The other day I received a catalog from Smucker’s and given that I love jam and jelly, I figured I’d flip through it. In the middle of the catalog is None Such Mince Meat now manufactured by Borden. This brought a bunch of things flooding into the front of my mind. First was an article written by Post-Standard’s Dick Case a couple of weeks ago on the lighting of the water tower for Christmas at Franklin Square in Syracuse. He mentioned that several items were manufactured at Franklin Square, one of which was mince meat. I was wondering which building was used by the Merrell-Soule Co. And then I remembered the photo in the OHA research center of the None Such Mince Meat parade float in front of the Merrell-Soule Co. building at Franklin Square.
None Such Mince Meat parade float with Miss None Such,
from OHA Research Center Collection
This five-story 1904 factory remains at 600 N. Franklin St. and was built at a railroad siding on what had been old solar drying beds for salt. It is now the home to Dupli printing.
Merrell-Soule Co. manufacturing building at Franklin Square, Syracuse,
from The Post-Standard Newspaper Archives
In the 1920’s, it was the headquarters of Merrell-Soule Co. with 26 plants in the US and Canada and 900 employees, half of them in Syracuse. Merrell-Soule’s signature product was None Such Mince Meat for pies perfected by G. Lewis Merrell and Oscar Soule at their small canning factory on West Fayette St. starting in 1868. When Merrell-Soule was sold to Borden Co. in 1928 it was one of the largest manufacturers of powdered milk, mince meat and powdered lemon extract in the world. Borden made None Such in Franklin Square until 1981 when production moved to Pennsylvania. The company’s research center at 600 North Franklin left in 1997.
circa 1937 None Such Mincemeat Ad
None Such Mince Meat is a mix of apples, raisins, currants, citrus peel, sugar, vinegar, cider, salt, starch, beef and spices, and sometimes brandy and rum. “Mynce pies” were mentioned in 15th-century manuscripts. People used to make their own mince meat at home until Merrell-Soule, who started out canning vegetables, discovered a way to make low-moisture, marketable mince meat from dry ingredients. It is said they started with a recipe from a family member named “Grandmother Seward.” None Such Mince Meat succeeded because it was easy to use and because of a “secret” blend of spices that accounted for half of its 27 ingredients. The company made both a dry and a wet version.
circa 1920 None Such Mincemeat Ad
Merrell-Soule had canning factories in Fayetteville and Chittenango and sold millions of the 10-cent packets of None Such Mince Meat every year. The cardboard boxes carried a drawing of a local woman, “Miss None Such,” proudly holding a mince pie. Miss None Such did the job for mince meat that Betty Crocker and the Jolly Green Giant did for their products.
Sources:
Onondaga Historical Association
The Post-Standard Newspaper Archives
Click here to see a cookie recipe using None Such Mince Meat.
Pam, while I enjoyed learning about the history None Such Mince Meat and mincemeat pies, I admit that I don’t ever remember tasting a mincemeat pie, nor do I ever plan to… I’ll have a lemon pie first.
Mary – I’m glad you liked the history. I do too! I tasted a piece of mince pie once and it was yucky, but I don’t like raisins, currants, or citrus peels anyway. There was always a mince pie at Thanksgiving and other times of year because my Dad liked it. However, the prize cookies I remember liking. I wouldn’t eat them now, but when I was a kid they were good!
What a fun and interesting post Pam. I have always wondered exactly what “mincemeat” was, and now I know. Like Mary, I think I’d prefer less meat in my pie…lol. :c)
Jayne – Thank you! You and Mary would probably like Mince Meat, but I’m with you, I prefer to eat another type of pie first!
Well, I like it! Not with meat though. Thanks for reminding me that I usually make one at Christmas. I use a green tomato mincemeat recipe and subsitute a pear for the tomato. Works fine, and both my husband and I like it.
Glad to hear the beginnings of None Such. Do you know that little ten cent box is four or five dollars now!
