Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour: This is the Feast (Recipe)

One of the illustrations in This is the Feast shows a woman in the kitchen, chiseling away at a hunk of something white. It took me awhile (okay, I had to ask my mom), but I finally identified the object as a salt block.

Don't take your Morton for granted.

In memory of the hours that pilgrim women spent in front of the fire, why not try your hand at a lovely mince pie? It may sound gross, but around here, we love love the taste of sweet meat in a pastry. Here's the recipe, 1600's-style.

Boil a tender, nice piece of beef -- any piece that is clear from sinews and gristle; boil it till it is perfectly tender. When it is cold, chop it very fine, and be very careful to get out every particle of bone and gristle. The suet is sweeter and better to boil half an hour or more in the liquor the beef has been boiled in; but few people do this.

Pare, core, and chop the apples fine. If you use raisins, stone them. If you use currants, wash and dry them at the fire.

Two pounds of beef, after it is chopped;
three quarters of a pound of suet;
one pound and a quarter of sugar;
three pounds of apples;
two pounds of currants, or raisins.

Put in a gill of brandy; lemon-brandy is better, if you have any prepared. Make it quite moist with new cider. I should not think a quart would be too much; the more moist the better, if it does not spill out into the oven.

A very little pepper.

If you use corn meat, or tongue, for pies, it should be well soaked, and boiled very tender. If you use fresh beef, salt is necessary in the seasoning.

One ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves.

Two nutmegs add to the pleasantness of the flavor; and a bit of sweet butter, put upon the top of each pie, makes them rich, but these are not necessary.

Baked three quarters of an hour. If your apples are rather sweet, grate in a whole lemon.

Note: If your head is spinning, try this recipe. It has measurements.