St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-25

Tor certain flaV0r III the mlnce pies re-
mains her secret. Several matronS,
noted housekeepers, were recently dis
cussing this really important feat
ture in the domestic menage,
and one and all agreed that the
cooked in order to preserve it, hiss not
half the merit contained i'll the pies of
old. The very sight of them i'll their
deep yellow dishes, with their brown,
flaky crusts, ornamented about the
edges with key or jigger iron. and
theiI spicy filling sending up tooth
some Odor as they stood in the cold
StOre-ro0m. was an appetizer not con-
tanned in any glass jar of canned mince-
meat, nor yet in the pies made from it.
Notwithstanding this unanimous YER
diet, a stumbling block arose in the
path which made the returning to the
good old way of our ancestors inpOsSl-
bic. Another modern innovation Is the
furnace, and houses heated as are ours
of to-day, from attic to basement, neces-
state making the refrigerator, the store
closet and the modern Store-room
merely receptacle for -four, sugar,
coffee, tea, spices and the like of i'm
periShable groceries. And thus the
days of rows of delicately Drowned pies
u.
greet remains.
Still, we should not forget that those
grandmothers whose pies were so much
better than ours invariably boiled the
cider before putting it into the mince-
meat, and those with an especially cpl
curean taste to cater for boiled in 1t the
raiSinS, citrOn and candied orange, as
well as half the spices.
All! this Judgment in eating, which
few are wise enough to cultivate, is the
most piquant sauce Imaginable. The
same element of variety which makes
jewels and precious stones valuable is
the secret of many delectatiouS dish.
Why do we see bananas invariably left
in the bottom of the fruit dish, until
out of the usual dozen purchased a third
become blackened, unfit to eat. and are
thrown away? Because bananas are no
longer luxury, and they, by their
very richness of flavor, are wholly UNI
suited to become an article of every
day diet. If we conld only have ban
anas once a year. and meantime were
not disguised by their blackened skins
lying about, and their faint, Sickenlng
odor when Over-ripe, few of us there are
would not enjoy them. Familiarity
breeds contempt for even articles of
diet.
There is family who are unusually
fond of fried Scollops. What do they
do? Eat fried scollopS, as rich dish as
any l know, every morning for break
fast? No; they are much too wise.
They like these shell-iish and they
mean to continue to like them, so they
make little feast to honor their serv-
ing, and fried scollopS are their Christ
mas breakfast, a part of the pleasures
reserved for that day, while every MEM
Der of the family feels under tacit
bond to refrain from the dish on all oc-
casions which would not entail an i'm
pOliteness.
The Germans make as much feature
do of roast turkey on Thanksgiving, but
somehow we do not seem to delight in
the oily richness of the bird, and are
apt 10 make our turkey the piece de
resistance" of both days, although some
annually indulge in little roast
"porker" on this one day. And very
cunning it looks with its crisp brown
sides ard the corn-cob in its mouth.
1t is high time that the Christmas
plum pudding should he under way
like wine, it improves with age. Many
families cOnfound the real English plum
pudding and our steamed Suet pudding,
with raiSinS. because they look not I'M
like, and are eaten with brandy sauce.
1t does not take an educated palate to
appreciate the difference in taste, how
ever. Plum buildings are boiled, not
steamed, and that makes no small differ
ence. They are at their best some weeks
after being made. and dried in their
bags by hanging on nails not far from
the stove, around the top of the kitchen
walls. They. too. were never made for
an article of everyday consumption, and
should, by all means. be kept for thigh
days and holidays" training days and
Sundays" and, us the rule is a large
one. if double the quantity is made in
the early part of December, eight good
sized buildings ought to last a pretty
large family all winter.
There are, of course, many rules for
this delicate creation, but as simple a
one to remember is the same as the old
fashioned rule for plum cake-a pound
of everything, a dozen eggs and small
glass of brandy, only substituting for
the butter chopped suet, and for the
-four rolled cracker crumbs, very fine.
1t reads thus: One pound of cracker
crumbs, one pound of chopped Suet,
one pound of sugar, one pound of
raiSinS, one pound of candied fruits and
Sluhcu lIuucS, one pollit VI niiACu
citron and candied orange and lemon
peel. one pound of dried currantS, one
dozen eggs, ono glass brandy, one nut
meg, (otheE spices if desired. All the
fruit must be thoroughly mixed with a
little flour TO prevent its sinking to the
bottom. This makes four good-sized
buildings.
1t is the custom to stick the pudding
with blanched almonds at the time OF
serving. Over the whole burn brandy
and serve with a brandy sauce.