A carrot for
the reindeer and a mince pie for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve was one of
my early memories of these sweet and savoury treats. The noble minced pie may have its roots and connections with the crusaders of the 13th
century, the Romans, or the Tudors; but it endures like Christmas cake sans the
jokes. If lore is correct, the first pies were made from shredded meats, suet,
and dried fruits, and as time and commerce progressed the addition of exotic
spices from the Near East.
Today's typical mincemeat
recipe consists of apples, raisins, currants, candied citrus peel, suet,
butter, sugar, and sweet spices. These key elements make wine pairing
straightforward. Seek out wines that are comparable or sweeter than the dessert
and complement the flavour profile of the pies (orange and raisin).
Muscat (California)
Muscat de Baumes-de-Venise (France)
Passito di
Pantelleria (Italy)
Tokaji 5
Puttonyos or sweeter (Hungary)
Tokay Muscat
(Australia)
Malmsey
Madeira (Portugal)
Tawny Port
(Portugal)
East India
Sherry or PX (Spain)
If you are in
the UK or have family there consider bidding on some extraordinary mince pies
for child charity. One hundred British
chefs are creating pies pushing the limits of creativity. Some of these recipes
would make amazing wine pairing possibilities. Here's a few intriguing mince pie variations.
 |
| Nobu Mince Pie 2012 | Black coconut ashes and black sesame |
Gymkhana Mince Pie
Naan: raisins, orange zest, pistachio, coconut, cardamon and Brandy Rabri
Duck &
Waffle: Lemon meringue mince pie, roasted marshmallow, vanilla lemon curd
Nobu: Maguma
mince pie: Kuro-Goma dough with a spicy core
SmokeHouse: Swirls of
cinnamon and bacon sugar puff pastry, bacon and bourbon mincemeat all dipped in
bourbon butterscotch
Happy Christmas!
