Mince pies etc....

[Flosshilde]

With the annual festive season coming upon us, me and the wife always sample various brands of mince pies. We have tried co-op's sort of ok; Sainsbury's taste the difference, better but the best is, imo, is either the Waitrose all butter ones or the M & S ones. This afternoon we tried the Waitrose all buttered ones, and a mug of coffee(I had some whisky in!! :))

What do boarders think?

Far too early to think of eating mince pies. If the Flosshilde household has any I'll probably make my own (with bought mincemeat) - most supermarket ones are far too sweet. When I was living in London I bought thyem from Dunne's (if that's the right spelling) in Crouch End; latterly from Bradford's but they unfortunately have closed.

I've just made a start on Christmas cakes - a bit late, but better late than never! I used Delia's recipe, but replacing the sultanas (which I loath) with extra raisins.

[teamsaint]

Doubly recommended by Father Jack Hackett.

Launch the ROFL copter.

Edit: How is it possible to like raisins, but dislike sultanas? amazing.

[Anna]

most supermarket ones are far too sweet.... replacing the sultanas (which I loath) with extra raisins.

I am with Flossie on this, supermarket ones are so sweet (I think that is why I dislike them) they leave you gagging and also they are claggy, and I also avoid sultanans like the plague. Raisins are so much nicer.

[Flosshilde]

Edit: How is it possible to like raisins, but dislike sultanas? amazing.

Easily - sultanas are nasty squidgy flavourless things, & eating them is how I imagine it would be eating a slug. Sultana scones are an abomination.


Actually I don't mind them uncooked - it's after they have been cooked & absorbed liquid, swelling up like a tick that's been gorging on your blood for a week.

[Anna]

Easily - sultanas are nasty squidgy flavourless things, & eating them is how I imagine it would be eating a slug. Sultana scones are an abomination.
Actually I don't mind them uncooked - it's after they have been cooked & absorbed liquid, swelling up like a tick that's been gorging on your blood for a week.

Totally, totally, agree Flossie. Spawn of the Devil!! Actually your description has made me a little bit queasy ..... excuse me ...

[amateur51]

Easily - sultanas are nasty squidgy flavourless things, & eating them is how I imagine it would be eating a slug. Sultana scones are an abomination.


Actually I don't mind them uncooked - it's after they have been cooked & absorbed liquid, swelling up like a tick that's been gorging on your blood for a week.

Perhaps soak them in sherry first, Flossie?

That way you'll be too far gone to worry about ticks

[teamsaint]

Easily - sultanas are nasty squidgy flavourless things, & eating them is how I imagine it would be eating a slug. Sultana scones are an abomination.

Actually I don't mind them uncooked - it's after they have been cooked & absorbed liquid, swelling up like a tick that's been gorging on your blood for a week.

I've gone right off them now. Serves me right for asking.

[Nick Armstrong]

Doubly recommended by Father Jack Hackett.

[Nick Armstrong]

How is it possible to like raisins, but dislike sultanas? amazing.

I'm with you in amazement...

[Anna]

I'm with you in amazement...

Sultanas become slimy and stick to the roof of your mouth like well gorged slugs (see posts above) I believe in the 1960s when curry was introduced to the UK that sultanas and apples formed part of the recipe to this exotic dish ....

[Bryn]

My father, who served in India (later to become Pakistan) during WWII, used to make 'curries' for us at the weekend (this was in the early '50s). The meat content was usually rabbit, and he always included sultanas and apple. Perhaps it was a recipe local to where he was stationed.

[Anna]

My father, who served in India (later to become Pakistan) during WWII. He used to make 'curries' for us at the weekend (this was in the early '50s). The meat content was usually rabbit, and he always included sultanas and apple. Perhaps it was a recipe local to where he was stationed.

One of my grandfathers was regular Army (21 years) and had two stationings in India (NW Frontier) but I never knew him, so do not know why I am replying as he never cooked us curry!

[amateur51]

My father, who served in India (later to become Pakistan) during WWII, used to make 'curries' for us at the weekend (this was in the early '50s). The meat content was usually rabbit, and he always included sultanas and apple. Perhaps it was a recipe local to where he was stationed.

If we had a leg of lamb for Sunday lunch when visitors were over (a very rare occurrence) my mother would make curry with what remained after we'd had cold meat, pickles & fried potato cakes on Sunday night. Her ultra-mild curry also contained apples, sultanas and tomatoes (the skins would roll up spectacularly). She had never been to India, rarely even to England and 'abroad' only once, to Ireland but her curry was a family favourite

[Anna]

Obviously, someone needs to reseach the sultana, apple, curry problem (not me!)
Gosh, is it not wonderful from mince pies we go on to Curries of The Last Days of the Raj?

[amateur51]

Obviously, someone needs to reseach the sultana, apple, curry problem (not me!)
Gosh, is it not wonderful from mince pies we go on to Curries of The Last Days of the Raj?

A fascinating book about the history of curry ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curry-Cooks-Conquerors-Lizzie-Collingham/dp/0099437864/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384799344&sr=1-1&keywords=curry+history