無肉的百果餡 / The Meatless Mincemeat Pie

很多初來北美的唐人(包括我在內),以為聖誕新節日吃的mincemeat pie是肉末餡餅,但其實它是沒有肉的百果餡,是聖誕大歺之甜品。我查詢【維基百科Wikipedia】,找尋到以下的資料:

"... A mince pie (sometimes also minced, minced meat, or mincemeat pie) is a British festive sweet pastry, traditionally consumed during the Christmas and New Year period. Mince pies normally have a pastry top, but versions may also be found without the top in which case they are known as mince tarts. Mince pies are filled with mincemeat – a preserve typically containing apple, dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas, spices, and either suet or vegetable shortening. Modern mince pies typically do not contain any meat, but because suet is raw beef or mutton fat, mince pies made with suet are not suitable for vegetarians. Individual mince pies are usually 6–7.5 cm in diameter, although larger mince pies, suitable for slicing, may also be baked ...

... The origins of the mince pie lie in the medieval chewet (also spelled chewette), which was a fried or baked pastry containing chopped liver and other meats mixed with boiled eggs and ginger. Dried fruit and other sweet ingredients would be added to the chewet's filling for variety.

By the 16th century mince or "shred" pie was considered a Christmas speciality, although in the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell made the eating of mince pies on Christmas Day illegal. (This law was voted fourth "most ridiculous British law" in a 2007 poll.) In the mid-17th century the liver and chopped meat were replaced by suet, and by the 19th century meat was no longer generally used in the "mince" in either Britain or North America ..."

Source of information / References:
* 2008年聖誕火鳮歺 / The Turkey Dinner of X'mas 2008 http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2008/12/2008-turkey-dinner-of-xmas-2008.html
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mincemeat
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mincemeat_tart