ENTERTAINING ON CHRISTMAS
The Christmas season brings to mind the many Christmas days gone by, with their four great features—turkey, cranberry sauce, plum pudding and mince pie.
It was a good old English custom, not to be rejected by the American colonists, although modificatlons were necessary to suit the religion and conditions of living in the colonies, the. Chrlst-splrlt being substituted for the pagan Yuletlde, the famous "boar's, head" was omitted, and the Christmas pie became known as-mince pie. However, many old observances 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.
It is quite possible that we would not like their flavorings today. They used a variety of spices, wices and seasonings In even their plainest 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 season 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 mlncemeat 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 raisins, 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 candled orange peel, lemon peel, cltron and blanched "almonds."
They made a puff paste for their pies different from ours. One recipe called for flour, one pound butter, ten eggs and some milk or water. Some housewives made their winter supply of 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 fresh cold water. When they were made, apples, oranges. 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 stuffing was made; and such stuffing! Bread crumbs, beef suet, liver, lemon peels, nutmeg, 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 Christinas 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 browned. 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 wlne 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 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 firplaces were now blazing, and the red berries and green leaves ot the holly were shining in the light. The mistletoe was waiting for the unwary, and the good smell of the brown turkey, savory stuffing and applesauce was everywhere.
Don Their Best Frocks
After the housewife and her daughters had seen to everylhing they hurried to put on their best flowered silks, with white whims around their necks and the most secret beautifiers on their face.
Then the dinner nearly cooked, they took the little browned 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 him sitting on his haunches looking lifelike Then they put a red apple In his mouth, which,alas! he could never eat, and garnished him with holly.
At last the company came, the mistress preserving a calm exterior, but with an inward anxiety lest something be burned or spilled at the last moment.
When all is ready the beaming host says, "Friends, will thee join us In the Christmas feast?" And with great dignity he leads them, with the guest of honor on his arm, followed by the older people and the children.
The Table Decorated
The table is a picture to cheer the hungry. The large turkey is at one end and the pig at the other end of the long table, with everything they are to eat between, excepting the plum pudding.
After the silent grace, which stills the noise for a moment, the carver takes his knife, and with a deliberation born of steady nerves carves under the fire of twenty pairs of eyes.
The directions in "Gentlewoman's Housewifery" says: "Raise the leg fairly of the turkey and open the joint with the point of the knife, but do not take off the leg.
"Then lace down both sides ot the breastbone and open the breast pinion, but do not take it off. Then raise the Merry Thought between the breast bone and the top of it," and so on till the turkey is boned. While this is being done the "Christmas bowl" is passed.
After they are helped to turkey and pig they pass vegetables and delicacies, and even the mince pie is eaten when they have the desire for it.
The Correct Manners
The proper conventions are strictly adhered to. The book of etiquette says: "A gentlewoman must not lean her elbows on the table, nor by a ravenous gesture discover a voracious appetite, nor talk with her mouth full, nor smack her lips like a pig."
The children were kept in order. In all the feast was decorous, but merry for all that at last; when they have eaten to the extent of their capacity, the plum pudding, blazing and with a piece of holly stuck in the top, is brought in and eaten with brandy sauce. Then the toasts are drunk with the good home-brewed wine, and the feast is done
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