Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-12-16

became known as mince pie. However, many old
opservances were kept, including the mistletoe
and holly, and Christmas was a day for family
gatherings, with a feast prepared by the women
of the house.
1t is quite possible that we would not like
their favorings today. They used a 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, the 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, a supply was carefully packed
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 ra:1-
ms, 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 blanched Almonds"
They made a puff paste for their pies differ
emit from ours. One recipe called for flour, one
pound butter, ten eggs and some milk or water.
Some housewives made their winter supply ct
mince 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
coId Watnr Whnn fbav uoro made oDnJoe 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 stufing 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
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
were the necessities.
When Christmas morning came the excitement
was 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 was dredged with flour and put on
the spit, with a small unwilling child to watch
and turn it as it 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
nth Iinau o1oth nonkin 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 a pound Of
macaroons in a deep dish; pour over one pint
raisin wine, half pint sherry. Leave them to
soak. Sweeten with two ounces of powdered
sugar candy and pour over 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
on the table, and all the ~sillabubs, jellies, pickles,
lemon tarts, red apples, nuts, the cookies and the
cherries fresh from the hay.
The freplaces we're 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
Inc good smell Of the brown turkey, savory STUFF
Eng 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 whims around
their necks and the most secret beautihers on
their faces.
Then the dinner being nearly cooked, they took
the little Drowned pig, raised him gently and put
two small loaves Of bread under him. and added
more wine; an anchovy, a bundle of sweet herbs
and a half a lemon was put into the sauce, which
was poured over him hot. They had hin sitting
on his launches looking lfelike- Then they put
SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRI