Festive flavours...minced pies

Marks & Spencer expects to sell 40 million mince pies this year - thats a very popular Christmas food. Love 'em or hate 'em they are a festive tradition, one which goes back quite some time.

It is thought that 'spicy meat pies' were brought back by the Crusaders from the Middle East in the 12th century. The early mince pie was known by several names, including mutton pie, shrid pie and Christmas pie and contained meats, fruits and spices including cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

The mince pie began to get sweeter in the 18th century when cheap sugar arrived from the West Indies. It wasn't until the 19th century, the mince pie we recognise today had arrived - when many recipes dropped the meat entirely.

Festive flavours ... mulled wine

This festive tipple has been around in some form for centuries. A early version appears in 'The Forme of Cury' from the 14th century. It is thought that mulling wine was a way to save wine that was about to spoil.Whoever was drinking it must have been outrageously wealthy as it calls for '..cinnamon, ginger, galangal, cloves, long pepper, nutmeg, marjoram, cardamom ' - ingredients that would have been carried for thousands of miles on the Silk Road.

Mulled wine was very popular in Victorian England and appeared in several of Charles Dickens books. However its appearance in 'A Christmas Carol' that sealed its place as a Christmas tradition.
The Spice Almighty 'Merry Mulled Wine' kit includes all the warming spices cinnamon, cloves and cardamon, to give you plenty of festive cheer.