menu so extensive that even a Christmas
day appetite cannot compass 1t. As we
love on this day old times and old
| friends turkey, cranberries and chicken
salad are not to be elbowed out of the
way by any new dishes or four and
| twenty courses Here &c an old fashioned
Christmas day dinner.
Oyster Soup.
| Roast Turkey. Oyster Sauce
Mashed Potatoes and Turnips.
| Boiled Onions.
Celery. Cranberry Sauce. Pickles.
Roast Spare Ribs. Apple Sauce.
| Baked Sweet Potatoes.
Plum Pudding.
| Mince Pies. Pumpkin Pies.
| Assorted Fruits and Nuts.
| Confectionery.
| Coffee