PASTRY.

MINCE MEAT.

A very old English receipt, 1800–1905.

Contributed by Beatrice Bickerton-Fox (Mrs. L. Webster Fox), Haverford, Pa., U. S. A.

H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex, who was a constant visitor at Lleweny, being a close friend of Mr. Bickerton, was so fond of this mixture that Mr. Bickerton sent M. Baumeister to St. James Palace, where the Duke lived, and where the great chef became chief of the culinary department. This chief Christmas dish was introduced and has been used in the kitchens of the Royal Family for many, many years. These two recipes were old in 1800, when they were used at Lleweny Hall, Denbighshire, North Wales, by Mrs. Bickerton, Great Grandmother to the contributor. Originally a beef tongue or round of beef was added, but M. Baumeister, chef at Lleweny Hall, eliminated the solid meat and substituted beef suet.

One pound of Demarara sugar, 1 lb. of Sultana raisins, 1 lb. of Valencia raisins, 1 lb. of black currants, 1 lb. of best beef suet, finely chopped, 1 lb. of best apples, finely chopped, ¼ lb. of Cardian citron peel, 4 lemons, skins peeled, boiled and chopped, juice strained, 4 nutmegs finely grated, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 gill of old Jamaica rum, 1 gill of old French brandy. Mix well together in deep pan*-mug with well fitting lid.

PASTRY.

Contributed by Mrs. Mary Palmer Bispham, Overbrook, Pa.

One qt. of flour; work in it ¾ lb. of lard, water enough to make a stiff dough. Roll out and put ¾ lb. of butter in the dough in little pats. Dust flour over it thickly, and roll it. Put aside half an hour, roll out three times and bake.

MINCE MEAT.

This is the old Wager recipe, given to me by my great Aunt Anne Elizabeth Wager, who was the granddaughter of Philip Wager, who was a member of the First Philadelphia Dancing Class.

Contributed by Fanny Neff Ewing, Mrs. Samuel Ewing, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

One large beef’s tongue, fresh boiled and chopped, 2½ lbs. of raisins, stoned, 2½ lbs. of dried currants, 2½ lbs. of beef suet, chopped fine, ½ lb of citron, cut fine, ½ lb of brown sugar, 12 pippin apples, pared and chopped, juice and grated rind of 4 lemons, juice and grated rind of 2 oranges, 3 nutmegs grated, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of allspice, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 bottle best brandy, 1 bottle of sherry or madeira. Mix well together, put in a stone crock, pour on brandy and wine; mix well again, cover and let it stand. Try in a day or two and if necessary add more seasoning.

SQUASH PIE.

Contributed by Mr. Mark L. Requa, Oakland, Cal.

Use pie plate 9½ inches diameter, 1½ inches deep. Take 2½ cups milk, 4 eggs well beaten, 1 large cup cooked squash, passed through a sieve, 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly, bake slowly, set to cool. Beat ½ cup of cream stiff, and spread over top of pie. Cups mentioned are large coffee cups.

PUFF PASTE (VERY GOOD).

Miss Charlotte Mitchell, New Orleans.

One half pt. of flour, 3 tablespoons butter, 2 of ice water. Mix flour and butter together with a knife, make a hole in center and put in ice water. Roll out three times. Then put on ice for an hour or more. In cold weather a little more water is needed. Do not touch with hands. Cook in a hot oven. After it puffs pinch with a fork two or three times.

A FAMOUS LEMON PIE.

Made in its perfection by Mary Robertson Hawkins, a great-great-granddaughter of Jonathan Law (last Colonial Governor of Connecticut), and contributed by her daughter, Mary E. Chandon.

One egg, 1 teacupful of granulated sugar, 1 lemon, grated rind and pulp. After grating the rind, the lemon is carefully peeled so as not to break the sections, which must be picked apart, all the thin skins and seeds taken off and the pieces of pulp put on a plate to catch any drops of juice. The egg is slightly beaten with a fork in a shallow bowl or dish, yolk and white together, then the sugar is added gradually, then the grated rind, pulp and juice of the lemon. A pie plate has been lined with a rich puff paste, in which the mixture is poured, then with crossed narrow strips of the puff paste, cut with a jugging iron. Bake in a sufficiently hot oven for the mixture to rise, it will fall when cold; when slightly brown cover lightly with a paper until the crust is well baked. This pie has no upper crust and is very rich and delicious if the directions are strictly followed.

AUNTY’S MINCE MEAT.

Mrs. Prescott Adamson, Germantown, Pa.

