Why I will bake Mince Pies (Part 1 of 3)

 

Joanna Yeates was murdered the night before she was abe to bake her mince pies in 2010 and on the day she she should have been eating them her body was sadly found.  Read on to find out about raising a mince pie in memory of Joanna Yeates and people we miss this Christmas on December 17th 2011…

For part 2 – click here
For part 3 – click here

I would like to start by saying I do not know Joanna Yeates but over the last few weeks she became a big part of my life as her story unfolded and filled every newspaper, her face shining out from television screens across the UK. After weeks of horrible events unfolding in court I feel she could easily be like me or any one of my friends. She seemed full of life, had a love of baking and was inspiringly creative. On the snowy evening of Dec 17th 2010 Jo was home alone but looking forward to baking for Christmas later in the week. She got out her apron perhaps to bake but was murdered shortly afterwards by her next door neighbour.

Jo downloaded a recipe for mince pies
Jo never got the chance to bake the mince pies recipe she downloaded or make a mess covering her kitchen work surfaces with flour and pastry as someone cruelly decided that her life was to be taken away from her. On Christmas Day Jo should have been proudly biting into her home-baked mince pies with her family whilst pulling a cracker and sharing silly jokes but instead her frozen body was discovered on the side of a country road under the snow by dog walkers (read the full story here).

Jo never got to bake them
I love baking and I bake as a source of comfort and happiness on a cold dark winters evening when home alone. You will find me singing along to music, clattering pots and pans or happily browsing the internet for a new recipe. Being murdered in my own home before I was able to bake the recipe I’d spent so long finding would not only annoy me but is a thought that would enter my head. It is for this reason I will bake mince pies on December 17^th 2011 in memory of Jo and I hope other bakers and cake eaters out there will join me as I believe Jo’s mince pies should not go unbaked or uneaten.

Raise a mince pie or two for Jo
It does not matter what level of experience you have or even if you bake mince pies as baking anything on this day shows we care. The baking world can unite to remember not only bakers whom we have lost like Jo but also those missing yet to be found. For strictly none bakers buy a box of mince pies or cakes (I know there are mince pie haters out there) sprinkle them with icing sugar and pretend you baked them (nobody will know!).  The main thing is you are taking part. Although nearly a year has passed since Jo’s death we have all watched the media and although the court case is finally over and Jo is no longer the focus of mass media attention rather than forget her story like yesterdays news I am going to honour another baker who did not get chance to finish what she started.   I believe she would love the idea of us baking, having disasters and filling our homes on that Saturday with sweet festive aroma and energy just like she would have done if she had got the chance. So please raise a mince pie or cake for Jo and other people you miss in their honour and memory this Christmas (read more here).

Raising money for the Missing People Charity
Jo’s boyfriend Greg has set up an online donation page at justgiving.com as a way to say thank you to the Missing People Charity for the help they gave when Joanna disappeared by handing out flyers and helping search for her despite the tragic outcome. I am going to donate cake and mince pie sales to Greg’s fundraising page here to help support other families who have missing loved ones at this festive time of year so I am trying to organise a cake sale for the first time in my life with my tutor group to raise a few more pounds.  Ok, it might not be much but it’s better than nothing. All that matters is that I remember, I care and I will share this with as many people as I can and I am hoping that with your help together we can turn it into We remember, We care and We share through either baking and / or cake eating!

Part 2 – Click here

Spread the word

Join the Bake Mince Pies for Joanna facebook event .

For a simple mince pie recipe click here.

To make your own mincemeat now ready for December 17th 2011 – follow my homemade mincemeat recipe inspired by this worthy cause.

 

If you don’t like mince pies why not try Father Christmas’ Bakewell Tart instead from one of the Great British Bake Off 2011 finalists Holly Bell – click here for the link to her blog or stay tuned for more ideas to follow…