Talk:Mince pie/Archive 2

Archive 1

Archive 2

Edit war

Right lets try this all again the way we're meant too!,
Parrot of Doom - What's wrong with the Publisher/Works being changed from " independent.co.uk / bbc.co.uk to "The Independent" / "BBC"?,
Most works/publisher cites (not all but most) I've seen most go by the company name instead of websites which is why I changed it yesterday,
Thanks, –Davey2010 ^{Merry Xmas / Happy New Year} 19:12, 22 December 2015 (UTC)

Because "The Independent" and www.independent.co.uk carry different content. Online articles change, while printed articles do not. I believe it's better to use the url format to indicate the publisher. I've used this format on dozens of FAs and GAs without complaint. May I also point you toward WP:CITEVAR. Parrot of Doom 20:16, 22 December 2015 (UTC)

That is true but I thought the publisher would be "The Independent" not "www.independent.co.uk" if you see what I'm saying ... What I'm trying to say is I thought everything (printed and online) went by for instance "The Independent" .... not "www.independent.co.uk" ?, Well to be fair I guess you know what the fuck you're talking about , Well until about 2 hours ago I wasn't even aware of CITEVAR, All these bloody policies –Davey2010 ^{Merry Xmas / Happy New Year} 20:28, 22 December 2015 (UTC)

The publisher may well be The Independent but using independent.co.uk makes it more obvious that it's the website being cited, not the newspaper. For instance, I've seen some people cite BBC Worldwide to the BBC, when the two are separate organisations. So I prefer to keep things more accurate by using urls. Parrot of Doom 23:33, 22 December 2015 (UTC)

In comic book

• Scrooge McDuck loves eating mince pie -although it gives him nightmares {losing wealth} Disney Golden Key Digest # 21 April 1970

What are blood raisins?

The text mentions "In the north of England, goose was used in the pie's filling, but more generally neat's tongue was also used; a North American filling recipe published in 1854 includes chopped neat's tongue, beef suet, blood raisins, currants, mace, cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, apples, lemons, brandy and orange peel." There is a link from blood raisins, but it links to raisins and there is no mention of this word. What does it mean? --Bernburgerin (talk) 19:23, 20 November 2019 (UTC)

Crust?

There's no mention of what the crust/shell is. I was going to add a mention of it being shortcrust pastry, but wasn't sure if that's only a British thing or more universal — does anyone know? DoubleGrazing (talk) 10:08, 22 December 2019 (UTC)

The Druid and ...

" ... and yet it is often forbidden, the Druid of the family." -- What does this mean? Stephanie from Germany --Stephanie Do (talk) 16:52, 18 January 2021 (UTC)

Stephanie Do, : I think the writer means that the mince pie is forbidden, in the same way that a druid would be in the family of a clergyman. MichaelMaggs (talk) 17:03, 18 January 2021 (UTC)

Also popular in South Africa

I think someone should add that its very popular in South Africa. Found in ever grocery store at christmas time. 202.62.47.252 (talk) 15:13, 1 December 2024 (UTC)

Peer review

Mince pie

Mince pies are an integral part of Christmas for most people. They have an interesting history which is explained by their name: they originally contained meat and have changed their make-up and style over the last thousand years. This has been through a top-to-bottom rewrite recently and a trip to FAC is envisaged after PR. - SchroCat (talk) 14:40, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

Comments from Tim riley

As requested, I've been as picky as I can in the hope of fending off reviewers at FAC who don't understand food articles – and haven't we met some!

Throughout you need to decide if you are writing about "the mince pie" singular or "mince pies" plural.

• "dates back to the 11th century" – but you use words rather than digits for other centuries (and much more pleasing that is, me judice).
• "A mince pie comprises a sweet pastry shell—normally shortcrust" – hmm! I'd call shortcrust savoury and would refer to the related sweet pastry as pâte sucrée, and if you've ever made sweet puff pastry you're a better man than I am. But I don't press the point.
• "this then changed to them becoming associated with Christmas" – we're into gerund – verbal noun – territory here, and "them" should be "their"
• "The mince pie was attacked by the puritans during the interregnum" – blue links needed …
• …"although they were stigmatised for their indulgent and supposed catholic connotations – singular/plural clash, as above.
• "The pie is then baked in a moderate to hot oven until it is browned. They are often served" – ditto
• "They are often served with an accompaniment such as … cheese" – cheese? Are you completely out of your mind?

