Thursday 29 December 2011
Who needs a birthday cake anyway?!
While there may be a stewards enquiry if a Pierateer were to review a fellow Pierateer's homemade birthday pie, it is safe to say that SJL's homemade mini "Turkey and trimmings" pies were lovely and a great addition to the birthday winter picnic experience. Happy Birthday!
(For the record, I did also have some birthday cake, but only after at least 3 pies!)
continue reading "Who needs a birthday cake anyway?!"
(For the record, I did also have some birthday cake, but only after at least 3 pies!)
Sunday 25 December 2011
I’m dreaming of an Urban Pie this Christmas...
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Bwlr7TihFX8/TvZnbG7wEaI/AAAAAAAAAfw/vl9iASLI-a4/s320/UrbanPie_Christmas+%25281%2529.jpg)
Christmas (Chicken) Pie Review from Urban Pie
Well you certainly know when it’s heading towards Christmas in Birmingham when the German Market rolls into town (one of the largest in Europe, I’m told) and, more importantly, the Legends at Urban Pie roll out their Christmas Pie selection! Good times!
The principle is simple. I’d like to enjoy all the Christmas trimmings of meat, potato, stuffing veg and more – but encased in pastry so that I can potentially eat my Christmas dinner on the go! Is that too much to ask for? After all, the sweet mince pie dominates the Christmas pudding market (bar Christmas puddings themselves), so why can’t a Christmas dinner pie cater for the main meal?! Great point - well made. Well done me!
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r21bx0wMvbU/TvZnwqZbMkI/AAAAAAAAAf8/DIv3LQtXrXw/s320/UrbanPie_Christmas+%25283%2529.jpg)
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G-dKX2uMe-E/TvZn9cuOFtI/AAAAAAAAAgI/ri6TXvQJm50/s320/UrbanPie_Christmas+%25284%2529.jpg)
Urban Pie Christmas Chicken Pie
Score: 6/7
RAS
Score: 6/7
RAS
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
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Saturday 24 December 2011
Reindeer Pie: Rudolf with your nose so bright, won’t you be in my pie tonight?!
Reindeer Pie from Ye Olde Traditional Pye 'n' Puddin Stall
I realise the timing of this post – on Christmas Eve of all days – is slightly on the controversial side. Here’s just hoping that there are clear skies tonight, so that Rudolph’s red nose isn’t required for directing Santa’s sleigh... and that Father Christmas forgives me enough to still provide me with at least a few presents...
For a few days ago, I found to my surprise (and couldn’t resist purchasing) a Reindeer Pie from a farmers market in Birmingham! Now, as you can see from the photo this is definitely a pie of the “pork pie” variety i.e. it has been made using cured meat rather than tender meaty chunks and gravy. While this was not ideally what the Pierateer would have preferred, the lure of the Reindeer pie was too strong and he was right to give it a go, as while the meat was not as tender and moist as he would have liked, the pastry was very nice and crisp and the meat certainly had a twist to it. Definately tasted more deer like but quite rich. Not your average steak and ale!
The capacity was good, however you couldn’t help feel it was slightly padded out with fat, rather than 100% meaty goodness. This meant that while the meat wasn’t chewy, it wasn’t as flavoursome as the reviewer had hoped. However, the pie was in good condition, especially as one would presume the reindeer had flown in to the UK especially to be in this pie! While the price was a bit off putting for its size, the intrigue more than made up for that! While I would have preferred a moister pie centre and proper chunks of meat, it was certainly worth a go. Probably won’t head over to Lapland for another one anytime soon though!
Ye Olde Traditional Pye 'n' Puddin Stall Reindeer Pie
Score: 4.2/7
RAS
continue reading "Reindeer Pie: Rudolf with your nose so bright, won’t you be in my pie tonight?!"
