Portland Observer, December 15, 1982 Section III Page 7
The Christmas Feast
goose became the Christmas bird. It
was accompanied by sausages
served in string form to represent
the boar's head's garland.
Spanish ships brought the turkey
from ihe Aztecs of Mexico. It a r
rived first in Spanish Netherlands
and then in England's Holland.
The guinea-fowl, well known to
the ancient Romans and Greeks,
was rediscovered in A frica by the
Portugese at the beginning o f the
16th Century. It was called Turkie-
Henne in England and became a
fourth Christmas dish.
The head ot the wild boar was the
h iito tic a l dish o f the nobleman's
table. Thew is a legend that early
man learned to plough the ground
by watching the wild boar root with
h it large tusks in the ground. The
boar was also an enemy o f the
crops, trampling them under foot.
The boar's head was placed on a
large platter, decked with a wreath
of rosemary, with a round fruit like
an apple or orange in his m outh.
The boar's head was carried into the
hall with great fanfare.
Everyone stood when the Master
o f Revels brought in the C hief
C ook. Sometimes the platter was
preceded by a man carrying a drip
ping sword, supposedly the one that
had killed the boar.
Singers jo in in the traditio n al
carol:
M ine* meet plee
The first mince meat pies were
made oblong, in the shape of a man
ger. The latticed tops of these "pi**
were symbolic of the hayrack in the
jtable During the middle ages it was
called "mutton pic." Recipes called
for minced partridge, pheasant, and
hare. Gradually meat, suet, apples,
molasses, wisdom, currents, clove*,
nutmeg were added. The apples
symbolize growth and fertility; the
spices are the gifts of the wise men.
Mince pies were sometimes called
“ wayfarer’s pies" becaue they were
given to visitor*. There was a com
mon belief that if a person ate
twelve pies at twelve d ifferen t
places, between Christmas Day and
Twelfth Night, he would have good
luck. Refusal to eat a pie meant loss
of a friend.
The boar's head in hand bring I,
With garlands gay and rosemary;
I pray you all sing merrily,
Qui estis in convivio.
A nother royal meat served was
the peacock. The feathers were re
moved and the stuffed bird cooked.
Then the feathers were replaced and
the tail spread. The bird sat on a
platter with its head erect. Some
times a sponge soaked in liquor was
placed in its gilded beak and lit.
Sometimes the peacock was made
into a pie with its head sticking out
o f one side and its tail from the
other. The peacock was carried to
the feast by a beautiful and distin
guished woman. She held the dish
before an honored guest. Before the
bird was served, each knight placed
his hand on it and made a solemn
vow to do a good deed.
In Germany and in England the
Plum pudding
There is a legend that once an
English king had to remain in the
forest Christmas Eve His cook put
into a pot all the food he had with
him—chooped meat, flour, apples,
dried plums, eggs, ale. sugar, and
brandy. He stirred it together, put in
in a bag and boiled the first English
plum pudding
Weeeeil
Wassail, usually a mixture o f hot
ale, sweetened and spiced with nut
meg or ginger, was drunk on Christ
mas or Tw elfth Night. W ell-to-do
hosts added cream, egfl*. almonds,
cloves and cinnamon. Roasted ap
ples bobbing on top were called
"lam bs w o o l" because o f the ap
pearance. Originally, pieces of toast
floated on the wassail— hence the
term “ toast.”
The wassail bowl was passed from
person to person as an affirm ation
of good health and friendship.
The tra d itio n began, it is said,
when a lovely Saxon maiden pre
sented Prince Vortigcn a bowl o f
wine and greeted him with "Waes
haeil."— "H e re ’s to you.”
The Waaaail Bowl w ith Its special wine end roasted apples was a central feature
of Medieval mid-winter festivals.
Switch To Albertsons For
Holiday Specials
PORK LOIN
MAYONNAISE
Armour Veri Beat. Cut b Wrapped
_______
Kratt 32 or. tirât I Add I
at Reo Price
Holiday dessert
Getting ready for the Holidays
means planning goodies. T here’ s
time to start a Friendship Cake, an
old tradition that involves passing
along a cup of the batter to friends.
It's a good way to share tne spirit of
the season. Start it where you are.
The Pecan Petites are a tradition,
too, sugar-coated party cookies that
appear often at Christmas buffets,
and the W hole-G rain Crunch
Cookies are not only good to eat,
but good for you and for the kid
dies, too. Get ready for the Holiday
season— and enjoy!
and return to refrigerator.
D ay HIO: Take out 3 cups o f
batter and give I cup to each o f 3
friends with copy of instructions.
In remaining batter, add:
36 cup oil
s 2 c m b
F R IE N D S H IP C AK E
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 16 teaspoon salt
116 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
I cup crushed pineapple (with juice)
1 cup raisins
I cup chopped nuts
This cake lakes ten days. Store in
refrigerator, in covered container,
stir every day and add ingredients as
per instructions.
Stir until well blended. Pour bai
ter into well greased, floured tube
pan. Then mix and spread the fo l
lowing on top:
Day HI: Combine 2 cups m ilk, 2
cups flour and I cup sugar in 2'A
quart container. S tir. Cover con
tainer and place in refrigerator.
Days »2, »3 A M : Stir baiter daily
and return to refrigerator.
Day »3: Add I cup m ilk , I cup
flour and ‘/ i cup sugar. Stir.
Days »6, »7, HR. A»9: Stir daily
'A cup melted butter
1 tablespoon flour
A cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
A cup chopped nuts
TURKEYS
Budgetwiae
Frozen 10-20 lbs
Blue Bonnet 1-lb. Cubed
first 2. Add'l et Reg. Price
Bake in preheated 350° oven for
one hour. Cool in pan on wire rack
before removing from pan.
M59: 1 ' H
P O R T L A N D 'S U N IQ U E
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INVI TES YOl! TO COM E AND SEE
C 'h a rm in g X M AS ( î IETS
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WI H \ '
U n H e a r a hl y D elightful
COLLECTION OF BEARS
PRICES EFFECTIVE W E D ., DEC. 1 5 T H R U T U E S ., DEC 21
Incredible SCULPTURED
(Never to he duplicated I
A
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STORY BOOK TAPESTRIES
Albertsons
622 N.W. 23rd
Between Hovi & Irving
< Copyright 1M1 by Albertson's, Inc AN Rights Reserved
224-0428
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f i r h of that« advertised
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spetitir ally noted m this ad
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