Get ahead!

October half term is the perfect time to make mincemeat for Christmas as it needs several weeks to develop its flavour. I’m surprised so few people make their own, preferring to buy commercial jars. Recently I had a chat with a lady, whilst shopping in a local supermarket – she’d never made it and dislikes peel so I suggested she has a go and leaves out peel, maybe adding more cherries. (I’m not a fan of currants and add extra apricots instead. ) When it’s all mixed, half of it goes into the food processor to create a sticky matrix which is stirred through the rest of the fruits, with a little brandy. Clip top jars with a rubber seal are useful as the jars need to be turned from time to time so the juices can permeate through all the mixture. The jars look lovely and mark the beginning of planning for the festivities. It won’t be long before there are trays of mince pies in the freezer!