Christmas Pies

CHRISTMAS PIE. The following appeared in the Newcastle Chronicle, 6th Jan. 1770:—" Monday last was brought from Howick to Berwick, to be shipp'd for London, for sir Hen. Grey, bart., a pie, the contents where-of are as follows: viz. 2 bushels of flour, 20 lbs. of butter, 4 geese, 2 turkies, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, and 4 partridges; 2 neats' tongues, 2 curlews, 7 blackbirds, and 6 pigeons; it is supposed a very great curiosity, was made by Mrs. Dorothy Patterson, housekeeper at Howick. It was near nine feet in circumference at bottom, weighs about twelve stones, will take two men to present it to table; it is neatly fitted with a case, and four small wheels to facilitate its use to every guest that inclines to partake of its contents at table."
Hone, William. The Table Book. 1828

A Yorkshire Christmas Pie
Having made a large standing crust, bone a turkey, a goose, a hen, a partridge, and a pigeon. Season them with half an ounce of mace, the same quantity of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of black pepper, all beat fine, and two large spoonfuls of salt, mixed all well together. Roll up the fowls, the one within the other, with the turkey outermost, so as to look like a whole turkey and place it in the middle of the crust. Have a hare ready cased, and wiped clean; disjoint and cut it in pieces; season, and lay it close to one side of the curst; put woodcocks, moor-game, and any other wild fowl you can get, on the opposite side, well seasoned, and packed close together. Put four pounds of butter into the pie; then lay on the lid. The crust must be very thick, and it will take four hours at least, in a hot oven, to bake it properly.
Frazer. The Practice of Cookery... Edinburgh, 1820 7th ed.

Little Jack Homer sat in a corner,
Eating his Christmas-pye:
He put in his thumb,
and he pull'd out a plumb,
And said, “What a good boy am I."

Christmas Pie: Fowl within fowl

Glasse, Hannah. Art of Cookery. 1774 Yorkshire Christmas Pie.
Simpson, John. A Complete System of Cookery... 1816 A Goose and Turkey Pie...called a Christmas Pie
Leslie, Eliza. Directions for Cookery 1840 A Christmas Goose Pie
Rundell, Maria. System of Domestic Cookery 1844 Yorkshire Goose Pie
Domestic economy 1827 A Yorkshire Goose Pie as many different birds as it is possible... tongue put in last
Raffald, Elizabeth. Experienced English Housekeeper. 1769 A Yorkshire Goose Pie
Bliss. Practical Cook Book. 1850 A New Year's Pie. Goose, turkey, duck, chicken, tongue
A Christmas Pie. 1874 Rutledge, Sarah. The Carolina Housewife.

Christmas Pie: Fowl Pies

Francatelli, Charles. The Cook's Guide. Yorkshire Pie. Goose, hare, grouse, snipes
Francatelli, Charles. The Modern Cook. 1880 Yorkshire or Christmas Pie
Scott, Sir Walter. The Edinburgh Annual Register. 1813 Christmas pie 200 lb.
Sporting Magazine. 1808 Christmas Pie weighed 154 lbs.!
Hone, William. The Every-day Book. 1826 history

Christmas Pie: Mince Pie

Johnson, Samuel. A Dictionary of the English Language. 1828 Minced-Pie... called also a Christmas-pie
Hearn, Lafcadio. La Cuisine Creole. 1885 Mince meat, for Christmas Pies.

On the Web

Yorkshire Christmas Pie Ivan Day
Recipe for Christmas Pie at Mount Vernon - turkey, goose, fowl, partridge, pigeon
Turducken history

Home: hearthcook.com