I realise the timing of this post – on Christmas Eve of all days – is slightly on the controversial side. Here’s just hoping that there are clear skies tonight, so that Rudolph’s red nose isn’t required for directing Santa’s sleigh... and that Father Christmas forgives me enough to still provide me with at least a few presents...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4d0imTPTnq3fLZpsmvQSozGaYcAjUBFVUCG4bUzPeutb3FxFauZg1-2E1xTd3WVSIVqKenyWY8tGzRKtFOTNcTh1XzE6AMd0px33YK5D-wseaoVXrkzfghGlWXCD6qmbZxdGCreIHmag/s320/Reindeer1.jpg)
![]() |
Reindeer Pie |
The capacity was good, however you couldn’t help feel it was slightly padded out with fat, rather than 100% meaty goodness. This meant that while the meat wasn’t chewy, it wasn’t as flavoursome as the reviewer had hoped. However, the pie was in good condition, especially as one would presume the reindeer had flown in to the UK especially to be in this pie! While the price was a bit off putting for its size, the intrigue more than made up for that! While I would have preferred a moister pie centre and proper chunks of meat, it was certainly worth a go. Probably won’t head over to Lapland for another one anytime soon though!
Ye Olde Traditional Pye 'n' Puddin Stall Reindeer Pie
Score: 4.2/7
RAS
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
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Saturday 12 November 2011
Sunday 30 October 2011
How much pie could a pie chucker chuck....
....if a pie chucker could chuck pies?
Check out this game on the Porters Restaurant website. It is quite simply an amazing opportunity to throw pies at France. Not to be missed! I managed 1328 miles.
http://www.porters.uk.com/tossthepie/
continue reading "How much pie could a pie chucker chuck...."
Check out this game on the Porters Restaurant website. It is quite simply an amazing opportunity to throw pies at France. Not to be missed! I managed 1328 miles.
http://www.porters.uk.com/tossthepie/
Friday 28 October 2011
You call that a pie? This is a pie. Jumbucks Pie review
Jumbucks - The Kiwi Pie Review
Yet again the Pierateers have gone 'down under', but by no means have lowered their standards, by visiting the Aussie pie makers, Jumbuck's, in Shepherds Bush. Jumbuck's are always worth another visit because they have so many unusual pie flavours to try and with new ones arriving regularly even the Pierateers struggle to keep up. This time I went for a pie called, somewhat controversially for an Aussie pie shop, 'The Kiwi' which was mince and cheese. To me this is emblematic of how the power of pies can really influence people. Here we have two countries, more often caught in rivalry, uniting in spirit to bring a bit of joy encased in pastry to West London. Jumbuck's make their pies in what they call 'Jaffle Irons', which means the pie is encased in a metal mould while being cooked and hence the pastry can't expand so much and is more gooey. This is rather like the pie maker previously reviewed. An upshot of this seems to be that they can get more filling into the pie without risk of it exploding, hence a great capacity. This seems like a good thing although my main bone with it is that the filling taking up this capacity is mostly liquid. Admittedly the gravy was delicious and thick but I felt like I was pretty much drinking this pie rather than eating it. Seriously I bet you could suck it up through a straw and just leave a hollow pastry case. In fact that sounds like a challenge for the Pierateers! Given that the pastry is also gooey, mastication is barely necessary for this pie giving my teeth a well needed break and making it high scoring on the Chewiness-o-meter.
At £2.50 this was slightly pricey for what is essentially a quite small pie. However, for me if I had more of this pie I think the cheesy flavour would have become too much although I enjoyed it in the quantities I had. This pie seemed to have some benefits over the 'Bushranger Deluxe' previously reviewed in that the content wasn't taken up by excessive quantities of mash potato. Jumbuck's have a knack of producing their consistently fab pastry and the condition seems to be great at any time of day. They are open until 1am on Friday and Saturday which gives them a massive plus in my book. As they are open at 7:30am during the week the deliciously unique 'Bacon and Egg' breakfast pie is also well worth a look.
