Subject: Mince Pie with Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
From: Michael
Date: 11/20/2022, 2:02 PM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
On 11/20/2022 12:01 PM, Michael wrote:
My mom was an excellent Baker she made a Mince Pie which she added
Martinelli's Sparkling Cider. Unfortunately that recipe is lost to
time. I checked their website but no such recipe section. I have
used some of the recipes and enjoyed them. Thank you in advance.
Hello Michael,
I had no success finding a mince pie recipe or a mincemeat pie recipe that called for using Martinelli's Sparkling Cider in the making of the pie itself. I think it would be highly unusual to use any kind of cider in making a mince pie as such. What I found was that cider, even sometimes sparkling cider, is sometimes used in making mince or mincemeat. It is actually an ingredient in the mince itself, not part of the pie recipe in which the mince is then used. Yes, technically that means the pie would then contain cider, but many people make their mincemeat quite separately from making the pie itself. They make the mince, can it or freeze it, and then use it months later to make a mince pie. It's often two separate recipes. Some people use commercial mincemeat, such as "Nonesuch," to make their pies.
That said, I only found two mincemeat recipes that call for sparkling cider. Perhaps the original mince recipe that your mom used merely called for "sparkling cider", and she chose to use Martinelli's because she favored it. It seems to be rather rare as well for a mince recipe to call for "sparkling cider" at all. Most mince recipes that list cider as an ingredient simply list "cider" or "apple cider" or even "apple juice", rather than "sparkling cider."
Anyhow, that's just speculation. There are mince recipes that call specifically for "sparkling cider" and that include instructions for using that mince to make a pie on these two sites:
European Cuisines
Meal Steps
Below, there is a recipe for mincemeat that calls for "apple cider" or "apple juice." I'd think Martinelli's Sparkling Cider could be substituted for that ingredient with no problem. Might even be better.
Phaed
Old-Timey Mincemeat
2 lbs. lean beef
2 lbs. suet
8 c. apples, chopped fine
2 lbs. seedless raisins (cut in pieces)
1 1/2 lbs. currants
1/4 lb. candied fruit (whatever you like)
2 lbs. brown sugar
1 1/2 c. apple cider (or 1 1/2 c. apple juice)
3/4 c. beef stock or broth
1 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and cloves
1 grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. shredded orange peel
1 tsp. shredded lemon peel
In large saucepan, cover beef with water. Cover and simmer for 2 hours or
until meat is tender, cool. Save broth. Use coarse blade of food grinder,
grind meat, apples and suet. In large pot combine sugar, raisins, currants,
candied fruit and peels, juice or cider, salt and spices and 3/4 cup of
beef broth. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stir frequently.
Makes 12 cups. Freezes well.
To make pie: Make crust for 2 pies. Roll 1/2 of crust to fit 9 inch pie plate.
Put in about 3 cups of mincemeat. Roll out the other crust and put over mincemeat.
Seal and flute edges. Cut splits in top of crust. Brush with milk, sprinkle with sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
