With the Christmas period continuing through to early January, might I urge Catholics to "hold the line" – to keep their trees and decorations up and to keep their supply of mulled wine and mince pies abundant. These things are important – though folk may not realise it, they’re at the centre of a long conflict over what it means to be English and what it means to be a Christian in this country.
Mince pies are an English food. One may notice that they go against the grain somewhat regarding the (sadly often accurate) stereotypes about our cuisine. It is not a simple meat-and-two-veg dish. It’s neither spartan, frugal, bland nor tasteless. On the contrary. It’s lavished with a rich, splendorous cacophony of sweet flavour and spices. Which could only mean one of two things: it’s either a really old tradition or a really new one.
