The Harrison times., 1915-12-18

IN yuletde, the famous "boar's head"
was omitted and the Christmas pie
became known as mince pie. However, many old
oDservances were kept including the mistletoe
emu holly and Christmas was day for family
gatherings with feast prepared by the women
OF the house.
IT Is quite possible that we would not like
their favorings today. They used variety OF
Spices wines and seasonngs 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, the mixtures were
/. wholesome.
~ Everything was turned to account in the sea-
Sson0With view to future use so in this way
pm ations for the holiday were going on long
before the day.
ln cherry time, supply was carefully Lacked
in hay and kept for Christmas.
The Christmas cookies, with coriander seed
in them, were baked six months before and kept
in an earthenware jar in the cellar.
Mince Meat Recipe.
The rich plum pudding and cakes were made
early 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
ins, one pound currants, six apples, some rose
water and sack half a pound no more Of sugar,
'three-fourths pound cloves, mace, nutmeg and
cinnamon, some candied orange peel, lemon peel,
citron and banched almonds"
They made puff paste for their pies differ
ent from ours One recipe called for -four, one
pound butter ten eggs and some milk or water.
be housewives made their winter supply Ct
md 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
few days before Christmas the mistress went
to market, the maid carrying the basket She
would get her turkey cranberries, celery, oysters,
and little pig for roasting whole.
The day before Christmas the real excitement
began. The stuff1ng was made and such stufing!
Bread crumbs. beef suet, liver, lemon peels, nut
meg savory, pepper, salt, cream and eggs. The
little pig, only four or five weeks old, was filled
ITO his utmost capacity with mashed potatoes or
apples.
Not the least to be considered were the green
decorations Ground pine for festoons end
wreaths, mistletoe to hang, and holly everywhere
were the necessities.
When Christmas morning came the excitement
wd 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 was dredged with -four and put on
the spit with a small unwilling child to watch
and turn 1t as 1t Drowned.
Another child was set to cracking nuts and
polishing apples.
Roasting the Little Pig.
The little pig was put before the fire to roast
in the dripping pan, in which were three bottles
OF red wine for basting
While the things were cooking a 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
for making It:
"Break nine sponge cakes and half pound Of
macaroons In deep dish; pour over one pint
raisin wine, half pint sherry Leave them to
soak Sweeten with two ounces or powdered
I'D candy and pour over one pint and half
.oiy U<(stard Stick with two ounces sliced almonds
Place on a stand and ornament with Christmas
evergreens."
The tankard with the Christmas brew was put
.on the table and all the sabubs, jellies, pickles.
lemon tarts, red apples, nuts, the cookies and the
cherries fresh from the hay.
The 0replaces were now blazing, and the red
berries and green leaves Of the holly were shin
ing In the light.
The mistletoe was waiting for the unwary and
tho good smell OF the brown turkey, savory STUFF
flng and applesauce was everywhere
Don Their Best Frocks.
After the housewife and her daughters had
aAen 10 everything they hurried to put on their
hest lowered silks, with white whims around
thoir nccks and the most secret beautiiiers on
their faces
Then the dinner being nearly cooked, they took
tho little Drowned pig, raised him gently and put
two small oaves of bread under him. and added
moro wine. an anchovy, n bundle Of sweet herbs
and hn,f n lemon was put into the sauce. which
was poured over him hot They had him sitting
- ~. h.,rchos iookinp Ufeke Then they put