Three lbs. beef suet chopped fine, 6 lbs. Sultana raisins chopped fine, 6 lbs. cooking apples chopped fine, 3 lbs. currants picked, washed and chopped fine, 4 large lemons, juice and rind grated, 1 lb. sweet almonds chopped, 1 oz. butter, 4 grated nutmegs, 1 teaspoon cloves, 1 lb. sugar, 1 lb. citron, 1 pt. cider, 1 pt. brandy, 1 glass of plum or peach jam. Cover with brandy, paper, and add a little spirits every time you take any from jar.

DELICIOUS COCOANUT PIE.

Contributed by Mrs. Edwin I. Clinton, Philadelphia, Pa.

One large or 2 small cocoanuts, 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of milk, 4 eggs, 3½ cups of sugar. Bake in good rich crust.

MINCE MEAT.

From the old book of Elizabeth Van Rensselaer, married September 18th, 1787, to John Bradstreet Schuyler.

Contributed by Mrs. Francis Chamber’s Great Granddaughter.

Two pounds of tongue (boiled), 1½ lbs. of suet, 2½ lbs. of currants, 1 lb. of raisins (stoned), 1 lb. of citron cut small, ¼ oz. of mace, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, 1 lb. of powdered sugar, 2 lemons, 6 tablespoons of rose water, 1 pt. of wine, 1 pt. of brandy and a little salt. When you make the pies, chop a pippin fine and add to the mince meat.

LEMON PIE.

Bristol, R. I.

Contributed by Miss Minnie Perry. An old receipt.

Three cups powdered sugar, mix well with 1 cup butter, then beat 4 eggs and add to the butter and sugar, 1 cup of cream or milk, the juice and grated rind of 2 lemons, two thirds of a cup more cream, and 3 or 4 Burt’s Boston Crackers grated in will make them nice, though less rich.

MINCE MEAT.

My Great Great Aunt, Lydia Jones, about the year 1800.

Contributed by Elizabeth W. Paul Morris, Mrs. Fred’k Wistar Morris, “Dundale,” Villa Nova, Pa.

Meat (beef or tongue) 2 lbs., suet 1 lb., brown sugar 2 lbs., currants 2 lbs., raisins 2 lbs., citron ½ lb., apples chopped 1 lb., wine 1 pt., brandy 1 pt., cinnamon ½ oz., 1 nutmeg. I have changed the recipe somewhat. I use ¼ lb. of lemon peel and ¼ of orange peel, the grated rind of 3 or 4 lemons, also the juice, and I add the brandy (2 tablespoons) at the time of baking, and I use cider instead of wine, but either way it is very good.

MINCE MEAT.

Mrs. Edwin I. Clinton.

Eight lbs. of beef, 2 lbs. of suet, 6 lbs. raisins, 6 lbs. currants, 1 lb. of butter. The grated rind and juice of 6 lemons and oranges, spices to taste, with cloves, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, ¾ peck of apples, 3 pts. of brandy, 3 pts. of wine, 7 lbs. of sugar.

This receipt was used by Mrs. Joseph Worrall, Jr., who resided at 136 South Sixth street, opposite Independence Square. Her husband was first Captain of the Washington Guards when they were first formed in Philadelphia, Pa. Mrs. Worrall was born in 1806, and many of these receipts belonged to Mrs. John F. Evans.

MINCE PIE.

Mrs. Oliver Hastings, Cambridge, Mass.

Contributed by Mrs. Morris Longstreth, Philadelphia, Pa.

Four lbs. boiled meat, 1½ lbs. suet, 2 lbs. chopped raisins, 1½ lbs. currants, 1½ pts. of water in which the meat was boiled, 1 great spoonful of cloves, allspice, cinnamon, 3 of salt, 1 pt. of molasses, 1¼ lb. brown sugar, 3 nutmegs grated, 1 spoonful of mace, 3 gills of brandy, 1½ pts. cider, 1 pt. sherry wine, citron at pleasure. Meat and suet to be chopped very fine and all thoroughly mixed. In 2 weeks add a gill of brandy. Add chopped apple to this meat as each pie is made.

MINCE PIES.

Madam Stephen Ward, East Chester, N. Y. (1760).

Contributed by Miss Eliza Sinclair Lyon, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Four and ¾ lbs. nice beef, 2½ lbs. suet, 7 lbs. brown sugar, 7 lbs. tart firm apples, 1 pt. dark molasses, 1 qt. sweet cider, 1 pt. good Sherry, 1 pt. good brandy, 7 lbs. mixed fruit, raisins, currants and citron, 2 oz. ground nutmeg, 2 oz. cinnamon, 1 oz. allspice, ½ oz. cloves. If too sweet lemon juice may be added.

TO MAKE GOOD PASTRY.

Mrs. Dabney H. Maury, Richmond, Va.

Two lbs. of flour, 1½ lbs. of butter and good lard mixed. Place on ice until cold. Then chop it up in the flour in small bits. Mix with ice water with a knife, putting the hand into it as little as possible. Turn on paste board and roll thin. Cut into three pieces with knife, put one piece on top of the other, and roll out again, doing this three times. Bake in a moderately hot oven after shaping as you desire.