  It was a new one on me. There are two things I'd like to mention, both completely unconnected to the above. 1. It was an American source. 2. My sister enjoys a slice of cheese with Christmas pudding. I have always wanted some form of DNA test to see if we are actually related. - SchroCat (talk) 05:05, 2 March 2026 (UTC)

• "In the UK in the twenty-first century…" – I don't know anyone indigenous who calls our country "the UK". "Britain" is more idiomatic, meseems.
• "this then changed to them becoming associated with Christmas" – another gerund: should be "their"
• "Adrian Bailey identifies the origin of the mince pie as being from Cumberland" – "origin from" or just "origin?
• "This was baked in a thick pastry case called a coffyn or coffin; this was often disposed of without being eaten" – could do with one less "this". Perhaps "which" after a comma rather than the semicolon?
• "The mince pie was attacked by the puritans during the interregnum, although they were stigmatised for their indulgent and supposed catholic connotations" – as above.
• "they were normally produced with a bases of shortcrust pastry and lids of puff pastry" – I think you need to lose the indefinite article.

That's my lot. Hope some of it is useful. – Tim riley talk 18:29, 1 March 2026 (UTC)

All was most useful and all followed through on. - SchroCat (talk) 05:05, 2 March 2026 (UTC)

Good. Have you considered knocking on Chiswick Chap's door? Tim riley talk 13:40, 3 March 2026 (UTC)

An excellent suggestion. CC, if you have any thoughts or comments on the article, I would welcome hearing them. Cheers - SchroCat (talk) 13:55, 3 March 2026 (UTC)

Comments from Noleander

• The article is immaculate, as is your wont. Not much I'll be able to suggest.

• Cites/sources - no issues. "Ref Check" tool shows no warnings.

• Perhaps you could emphasize in "Definition" section that modern mince pies usually do not have meat in them, in spite of the "mincemeat" filling. Readers from countries without mincemeat may get confused.
  • Done - SchroCat (talk) 08:48, 17 March 2026 (UTC)
• Footnote "The food writer Glyn Hughes opines that mincemeat improves if stored for at least two weeks" is following the sentence "Also included is a fat, traditionally beef suet, although vegetable alternatives can also be used". I don't see how the two are related. If the 2 weeks is related to the fat changing somehow, that should be explicitly stated. Otherwise: consider promoting the footnote to body text.
  • Done - SchroCat (talk) 08:48, 17 March 2026 (UTC)
• The pie underwent a huge change in content over time, which is explained in History section: meat -> vegetarian; savory -> sweet. That is covered well in History section, but readers may benefit from restating that in the Definition section. Not sure how without getting off track. I tried composing something and hit a dead end. Not seeing any way to improve it. Never mind :-)
  • I went back and forth on this bit too! I think the modern definition and then the longer history with its development is the best way to go. - SchroCat (talk) 08:48, 17 March 2026 (UTC)
• Consider adding Wikimedia sister project links

{{Subject bar|auto=yes|wikt=yes|}}

at the bottom above the Categories.

• • Done - SchroCat (talk) 08:48, 17 March 2026 (UTC)
• I'm seeing an extra tall white space under the final poem line "Serv'd up in coffins to unholy men;". I tried to eliminate the extra blank line, but nothing worked. May be intractable.
  • I've tweaked slightly: how does it look now? - SchroCat (talk) 06:35, 17 March 2026 (UTC)

  The vertical space problem is now fixed. Noleander (talk) 12:08, 17 March 2026 (UTC)

• Long sentence not easy to parse: This includes a 1909 issue of the Belfast Morning News, Jane Grigson's 1974 book English Food, in which she encouraged people to cook Mrs Beeton's meat-filled mince pie recipe and Tom Kerridge's 2014 recipe in The Guardian, which included minced pork. consider This includes a 1909 issue of the Belfast Morning News, Jane Grigson's 1974 book English Food – in which she encouraged people to cook Mrs Beeton's meat-filled mince pie recipe – and Tom Kerridge's 2014 recipe in The Guardian, which included minced pork.
  • Done - SchroCat (talk) 10:30, 17 March 2026 (UTC)
• That's all. It's a great article and will fly through FAC. Time for me to find a PR that genuinely needs help :-) Noleander (talk) 04:08, 17 March 2026 (UTC)

Thanks Noleander, that’s very good of you. I’ll work through these today. All done! Cheers - SchroCat (talk) 06:35, 17 March 2026 (UTC)