Oops! I watched in horror as my mince pie slid from the plate, past the cat, down into my fresh mug of tea! Errr… It floated for a while then started it’s inevitable sinking. Like the Titanic movie at Christmas it was soon glugging (with bubbles) out of sight!

How had it happened? A jogged elbow, a tipped plate, the cats paw? It just happened.

Rescue mission? I took a spoon and tried to fish it out, like a trawler reaching its net down into the murky depths. But the disintegration had started and the tea was dissolving the pastry. I decided I could drink the tea, and then spoon out the pie as I drank. I did. Turns out pie pastry isn’t as nice when dunked as rich tea biscuits. But waste not, want not. But the minced fruit was nice. However I would not recommend it as a tasty treat!