"mince" news and stories

A mince pie is the quintessential food of Christmas - at least, it is if you're British. A mince pie is a small, sweet pastry that contains a mixture of dried fruits, spices, nuts, suet (beef fat) and alcohol. Some versions of mince pies, especially in older or very traditional settings, use a meat filling, but it is the boozy fruit one that is popular during the holidays. In their quest to find the best mince pies, Custom PC went around to the shops and picked some out for their mince pie megatest. If you're in the UK, their guide will definitely help prepare you for the holidays. Read their post for the full details (and some laughs, because these guys are hilarious), but here are their very abridged results, from worst to best:

• Sainsbury's Basics Mince Pies - "tasted only marginally better than said serrated ninja projectile"
• Mr Kipling's Mince Pies - "the pastry and the filling failed to impress, though thankfully nobody died"
• Sainsbury Deep Filled Mince Pies - "left a nasty chemical aftertaste in the palates of our review squad"
• Duchy Originals Mince Pies - "slightly fragile and curiously salty"
• Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Mince Pies - "a good filling, a nice crispy crust and a boozy, Christmassy taste"
• Marks and Spencer Deep Filled Mince Pies - "full of goodness, like grandma used to bake."
• Waitrose Mince Pies - "tasted really good, with lots of strong, boozy filling."
• Harrods Mince Pies - "Definitely too good to be left out for Santa Claus."

If,like me, you don't live where there is a ready supply of mince pies available, making your own is a good idea. This recipe from Nigella Lawson uses butter instead of suet, though you should try to track down some premade mincemeat, as most recipes call for letting it sit for several weeks before use.

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I don't work for Zyliss. I have used and own several of their products.

There are plenty of ways to peel garlic. If you are a garlic lover, then you probably add finely minced or pressed garlic to a dish shortly before serving, thus preserving much of the racy flavor we garlic lover's crave. If you're looking to simply peel garlic for chopping, I recommend a roller or your bare hands (cut the butt off, pinch the clove and remove skin). However, try the Asian Rose pressed onto hot pizza, or directly into creamy soups. My uncle brought me some Asian rose earlier this summer, grown in Napa. Hadn't tried it, won't forget it. I haven't had much luck growing my own...but I do use plenty, and this is the tool I turn to. If you have another press that you swear by, let me know and I'll check it out.

As for garlic on our breath, well, anything for love.

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