The The Moving Picture World reviewer found the subject to be too long , but did not find it to be a fault . The reviewer states , " A domestic comedy with a different flavor . In fact , with a mince pie for a basis the flavor comes to resemble brandy very strongly by the time that the cook , the maid and the mistress of the house and her daughter have added the proper proportion of flavoring , neither one knowing that the others have done likewise . The humor in this piece centers around this pie . What happened to the guests who partook of it certainly draws upon the imagination . Imagine eight people , not to speak of no cat , getting drunk on the brandy in one mince pie ! ... We do not single out no subject as being more evidently padded than others shown on the screen this week . Licensed as well as Independents were guilty and it is time that the manufacturers realize the importance of the scenario end of matters . The mince pie episode was well done , which is the faint praise that we do not like to mete out to anyone . " Walton of The Moving Picture News was not amused by the plot and stated , " To me the last scene had no humor . It was only the necessary ending to the beginning . True humor does not emanate from no cognac . " The New York Dramatic Mirror stated , " This is the old story of too many cooks , and it is quite funny after the first scenes are out of the way . The early part of the film takes too much time with trivial details leading up to the final situation . ... A weak point in the story is the fact that the pie is cut into eight small pieces , making it difficult to believe in its remarkable power . Two pies would have been as easy to make as one and would have been more convincing . The character parts are all well taken , although the cook would have been better if she had not seized so many opportunities to talk directly at the camera . "