MINCE MEAT.

Contributed by Mrs. C. Stuart Patterson, Chestnut Hill, Pa.

Two large fresh tongues boiled and chopped (this quantity makes 5 large cupfuls); ½ basket greening apples, 7 cupfuls; 3 lbs. suet chopped fine, 3½ cupfuls; 7 lbs. raisins stoned, 6 cupfuls; 1½ lbs. currants, 2 cupfuls; 1¾ lbs. citron cut fine; 4 nutmegs grated, 3 tablespoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, 3 tablespoonfuls allspice, 3 oranges, juice and rind, 3 lemons juice and rind, 7 lbs. of sugar, 1 qt. of good brandy, 1 qt. good sherry. Mix all together, adding salt and pepper plentifully. Add orange when making pie.

THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER’S RECIPE FOR MINCE MEAT.

Take 3 large lemons and squeeze the juice. Boil the rind and the pulp in two or three waters in order to extract the bitterness. Pound in a mortar until they are as smooth as butter. Add 1¼ lbs. of beef suet free from skin and chopped very fine, 1 lb. of currants, ¾ lb. of raisins, 1 lb. of brown sugar, ¼ lb. of almonds, blanched and chopped very fine, ½ lb. of citron cut in thin pieces, 1 large tumbler of brandy, 1 lb. of chopped apples, cloves, mace, nutmeg, ginger each 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 wineglasses of sherry and nearly 1 qt. of cider. This is a very old recipe and in an old book, loaned by a distinguished Virginia family.

LEMON CREAM PIE.

Contributed by Mrs. W. Hinckle Smith, Philadelphia, Pa.

Six eggs, 1 large lemon, 9 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of water. Take the yolks of the eggs, juice and grated rind of the lemons, 6 spoons of sugar and the water. Mix together and after beating light, cook in the custard boiler, stirring constantly until it becomes a custard, then stir in part of the whites (previously beaten with the remaining 3 spoons of sugar). Take at once from the fire, put in dish or on pie as desired. Spread the remainder of meringue on top and brown.

MINCE MEAT.

Mrs. Edward Jacquelin Smith, King George Co., Va.

Three lbs. of fruit consisting of sultana raisins, smyrna and citron, 3 lbs. of chopped apples, 2½ lbs. suet and cold round of beef or tongue, 3 lbs. best brown sugar, 6 teaspoons of spices consisting of mace, nutmeg, allspice and cloves, also cinnamon; ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, the rind of a large lemon, 1 oz. of preserved orange peel, ½ pt. of Madeira, ½ pt. of best French brandy, ½ pt. of old Jamaica spirit. Mix all well together and let stand some days before using. Cover a dish with light puff paste, fill with mixture. Cover with paste and serve hot.

BAKED APPLE DUMPLING.

Mrs. C. V. F. Greenwood, Middletown, N. J.

Make a rich pie crust, pare and core some apples, fill each apple with a tablespoon of white sugar. Place on top of each apple a small piece of butter. Fold pastry around each apple and after they are placed in oven put a small piece of butter on top of each. Almost cover the dumplings with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to each dumpling and grated nutmeg. Bake about 2 hours, keep them covered the first hour then remove cover. No other sauce except that in pan will be necessary.

LEMON CHEESE CAKES.

Mrs. Roy Mason, “Cleveland,” King George Co., Va.

One pound of sugar, 6 eggs, the juice of 3 lemons, the rind finely grated, ¼ lb. of butter. Stir over a slow fire until the mixture thickens. Bake in a puff paste adding at the time about 6 finely pounded crackers. After baking lay over top some finely cut pieces of citron or preserved lemon rind.

LEMON PIE.

Contributed by Mrs. Edward I. Clinton, Philadelphia, Pa.

The rasping and juice of 3 lemons, 5 eggs, 3 cups of white sugar, 3 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of flour. Keep out the whites of 3 of the eggs for the top of the pie. Beat whites to a stiff froth and add sugar (pulverized). After pie is baked spread over the top. Put in oven a few minutes to brown lightly. This is delicious.

MINCE MEAT.

Mrs. Roy Mason, “Cleveland,” King George Co., Va.

One lb. of chopped suet, 1½ lbs. chopped apples, 1 lb. of raisins, ½ lb. of currants, ¼ lb. of citron, 1½ lbs. brown sugar, 1 pt. of wine, ½ pt. of brandy, 1 pt. of cider, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg, mace, allspice, cloves and ginger.

MINCE MEAT.

Contributed by Mrs. Goodfellow.

