The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-29
Christmas Dinner.
Now good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both.

~ SATlsllldo UiuHcEs
Now good digestion wait on appetite,
And health on both.
No other festival is SO universally cele-
brated throughout Christendom as Is
Christmas, and no festival carries with it
such a spirit of ioyousness apart from its
own inherent reasons for ioyousness.
Century after century poetry and art
have added to the associations Of the Christ
child's day new and beautiful conceptions
and associations more than making up for
the gradual dropping of of the grosser ira
ditions and delights Of the Christmas OF cur
early English ancestors, when 1.-The might
lest ale was preached and the boar's head
grimly stood" as the "wassail cup' went
round But If there is less "wasssil,n the
annual 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 honored
mince pie ranks first as standard Christ
mas dessert although the real English
plum pudding may take its place, when
both are not provided. 1t is to the SaXons
that we are indebted for the real origin of
the fruity mince pie, The Saxon kings and
mobiles always had pie upon their Christ
Ild6 bhD4GEs So ldEkO 40 W LII UP
their boards. These we're often used as a
means of surprise In the way of presenting
gifts that were hidden beneath the crust.
To such an excess was the mince pie car
ried that Cromwell and his followers
looked with horror upon it, and thu Scotch
and English Pre6by terians adopted in
stead what they called plum porridge, and
from this plum pOrridge was gradually
evolved the English plum pudding, whicl
IL, 81, - 81 -
mince pie. In place of the boar's head and
stout sirloil, we long ago adopted that
national bird, the turkey, which in the
past few years has given way TO the goose
in some households.
For the housekeeper it is an agreeable
fact that the preparation for the Christ
mas dinner may be made SO long before
hand. The apples for the mince pies, for
instance, may early be selected for peel
ing, and the fatted heifer be killed for suet
and meat. This relieves the preparations
that under any circumstances pile up as
the day approaches.
A standard receipt for mi1e pies: Select
from the round three pounds of beef-it is
best not to have it fat-and boil it in water
enough to cover it until it is very tender.
Smoked tongue is valuable ingredient to
add with less of the beef. Chop fine and
mix with It three pounds of suet, four
pounds OF stoned raisins, two pounds Of
currants, one pound Of citron, quarter of
a pound each of orange and lemon peel, the
juice of four oranges and lemons, four
pounds of coffee sugar, two grated nut
megs, teaspoonful each of ground cloves,
aQspioe, cinnamon, mace, pepper and two
tablespoonfHls of salt, cider enough to
Doisten.
The plum pudding may also be made
ready in advance and await the glorious
day. Here is recipe which cannot be
bettered Stone q pound of raisips 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
Juice and grated rind of one lemon and one
grange, four ounces of blanched almonds, a
pound of currants, a pound Of suet oaopp d
hne, pound of coffee sugar, ana the in
terrier of bakers loaf crumbed, mix well
with grated nutmeg, little cayenne and
teaspoonful OF salt. Pour over gill of
sherry and set in a cool place. just before
boiling the pudding add eight eggs and
sweet cream enough Is moisten it.
This is Miss Carson's receipt and she
now says: Let all the young ladies in the
house descend and in turn vigorously stir
the fruity compound for good luck" But
ter a water tight puddiug mold, dust
with -four and pack the pudding in, allow
ing couple of inches for the pudding to
y
not open the mold until the pudding is
ready to serve. just before using, boil
again for two hours. The sauce is made Of
equal quantities of butter and sugar,
favored to suit the taste.
There is one thing that we have not all
learned, and that IS that heaven has not
granted US all stomacns according to our
wealth. The rich man cannot eat more be
cause he is rich than the poor man can. For
this reason there is no need of preparing a
meal so extensive shat even a Christmas
appetite cannot compass it. As we love on
this day old times and old friends, turkey,
orauberries and chicken salad are not to be
elbowed out OF the way for any new dishes
or four and twenty courses. Here is An
cid fashioned Christmas day dinner:
Oyster Soup.
Roast Turkey. Oyster Sauce.
Mashed Potatoes and Turnips
Boiled Onions.
Celery. Cranberry sauce. PickleA-
Roast Spare Ribs. Apple Sauce.
Baked weet 70 atoeS.
Plum pudding
Hince Pies Pumpkin Pies.
Assorted Fruit and Nuts.
Confectionery.
Coffee.
There are few housewives who need any
assistance in preparing any of these good
things, so comment is restrained. Miss
Corson suggests at the Christmas dinner
the old fashioned game OF snapdragon.
Some raisins are laid on a large shallow
bowl or platter. A teaspoonful Of alcohol
S poured over them and lighted; the sport
is to catch raisin from the midst Of the
flames without burning the fingers; but
don't, oh, don't catch your lace rufdes
afire and end the merry day in pain.