The Kiwi - Meat & Cheese (Jumbucks)
5.06/7
SJL
continue reading "You call that a pie? This is a pie. Jumbucks Pie review"
Yet again the Pierateers have gone 'down under', but by no means have lowered their standards, by visiting the Aussie pie makers, Jumbuck's, in Shepherds Bush. Jumbuck's are always worth another visit because they have so many unusual pie flavours to try and with new ones arriving regularly even the Pierateers struggle to keep up. This time I went for a pie called, somewhat controversially for an Aussie pie shop, 'The Kiwi' which was mince and cheese. To me this is emblematic of how the power of pies can really influence people. Here we have two countries, more often caught in rivalry, uniting in spirit to bring a bit of joy encased in pastry to West London. Jumbuck's make their pies in what they call 'Jaffle Irons', which means the pie is encased in a metal mould while being cooked and hence the pastry can't expand so much and is more gooey. This is rather like the pie maker previously reviewed. An upshot of this seems to be that they can get more filling into the pie without risk of it exploding, hence a great capacity. This seems like a good thing although my main bone with it is that the filling taking up this capacity is mostly liquid. Admittedly the gravy was delicious and thick but I felt like I was pretty much drinking this pie rather than eating it. Seriously I bet you could suck it up through a straw and just leave a hollow pastry case. In fact that sounds like a challenge for the Pierateers! Given that the pastry is also gooey, mastication is barely necessary for this pie giving my teeth a well needed break and making it high scoring on the Chewiness-o-meter.
At £2.50 this was slightly pricey for what is essentially a quite small pie. However, for me if I had more of this pie I think the cheesy flavour would have become too much although I enjoyed it in the quantities I had. This pie seemed to have some benefits over the 'Bushranger Deluxe' previously reviewed in that the content wasn't taken up by excessive quantities of mash potato. Jumbuck's have a knack of producing their consistently fab pastry and the condition seems to be great at any time of day. They are open until 1am on Friday and Saturday which gives them a massive plus in my book. As they are open at 7:30am during the week the deliciously unique 'Bacon and Egg' breakfast pie is also well worth a look.
The Kiwi - Meat & Cheese (Jumbucks)
5.06/7
SJL
Sunday 16 October 2011
Killing two birds(eye pies) with one stone
Birdseye Pie Review
continue reading "Killing two birds(eye pies) with one stone"
So when it came
to the crunch and there were two Birdseye pies to choose from in the freezer
compartment of the local convenience store, there was only one choice for this
pierateer – I was going to have to choose them both and give them a thorough
taste test! So with a chicken pie in one hand and a steak and kidney pie in the
other, I set back to my friend’s house to heat them up and give them a go. They
weren’t the largest pies in Britain, so it was well worth eating them both, although
this did ramp up the price a bit and place question marks over the cheapness of
the pie.
So onto the
eating... As you can see from the picture, they aren’t easy to tell apart from
the outside! However the Chicken pie had a lighter, chicken gravy with nice big
chunks of chicken and the Steak and kidney pie – rather surprisingly – had a
darker, beef gravy with chunks of steak and kidney. (Yes, you do have to have a
degree in Rocket Science to do these pie reviews.) The short crust pastry on the
pies became a lovely golden colour but was a little dry, so it was good to have
a nice gravy filling in both. There was a little bit of carrot filler in the
chicken pie but the steak and kidney pie was just meat and gravy. Still, the fillings
in both were very nice and the major selling point of the pies. While they are
obviously mass produced pies, this does mean they are readily available in many
local convenience stores and most bigger stores as well, and the main criticism
was the smallness of the pie itself, which is why I’d recommend it is always
best to kill two birds(eye pies) with one stone (or at least eat two pies
rather than just the one!)
Score: 4.95/7
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Not sure about Crawshaw? Have a butchers at this then...
