Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-12-17

being substituted for the pagan
N yuletide, the famous 'boars head"
~ omitted, and the Christmas pie
became known mince pie. However, many old
observances were kept. including the mstletoe
and holly. and Christmas day for family
gatherings. with feast prepared by the women
or the house.
1t is quite possible that we would not like
their fiavorings today. They used a variety of
spices. wines and seasonings in even their plain.
est dishes: but everything was prepared in
the home. either under the supervision of the
mistress or by her own hands, the mixtures were
wholesome.
Everything turned to account in the sea.
son with view to future use, SO in this way
preparations for the holiday were going on long
before the day.
In cherry time supply was carefully hacked
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 mncemeat 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 pound, no more of sugar,
threefourths pound cloves. mace, nutmeg and
cinnamon, some candied orange peel lemon peel,
citron and blanched almonds"
They made puff paste for their pies differ
ent from One recipe called for flour, one
pound butter ten eggs and some milk water.
Some housewives made their winter supply cf
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 put into fresh
cold water. When they uade apples.
anges and sugar were added.
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 stufing made, and such stutfng!
Bread crumbs. beef suet liver. lemon peels nut
meg. savory, pepper, salt. cream and eggs. The
little pig, only four FIVE weeks DID, filled
to his utmost capacity with mashed potatoes
apples.
Not the least to be considered 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 heated and the mince pies put In.
The turkey was dredged with flour and put on
the spit. with small unwilling child to watch
and turn it as II Drowned
Another child was set to cracking nuts and
polishing apples.
Roasting inc Litlc rig.
The little pig 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 the famed
Christmas bowl Here are the quaint directions
for making 1t:
Break nine sponge cakes and half pound of
macaroons In q 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 one pint and half
of custard Stick with two ounces sliced almonds
Place on stand and ornament with Christmas
eyergreens.
The tankard with the Christmas brew was put
on the table and all the sillabubs. jelles pickles.
lemon tarts red apples. nuts, the cookies and the
cherries fresh from the hay
The freplaces were now blazing, and the red
berries and green leaves of the holly were shin
ing in the light.
The mistIetoe was waiting for the unwary, and
the good smell of the brown turkey. savory stuff
fing and applesauce was everywhere
Don Their Best Frocks.
After the housewife and her daughters had
seen TO everything they hurried to put on their
hest 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 anchoyy. a bundle of sweet herbs
and a half lemon was put into the sauce, which
was poured over him hot. They had him sitting
ON his launches looking lifelike Then they put