I love mincemeat pie and we always had it at home at Christmas. The family I married into seems to have a genetic aversion to raisins, so I haven’t had this pie for years. It is so rich, I cannot eat a pie by myself. There are lots of meatless mincemeats around too.
Sandy – That’s good! And your recipe sounds good, if I were to like mincemeat in any form. I can’t believe how expensive it is now!
Ruth – That’s too bad you haven’t had mincemeat in a while! I don’t care for the meatless mincemeat either, because I don’t like raisins either.
Hmm, does sound interesting!
Thanks for sharing Pam!
I made a mincemeat pie at Christmas this year and took half of it to my in-laws who are both 92 years old. The other half went to my husband’s aunt who is 102 years old. Well, the old folks just raved on and on about how wonderful it was (I used the jar of NoneSuch and Pillsbury pie crusts – how easy was that!)
Long story short: I live in Austin, Texas and have tried every store in town to buy some more mincemeat, but to no avail. It’s definitely a seasonal thing down here. I am originally from Nova Scotia and maybe the British tastes are still prevalent in that part of Canada, thus I like it too.
I am trying to order some of the condensed (box) kind on-line – I think Borden has a website.
I’m very dissappointed this thanksgiving season that none of my local grocery stores carry the boxes of Borden None Such Mincemeat.
Lisa – I would talk to the manager of my favorite grocery store and ask him to get it in! Lots of people like mincemeat.
Thanks to your original post, Pam, I could blog about mincemeat pie in an advertising vein for Thanksgiving – it’s up on my Signalwriter blog now.
On the eaglenonesuch.com website, mincemeat searchers can use the “Product Locator” feature or (better yet), order None Such Mincemeat directly from Eagle Family Foods online.
All the best for Thanksgiving – and an extra slice oaf pie for everyone!
I have been looking for Bordan None Such Mincement, Condensed.
I found it on the Wegmans website this a.m.
9 oz box sells for $3.29 at the Dewitt store in aisle 27B. At least that is what the website said.
Although I have never had a mincemeat pie, I have grown up having the prize cookies as one of my favorite treats every year during the holidays. I now make them myself and everyone who initially turns their nose up, tries a bite, and falls in love. To note, the recipe on the box over the years has changed slightly, and I still use the older version.
I really enjoyed reading the history of my favorite holiday pie. Thank you!
I have looked in all the grocery stores in my area of NC for the boxes of None Such with no luck. I had my mother look in her Long Island stores also with the same result. We were both told it wasn’t ordered this year. I don’t know what their justification is – but it’s certainly not customer service! I’m now going to the website to place an order. Thank goodness the mince meat has a long shelf life.
Interesting site, glad I found you. Lost my recipe for the bar cookies that was on the box back in the ’50s. Does anyone still have it. Hard to find the boxes of None Such here in my area of Maine.
How can I get the mincemeat cookies to be crisp and not soft?
How does one get the mincemeat cookies to be crisp?
http://www.eaglenonesuch.com/ they have a bar cookie recipe. I don’t know if it’s the one you are looking for or not.
MY MOTHER-IN-LAW USED TO MAKE FRUITCAKE EVERY YEAR USING NONESUCH MINCEMEAT. tHE MOST FAAB EVER!! IS THERE A RECIPE FOR FRUITCAKE ON THE BACK OF THE MINCEMEAT JAR? I’VE GOT TO FIND THIS RECIPE. ANYONE WITH A RECIPE USING NONESUCH PLEASE EMAIL ME AT ITCHK4@COX.NET.
I used to make that cake and I also cannot find it. If you have it could you please e-mail it to me?
hi, i am trying to find out where to find the none such pecan filling for pies after the holidays year before last found one jar on shelf at store it was a pie like i remember from my grandmothers in 5 grade. one jar.have not found sence anyone knows how to find a places to order please let the cat ouy of the bag sure a puzzle to me thank you for your help.
Iwould llike to know where I can find condensed Mincemeat for making prize cookies. I cant find it in any of the grocery stores. Waiting to hear from you. Nelda Sleeman
where can I buy none such mince meat in pembroke pines or miami florida?