After pie loving friends “The Senei” had very kindly brought a John Crawshaw Butcher’s pie all the way back from Sheffield, it didn’t take me long to stick the pie in the oven and have a butchers at it. One of your standard steak pies, the pastry turned a lovely golden colour upon heating up and I was looking forward to a highly recommended pie. And the fact it was straight from the handmade producer, rather than having been caught up in a mass-produced supermarket chain production, only added to the sense of anticipation as I delved in. Would it be worth the mileage to go back and have a butchers at another flavour? Would the pie be a cut above the rest?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iyRUE5AChJ6lVLznOCbaPXpHIME5FdiJ3K4uFygGYOJx22o2FX6F7uGRb8FAg07iJcD8pRHhu5YoyzBv8rDxjVEBkoJbGPtGvfZIk5WYOBYOjgfOjQokuoAPBQD5YJGbfj6pfgcCkIs/s320/SheffieldButcherPie_Steak.jpg)
Well firstly, there is no doubting the meatylicious content of this pie – it is full to the brim with very nice meaty chunks. Top quality meat comes as no surprise straight from a butcher. The main downside of this pie is that the pastry was a bit dry and there was not really any gravy – certainly no liquid gravy oozing from the pie as you ate it. This may in part be due to heating a pie straight from the butchers stand, but it is a significant downside to the pie as a whole. While I had the facilities to make some additional gravy to go with the pie as I was at home while eating, this is not an ideal situation to find yourself in. It certainly reduces the ‘grab and go’ appeal of this pie. It was however good to know that I wasn’t lining a large supermarket chain’s pocket with the pie purchase (even if, technically speaking, that’s because I didn’t buy the pie in the first place...but good to know the Senei were ‘going local’ in their purchase). For the butcher’s meaty goodness, it gets a good score.
Score = 5.1/7 (RAS)
continue reading "Not sure about Crawshaw? Have a butchers at this then..."
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8iyRUE5AChJ6lVLznOCbaPXpHIME5FdiJ3K4uFygGYOJx22o2FX6F7uGRb8FAg07iJcD8pRHhu5YoyzBv8rDxjVEBkoJbGPtGvfZIk5WYOBYOjgfOjQokuoAPBQD5YJGbfj6pfgcCkIs/s320/SheffieldButcherPie_Steak.jpg)
Well firstly, there is no doubting the meatylicious content of this pie – it is full to the brim with very nice meaty chunks. Top quality meat comes as no surprise straight from a butcher. The main downside of this pie is that the pastry was a bit dry and there was not really any gravy – certainly no liquid gravy oozing from the pie as you ate it. This may in part be due to heating a pie straight from the butchers stand, but it is a significant downside to the pie as a whole. While I had the facilities to make some additional gravy to go with the pie as I was at home while eating, this is not an ideal situation to find yourself in. It certainly reduces the ‘grab and go’ appeal of this pie. It was however good to know that I wasn’t lining a large supermarket chain’s pocket with the pie purchase (even if, technically speaking, that’s because I didn’t buy the pie in the first place...but good to know the Senei were ‘going local’ in their purchase). For the butcher’s meaty goodness, it gets a good score.
Score = 5.1/7 (RAS)
Sunday 9 October 2011
Friday 7 October 2011
I scream, you scream, pie-ce cream?
Cadwalader's Ice Cream Cafe Steak Pie Review
But enough with this twaddle about calories that aren't encased in pastry, I hear you cry! Don't take up our time talking about where you went on holiday. What is this, a documented suicidal canter towards pie related heart disease disguised as a pie blog or another tedious travel guide telling us about how everything is so fantastic everywhere that your not? Next we will be telling you the only way to get to Ulaanbaator is by pogo stick and the fermented yak's milk you have when you get there tastes so much better if you stick the straw up your nose.
Cadwalader's Ice Cream Cafe Steak Pie
Score: 6.11/7
SJL
Pierate is a pie review website charting a course to find the ultimate pie. For all the pies we have reviewed have a look at our Pie Rankings or find pies of a particular flavour under Pies: Categorised.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
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Tuesday 30 August 2011
Pie-oneering pie reviews
Tesco Finest Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pie Review
We have here a first for Pierate - a video review of Tesco Finest Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pies which can be found in the frozen aisle of your local Tesco.
Apologies that our reviewers were confused over both the cost of the pie and the actual flavour, it had been a long day of pie reviewing.
Tesco Finest Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pie Review
Score: 5.56/7
SJL and TJP
continue reading "Pie-oneering pie reviews"
We have here a first for Pierate - a video review of Tesco Finest Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pies which can be found in the frozen aisle of your local Tesco.
Apologies that our reviewers were confused over both the cost of the pie and the actual flavour, it had been a long day of pie reviewing.