One lb. of beef or tongue or heart, 1 lb. of suet, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of raisins, 1 lb. of currants, ½ lb. of citron, 2 lbs. of apples, 1 pt. of wine, 1 pt. of brandy, ½ oz. of cinnamon, 1 whole nutmeg, ¼ oz. cloves, ¼ oz. mace, the rind of 1 orange pounded. Boil the meat before chopping, seed raisins, wash and pick the currants, slice citron, pare, core, and chop the apples. Mix together the liquids last. The weight is for the articles after they are prepared for mixing.

WASHINGTON PIE.

Mrs. Oliver Hastings, Cambridge, Mass.

Contributed by Mrs. Morris Longstreth, Philadelphia, Pa.

For the outside, take 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 teacup of flour, 1 teaspoonful cream of tartar in the flour, one third teaspoonful soda dissolved in 2 tablespoonsful of milk. This makes two round tins. For the inside, take 1 teacup of flour, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, beat together and pour into a pint of milk when boiling. Season with ½ teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla extract.

SWEET POTATO PIE.

Contributed by Mrs. Morris R. Stroud, Philadelphia, Pa.

Make a rich flaky pastry. Take 3 large sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed. Break 5 eggs, beat very light, add to the potatoes, then add ½ lb. of butter, ¼ lb. of sugar, the grated peel of two lemons and the juice of one, 1 grated nutmeg, 1 wineglass of wine, 1 of brandy. Mix well together and bake in your pastry.

MRS. EDWARD SHIPPEN’S DIRECTIONS FOR MINCE PIE.

Sent by Mrs. Lea, December 12th, 1796.

Contributed by Mr. and Mrs. John Cadwalader, Philadelphia, Pa.

One lb. of beef or tongue, 1½ lbs. currants, 1½ lbs. suet, 1 lb. of raisins, 1 dozen apples, sugar, salt, wine, brandy, spice, citron, lime juice, nutmeg, lemon peel, to your taste.

MOLASSES PIE.

Mrs. Morris R. Stroud.

Contributed by Mrs. Meredith Bailey, Philadelphia, Pa.

Prepare regular pie crust in pan. Spread with brown sugar then layer of molasses, small pieces of butter, another layer of crust, brown sugar and molasses and butter. Put in oven to bake.

CREAM PIES.

Mrs. Morris R. Stroud.

Contributed by Mrs. Meredith Bailey, Philadelphia, Pa.

Two cups of white sugar, 2 cups of flour, 6 eggs separate, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar in with the flour, ½ teaspoon of soda dissolved in 2 tablespoonfuls of boiling water; bake in 4 jelly cake pans.

Cream for the Pies.

One pt. of milk put on to boil in farina boiler, when boiling stir in ¾ of a cup of flour or a tablespoonful of cornstarch made smooth with a little milk, yolks of 2 eggs, ¾ of a cup of sugar, flavor with a little vanilla.

PUMPKIN PIE.

Miss Schuyler, New York.

Contributed by Miss Eliza Sinclair Lyon, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

One pumpkin prepared, 1 pt. of milk boiling, 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 cups of brown sugar, 1 large cup of dark molasses, pinch of salt and mace, 3 tablespoons of ginger, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Mix ginger and cinnamon with a little of the pumpkin until smooth. Add the boiling milk, then the pumpkin, and boil 15 minutes. Beat 4 eggs light and stir in, not boil as for custard. Put in paste while hot. This makes three large pies.

LEMON PIE.

Mrs. Nicholas Roosevelt, of New York.

Contributed through Mrs. Lily Latrobe Loring, Washington, D. C.

One lemon, grate the rind and squeeze the juice, 1 tablespoonful of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, yolks of 3 eggs. Boil all until quite stiff. When the pie is baked a light brown cover with the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth with sugar, brown again in the oven.

PUFF PASTE.

Mrs. Rumsey, Chestnut Hill, Pa., 1800.

Contributed by Mrs. Meredith Bailey, Philadelphia, Pa.

One lb. sifted flour, ½ lb. butter, ½ lb. lard, pinch of salt, 1 tumbler ice water. Chop the lard into the flour until fine, add water, flour board well, roll out, divide butter into three equal parts, sprinkle one third over paste in tiny pieces, fold up and pound, roll out again, repeat same process three times, roll out thin, and cut in pieces as desired, chill thoroughly before using.

CREAM PIES.

Mrs. Marie Louise Bailey, Philadelphia.

Contributed by Mrs. Meredith Bailey, Philadelphia, Pa.

Two teacups of white sugar, 2 teacups of flour, 6 eggs, 2 teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon of soda dissolved in 2 tablespoonfuls of boiling water.

Cream for the Pies.

One pt. of milk, 3¼ cups of flour, ¾ cup of sugar, 2 eggs, only using the yolks. The pies must be cold when the cream is added.