Mince Pie Appreciation

The beautiful thing about our scene is the diversity.

Not a northern thing. From Sunderland. I've discovered crisp by using half lard half butter in my pastry mix. I achieve a sturdy shell, so structurally, I'm confident, but also a sensual extra when crunching in. Then there's the guilty after-pleasure of knowing you just ate lard. Hang on...what's that sharp pain in my che......aaaaerrgghh!

I see you've already had the Coop luxury ones pointed out up thread.. They stock them at Dalston Coop on Stoke Newington High Street near Princess May road.

Thanks. I'm that desperate. Off to Stokie.

OK this'll probably get me banned but the Heston ones from Waitrose are mindblowing. Bit of office debate as to whether they actually are a true mince pie or not (covered mince tart?)

I'm on that squidgy hype and I'm a dutty southerner. Dad's from Yorkshire though so maybe it's in the blood. Although custard can >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Heston

Do you have to eat them wearing a welders' helmet
with piece of salsify smeared with ambergris up one nostril,
and,
a parsnip cold marinated in a myrrh/honey sauce up the other?

And an onion up your...

.... pear tree?

On an experimental/ambient vibe. Nice. Would it play well to a traditional crowd? Doubt it, but for the boundary-pushers over at future-mincer-forums.net that will go down well.

Failed to find Winter Spice Soreen this weekend. Disappoint.

3 of Greggs' finest in my tum. Feel sick but happy sick.
Christmas is here.

Had some of the Sainsbury’s bakery 4 pack yesterday... really quite good. The pastry is almost like shortbread but is more structurally sound and the shallow fill works.

Had two of those with extra thick double cream yesterday too. Perhaps I need to pace myself.

They aren't very boozy but none of them are, really.

And there's only one left so there'll probably be a scuffle later.

Eat it quick

crumbled last night and had a Tesco Finest pie

6.5/10 - couldn't really taste the Courvoisier , pastry was a bit 'momsy' mouth feel.....

Do you want to explain 'momsy' mouth feel...?

On the other hand.....dont......

shit pastry your Mum used to make

If it is, you can bloody well keep it up there!

It's the 28th. Close enough. Time to join the fray. One Pret mincer locked and loaded for the 2:30pm cup of tea.

Tesco finest rhubarb and ginger 'mince pies'. Let me be clear: as mincers these are haram. On the other hand, if you're a fellow lover of the Siberian Stalks then they actually make a rather nice fruit-based afternoon pastry snack, though one that has no actual connexion with the festive season. Would probably be a good test subject for Melly's custard injector.

Gregg's, just now:

'Eat in or take away?'

'I've got a dozen mince pies - you think I'm going to eat them all at once?'

'You'd be surprised what some of our customers do...'

Massive respect to anyone who demolishes a dozen mincers in a single sitting, in public.

Thank you Thrustvector. To date I've failed mincerably to buy Coop luxury mincers with gaps for custard. Fruitless trips to my local Coop provide good raisin to seek an alternative.

I think in certain Orthodox nativities one of the Wise Men bring sticks of early forced rhubarb as it was of greater rarity than any of the three conventional gifts.