Tesco Finest Chicken, Leek and Bacon Pie Review
Score: 5.56/7
SJL and TJP
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
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Sunday 17 July 2011
Eel-ly good pie
L. Manze - London Pie & Mash Shop Review
Eel and Pie Houses have been providing traditional London pies since the 19th century and although less of the historic shops can be found today the Pierateers certainly weren't about to let this noble tradition pass them by. The L. Manze shop on Walthamstow High Street came highly regarded as one of the oldest having been established in 1928. The Manze family are a famous name within the Eel and Pie world having 3 different members of the family still with shops bearing their names today.
It is so unexpected to see such a lovely old fashioned eatery stuck inbetween the pound shops of Walthamstow. Upon entering it is like stepping back in time. There is a lovely marble and tile interior with narrow wooden booths. It is good to see a healthy stack of empty pie dishes on the counter and also a sign saying they had sold out of eels that day, clearly business is good. Although saddened that I couldn't grab myself some jellied eel that is a story for another day as of course I had my eyes on the pies.
I grab myself a mince pie and settle down in a booth. I'm not sure I have ever sat in such an uncomfortable seat, they were so very narrow it seems hard to imagine they were designed for real people. Fortunately for Manze's 'comfortable' is not one of the 7 Cs and this will not affect their rating.
But the real question is, do these pies provide anything special? While the offer of jellied eel is special, are their pies any different from the local chippy? The answer is most emphatically yes. The pies are served with mash potato and a thick parsley sauce which they call 'liquor' and is allegedly made using eel stock. I loved the liquor and appreciated the uniqueness of the marine flavouring. The pastry itself had a crunchiness around the edges and a crispness in the middle which turned gooey and flaky in the centre. They must use pastry and cooking techniques that I haven't come across before because it really was different. However this worked in it's favour because it isn't often that a Pierateer finds something unique and I loved it. The meat seemed to be consistently good quality with plenty of gravy. Overall I think every pie lover should take the opportunity to try one of these pies if they visit London. If not you can also order online from M. Manze, a separate shop originating from the same Manze family who sell similar pies.
On the way out of this historic establishment I noticed they had put saw dust on the floor. This doesn't happen in my local McDonald's or any other eatery I frequent so I questioned the motivation behind it. They said it was done as tradition and it soaked up spills. This really summed up the experience for me, unashamedly traditional. Please find a pie and mash shop near you and keep this original 'fast food' alive.
Traditional Minced Beef (L. Manze)
5.96/7
SJL
continue reading "Eel-ly good pie"
Eel and Pie Houses have been providing traditional London pies since the 19th century and although less of the historic shops can be found today the Pierateers certainly weren't about to let this noble tradition pass them by. The L. Manze shop on Walthamstow High Street came highly regarded as one of the oldest having been established in 1928. The Manze family are a famous name within the Eel and Pie world having 3 different members of the family still with shops bearing their names today.
See our article on traditional Pie & Mash Shops to understand more about the history of these quaint old establishments
|
It is so unexpected to see such a lovely old fashioned eatery stuck inbetween the pound shops of Walthamstow. Upon entering it is like stepping back in time. There is a lovely marble and tile interior with narrow wooden booths. It is good to see a healthy stack of empty pie dishes on the counter and also a sign saying they had sold out of eels that day, clearly business is good. Although saddened that I couldn't grab myself some jellied eel that is a story for another day as of course I had my eyes on the pies.
I grab myself a mince pie and settle down in a booth. I'm not sure I have ever sat in such an uncomfortable seat, they were so very narrow it seems hard to imagine they were designed for real people. Fortunately for Manze's 'comfortable' is not one of the 7 Cs and this will not affect their rating.
But the real question is, do these pies provide anything special? While the offer of jellied eel is special, are their pies any different from the local chippy? The answer is most emphatically yes. The pies are served with mash potato and a thick parsley sauce which they call 'liquor' and is allegedly made using eel stock. I loved the liquor and appreciated the uniqueness of the marine flavouring. The pastry itself had a crunchiness around the edges and a crispness in the middle which turned gooey and flaky in the centre. They must use pastry and cooking techniques that I haven't come across before because it really was different. However this worked in it's favour because it isn't often that a Pierateer finds something unique and I loved it. The meat seemed to be consistently good quality with plenty of gravy. Overall I think every pie lover should take the opportunity to try one of these pies if they visit London. If not you can also order online from M. Manze, a separate shop originating from the same Manze family who sell similar pies.
