PalenqueBob

Friends just returned from London happened upon Stanfords, a legendary Covent Garden area Travel Book and Map Store and found there was a special event where they were offering wine and minced-meat pies for all - and they said they kept pouring the wine and offering the pies.

Apparently will happen again Dec 7, 14, and 21 - so if looking for a great Travel Bookstore or for maps try Stanfords and get a free buzz as well!

PalenqueBob

Stanfords - About Stanfords - Company HistoryIn order to supply the ever-increasing demand for maps and travel literature, Stanfords has continued to expand. Today we have 3 shops in London, ...
www.stanfords.co.uk/about_company_history

LondonTown.com | London Shopping | Stanford's London | 12-14 Long AcreEstablished in 1853 by Edward Stanford, this cool, recently refurbished bookshop is London's premiere retailer of maps and travel books.
http://www.londontown.com/LondonInfo...tanfords/543b/

In any case travelers will revel in visiting London's most famous travel book and map store.

GeoffHamer

Note that "mincemeat" pies are traditionally served at Christmas in Britain, but they contain fruit, not meat.

NeoPatrick

Stanford's is almost next door to the flat I always rent on Floral Street (the back entrance to Stanford's. It is not unusual for them to offer wine or coffee or even -- was that wassail last Christmas? But I've missed any minced-meat pie handouts.
It is a wonderful place where I've spent many hours.

flanneruk

Who on earth calls mince pies "minced meat"?

And since when has Stanfords been "a legendary Covent Garden area store"? It's THE legendary map and travel store. All others - anywhere - look third rate by comparison.

NeoPatrick

So it bothers you flanneruk, that he lets readers know THE store is in Covent Garden? What's the issue here?

And technically there is a difference between mince pie and minced meat pie. Minced meat SHOULD include actual pieces of meat (usually unidentifable bits of pork). Mince pie does not contain meat. But these days some actually call mince pies without meat, minced meat pies.

LJ

Mince pies may or may not include "meat" as such (mostly they just have suet which is a meat by-product). The name derives from Cromwell's day when, in an effort to ensure that Christmas was purified (no pagan rites/no fun), he banned the traditional Christmas Pie. At that time it contained mixed fruit in pastry but was shaped like a baby's cradle oblong or rectangular. I guess even the notion of an edible baby Jesus icon was just too much for poor C.

The bakers of England rose up en masse and got around (note the pun!) his Scrooge-like plan. They made round pies instead by "mincing" down the original shape.

You can argue with me all you like about this bit of trivia, but I got it from Desmond Morris' great book about all things Christmassy. I just wish I lived close enough to debate in person while munching on mince pie with all you erudite London Fodorites!

NeoPatrick

All true, LJ, but for the record, I didn't say anything opposed to your more specific historical data. "Technically" there is still a difference between mince pies and mince meat pies which originally contained meat or meat by-products. As I said, these days mince pies may be called mince meat pies even though they may not contain meat.

PalenqueBob

I really don't know whether my friends said mince pies or mince-meat pies - here we usually say minced-meat pies i believe - at least i do.

Barbara

Isn't it usually "mincemeat" in the US? I have never, on either side of the Atlantic, heard it called "minced-meat". Those lovely little pies I make dozens of at this time of year; delicious shortcrust pastry filled with mincemeat are called "mince pies".

Indeed, even Marie Callendar's calls them "mince pies", but they are full-size pies not the individual, British model.

http://www.mcpies.com/famous_pies/pie_menu.php

Josser

...and what's sleeping got to do with it unless "snooze" means something different in Yankland.

PatrickLondon

Just to confuse the issue even more, I'm sure I remember the stuff you put in (Christmas) mince pies being sold in jars as "mincemeat". But if you saw "mince" on its own, it would definitely mean minced meat, as in US "ground beef", as in shepherd's pie or students' (or anyone else's) spag bol.

PalenqueBob

Crooked Timber » » Mince Pies at Thanksgiving
Mince pie should be minced meat pie. It was a way to use the bits and pieces ... Matt, mince meat pies have to contain minced pork because my Daddy said so, ...
crookedtimber.org/2004/11/24/mince-pies-at-thanksgiving

nona1

I've been puzzled by the 'snooze' posts today as well.

Snooze means a little sleep, a nap - so huh?

Josser

Exactly.
The forum is full of these snooze posts, with information readily available in the online news media.
I suggest that the poster either wakes up or gets a proper night's sleep

PalenqueBob

But the great discussions that follow are in no online media source and are priceless.

NeoPatrick

For years everyone has called our local paper, The Naples Daily News -- the Naples Daily Snooze. That's because our lack of excitement means the news is so boring it may well put you to sleep.
I assumed that was the meaning of these posts -- news that isn't exactly exciting.

Carlux

From 'food facts and trivia '- and what I have always understood

MINCEMEAT

Mincemeat was originally a medieval (England) sweet, spicy mixture of chopped (minced) lean meat (usually beef, or beef tongue), suet and fruit. It was generally served as an entree. Gradually the meat content was reduced, and today the mixture contains nuts, dried fruit (raisins, apples, pears, citrus peel, etc.), beef suet, spices and brandy or rum, but no beef. Mincemeat is used primarily in pies and tarts

LJ

Yeah, but the way Desmond Morris explained it was way more fun!

PalenqueBob

Looking now at the leaflet friends brought back from Stanfords, it says "Free Wine & Mince Pies"

further details - Nov 30, Dec 7, 14, 21 6-9pm

20% discount on purchases in the the leaflet calls "The World's Largest Map and Travel Bookstore"