Mary Lourdes Bonnici MBA

  59 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS • FESTIVE HISTORY SERIES Mince Pies — How a Medieval Dish Became a Christmas Treat From spiced meat pies to the fruit-filled pastries of modern Christmas By Mary Lourdes Bonnici MBA Learning • Knowledge • Growth Introduction — A small pie with a surprisingly long history Imagine a warm December kitchen. The pastry has turned golden, the fragrance of cinnamon and citrus rises from the oven, and a tray of little Christmas mince pies is cooling beside the kettle. For many people in Britain and beyond, this is a familiar sign that Christmas is approaching. Yet place one of those sweet, fruit-filled pies before a cook from several centuries ago and the cook might ask a surprising question: where is the meat? The modern mince pie is an excellent example of how a tradition can change almost beyond recognition while keeping its name. Its story involves medieval pastry cases, richly seasoned meat, dried fruit, religious feasting, international trade, historical misu...