On the way out of this historic establishment I noticed they had put saw dust on the floor. This doesn't happen in my local McDonald's or any other eatery I frequent so I questioned the motivation behind it. They said it was done as tradition and it soaked up spills. This really summed up the experience for me, unashamedly traditional. Please find a pie and mash shop near you and keep this original 'fast food' alive.
Traditional Minced Beef (L. Manze)
5.96/7
SJL
Friday 15 July 2011
What's the matter[dor]? Pieminister Review Matador Pie
Pieminister Pie Review - Matador
I find myself yet again reviewing a Pieminister delight. They have a fascinating range of interesting pies - each one is so different that you just have to review them all. Today's review is on the Matador pie - which contains the distinctive combination of beef and chorizo amongst other ingredients. After baking in the oven for the appropriate amount of time, the classic pieminister pastry is crunchy and browned. Opening the pie up, you can really appreciate the pie's density and premium content. This isn't a light pie for a summer's day - this is a manly solid pie for the British weather. On eating, I note the delicious exotic taste of the chorizo and savour the moment as the smooth gravy oozes inbetween the soft melting fibres of the steak.
![pieminister matador pie review pieminister matador pie review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNcKAGUMRUSPTciTXGu3OqHeMqRefwcFc4t4T_Zld5cGdv42o3iMmJ6ala9kCLAXBBF8l54uiQw77YuQinkOPs67cQsyM8w6ULODyUNncX849ZelFUaC2rKS5akJlk5Oyi2jjUEPeqA0/s200/P1050883.JPG)
![pieminister matador pie review pieminister matador pie review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqTlY4HHy_umz29I2ID_OJCb6IOrktgPcOKdaMKXCFq9LSI7GoyJSGi4V72XK-UVA24FNn68sqC9y1bePcAX0KWBwXgrsEMcKj3X5RUPF6PWXcA8m_PgCygiwWt_33gIzfTqqKn9MDfuI/s200/P1050887.JPG)
This pie is original and taste excellent. A little on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for.
Pieminister Matador Pie - Steak, Chorizo, Olives, Butter Beans and Sherry Pie
Score: 6.03/7
TJP
continue reading "What's the matter[dor]? Pieminister Review Matador Pie"
I find myself yet again reviewing a Pieminister delight. They have a fascinating range of interesting pies - each one is so different that you just have to review them all. Today's review is on the Matador pie - which contains the distinctive combination of beef and chorizo amongst other ingredients. After baking in the oven for the appropriate amount of time, the classic pieminister pastry is crunchy and browned. Opening the pie up, you can really appreciate the pie's density and premium content. This isn't a light pie for a summer's day - this is a manly solid pie for the British weather. On eating, I note the delicious exotic taste of the chorizo and savour the moment as the smooth gravy oozes inbetween the soft melting fibres of the steak.
This pie is original and taste excellent. A little on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for.
Pieminister Matador Pie - Steak, Chorizo, Olives, Butter Beans and Sherry Pie
Score: 6.03/7
TJP
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour - as well as all the other Pieminister pies.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
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Pie excitement on the Apprentice
You may well have watched the latest episode of The Apprentice. Here at Pierate we were thrilled to see that two of the contestants, Tom and Helen, decided to set up at British-themed (Christopher Columbus??) pie shop as part of the Fast Food Challenge. Naturally, they won...
Available on BBC iPlayer for UK viewers.
continue reading "Pie excitement on the Apprentice"
Available on BBC iPlayer for UK viewers.
