This word evidently takes its original meaning from the French and signifies anything that is minced or chopped up fine. From the following recipes it will be seen that mince-meat may be prepared in a variety of ways, many cooks having a special recipe according to their own fancy and from which they make their mince pies.

(1) Mix together one pound each of raisins, cleaned currants, apples, boiled pickled beef-tongue and flesh from calf's feet, all finely chopped; also one-half pound each of chopped beef suet and candied peel, one-half pound of sugar, one teaspoonful of mixed spices, moistening with three tumblerfuls of wine and brandy in equal proportions, together with the strained juice of two lemons.

(2) Cut off about two pounds from the inside of a boiled sirloin of beef, remove the skin and add about five pounds of beef suet and mince fine. Then add eight good-sized apples peeled, cored and chopped, six pounds of cleaned currants, the grated crumb of a small loaf of bread, one and one-half pounds of sugar, one ounce of grated nutmeg, one-half ounce of cloves, the grated peel of a lemon and orange, moistening with the juice of six oranges and three lemons and two tumblerfuls each of brandy and sherry wine. Pack away in jars.

Lemon Mincemeat

Boil four ripe, thin-skinned lemons in one quart of water until reduced to one pint, then squeeze and strain the juice of the lemons into two pounds of powdered sugar; mince the rind and pulp of the lemons taking care to remove all the seeds, stone and chop one pound of raisins and mince fine two pounds of suet, mix them with the lemons, adding two pounds of well-washed and dried currants, one ounce of mixed ground spices, one-half pint of brandy and port wine in equal quantities, and the water in which the lemons were boiled. The mince-meat should be kept in a jar tightly covered until wanted for use.

Orange Ratafia

Take six thick-skinned Seville oranges, cut off the yellow rinds as thin as possible and put them in a jar. Cut the six oranges into halves, squeeze the juice from them, strain it and add it to the peels in the jar; put in one pound of powdered sugar and stir in the orange juice till quite dissolved, then pour over it two quarts of brandy. Close the jar air-tight, let it stand for one month, strain it, put it into bottles, and cork them well.