Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1915-12-17

~ religion md conditions of living
w in the colonies. the Christ-spirt
being Substituted for the pagan
n yuletide, the famous "boars head"
- was omitted, and the Christmas pie
became known as mnce pie. However. many old
ooservances were kept. including the mistletoe
and holly. and Christmas was day for family
gatherings. with q feast prepared by the women
OF the house.
1t Is quite possible that we would not like
their havorings today. They used variety Of
spices wines and seasonings in even their plain
est dishes but as everything was prepared in
the home. either under the supervision of the
mistress or by her own hands. tho mixtures were
wholesome
Everything was turned to account In the sea,
son With a view to future use. so In this way
preparations for the holiday were going on long
before the day.
In cherry time. q supply was carefully packed
Ia hay and kept for Christmas.
1he Christmas cookies, with corander seed
In them, were baked six months before and kept
tn an earthenware Jar In the cellar.
Mince Meat Recipe.
The rich plum pudding and cakes were made
carly in the fall and put away to mellow and
ripen.
The mincemeat was then made, the recipe for
which was recently found in an old Philadelphia
cookbook. We copy all but the spelling: -Four
pounds veal, four pounds suet, two pounds rails.
water and sack half q pound. no more of sugar.
;threefourths pound cloves. mace, nutmeg and
cinnamon, some candied orange peel. lemon peel.
citron and blanched almonds"
They made Z puff paste for their pies differ
ont from ours One recipe called for -four. one
pound. butter ten eggs and some milk water.
Some housewives made their winter supply #
nlince pies before Thanksgiving and reheated
them before using
For the lemon tarts. the lemons had to be first
soaked in salt water for two days. Then every
day for fourteen days they were put into fresh
cold water. When they were made. apples. or
anges and sugar were added
A few days before Christmas the mistress went
to market, the maid carrying the basket. She
would get her turkey cranberries, celery. oysters
and a little pig for roasting whole.
The day before Christmas the real excitement
began The stuffng was made, and such stufhng!
Bread crumbs, beef suet liver. lemon peels nut
meg. eRyory, pepper, salt, cream and eggs. The
little pig, only four five weeks old. was filled
to his utmost capacity with mashed potatoes or
apples.
Not the least to be considered were the green
decorations. Ground pine for festoons and
wreaths ,mistletoe to hang and holly everywhere
the necessities.
When Christmas morning came the excitement
at the highest pitch. The housewife her
daughters and her maids were up early. The
brick oven was heated and the mince pies put in.
The turkey dredged with flour and put on
the spit, with small unwilling child to watch
and turn 1t as 1t Drowned.
Another child was set to cracking nuts and
polishing apples.
Roasting tho Little Pig.
The little pig put before the fire to roast
In ths dripping pan, in which three bottles
OF red wine for basting.
While the things cooking long table,
the length of the room, was spread with the
white linen cloth. napkin. china and silver or
pewter
In the middle OF the table was the famed
Christmas bowl Here are the quaint directions
Tor u,aking it:
Break nine sponge cakes and half pound of
macaroons in deep dish; pour over one pint
ralsin wtne half pint sherry. Leave them to
soak. Sweeten with two ounces Of powdered
sugar candy md pour one pint and a half
OF custard Stick with two ounces sliced almonds
Place on a stand and ornament with Christmas
evergreens."
The tankard with the Christmas brew was put
the table. and all the sllabubs, jellies. pickles.
lemon tarts, red apples nuts, the cookies and the
cherries fresh from the hay.
The freplaces were blazing, and the red
berries and green leaves Of the holly were shin
ing In the light.
The mIstetoe was waiting for the unwary, and
the good smell Of the brown turkey, savory STUFF
dng and applesauce was everywhere.
Don Their Best Frocks.
After the housewife and her daughters had
seen to everything they hurried to put on their
best lowered silks. with white whms around
their necks end the most secret bea5ltifiers on
their faces.
Then the dinner being nearly cooked they took
the little Drowned pig, raised him gently and put
two small ,oaves of bread under him, and added
MOVE vine: IN anckovy, bundle Of sweet herbs
md a half lemon was put into the sauce, which
was poured over him hot They had him sitting
on his haunches looking nfeake' *aee they put
s5%s tai,s.