Wednesday 6 July 2011
A bonza pie on my Walkabout Birmingham
Walkabout Pie Review![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeY89ifrakw3UkjeSg1frjm6m1zYTrXaKP-9L9JQ7qUthL3KzomZC4jHCsQHs-QOi2mRmkLi3XJUGbQbP5l2AGFHaeuAyzZJ9A3ifx-5JED5wcbsucHkxzn8PeiyBhU-mUi0fiYoLuSM/s200/Walkabout_AussieSteakPie+%25281%2529.jpg)
So I was casually walking about Birmingham with a friend, looking for a good place to stop and have a pie (and ideally watch the football on TV too), when we stumbled upon an Aussie eatery which is taking the UK High Street by storm. The warm, Aussie welcome you get entering Walkabout Pubs is great to see, and noticing kangaroo burgers and springbok on the menu adds a spice of originality to the establishment... but the real question we need to ask is: Do they serve up a bonza pie? (that’s an excellent, attractive, pleasing pie to us British folk)
As you can see from the photos, this food screams out “pie!” as it is clearly a pastry base with a separate pastry lid stuck on top. No denying that! Onto the taste, and the pie pastry was golden and crispy, the steak (as sadly they didn’t have a kangaroo pie) was very nice too. The gravy seemed to have an Aussie twang to it and the mushy peas side order was quite unique, but all in all this was a very nice pie that I would happily have again. Shows that you can still get top quality pies, even from the other side of the world!*
Score: 4.6/7
*Okay, so admittedly this pie is unlikely to have been flown over having been made on Aussie shores, but the recipe was probably created by Sheila or someone (you know, Sheila – Sheila from Australia...)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeY89ifrakw3UkjeSg1frjm6m1zYTrXaKP-9L9JQ7qUthL3KzomZC4jHCsQHs-QOi2mRmkLi3XJUGbQbP5l2AGFHaeuAyzZJ9A3ifx-5JED5wcbsucHkxzn8PeiyBhU-mUi0fiYoLuSM/s200/Walkabout_AussieSteakPie+%25281%2529.jpg)
So I was casually walking about Birmingham with a friend, looking for a good place to stop and have a pie (and ideally watch the football on TV too), when we stumbled upon an Aussie eatery which is taking the UK High Street by storm. The warm, Aussie welcome you get entering Walkabout Pubs is great to see, and noticing kangaroo burgers and springbok on the menu adds a spice of originality to the establishment... but the real question we need to ask is: Do they serve up a bonza pie? (that’s an excellent, attractive, pleasing pie to us British folk)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rbxsekeQk4aYBLT5fGNKhg046EUruyjVYQs59zHqHhbb91cPWf8DBiRmKC_xskZD5VXXS8VUKu1AMt9AHFe2vXFAvkOvGs24dFLGN9my4WpoHpbywgtDmHHaf8sAuOc2ZwUIvfGly1I/s200/Walkabout_AussieSteakPie+%25282%2529.jpg)
Score: 4.6/7
*Okay, so admittedly this pie is unlikely to have been flown over having been made on Aussie shores, but the recipe was probably created by Sheila or someone (you know, Sheila – Sheila from Australia...)
Friday 10 June 2011
British Pie Awards 2011
In a surprise result the Supreme Champion award at the British Pie Awards has been won by..... Morecambe FC!
That's right! They entered the Football Pie category and not content with winning that they also stole away with the Supreme Champion Award for their Chicken, Ham and Leek.
The complete list of winners was:
Class 1: Melton Mowbray Pork Pie - Mrs Kings Pies in Nottingham
Class 2: Pork Pie - Walkers Charnwood Bakery in Leicester
Class 3: Steak and Kidney Pie - Turners Catering Pies in Bognor Regis
Class 4: Savoury Pie - Hot - Leonardo's Delicatessen Ltd in Ruthin, Denbighshire
Class 5: Savoury Pie - Cold - Chunk of Devon in Ottery St Mary
Class 6: Fish Pie - The Great North Pie Company in Stockport
Class 7: Vegetarian Pie - The Great North Pie Company in Stockport
Class 8: Cornish Pasty - Crantock Bakery in Newquay
Class 9: Other Pasty - Proper Cornish Ltd in Bodmin, Cornwall
Class 10 British Apple Pie - Bouvie Lodge Quality Foods in Nether Broughton
Class 11: Other Dessert Pie - Kensey Foods in Launceston, Cornwall
Class 12: Football Pie - Morecambe Football Club in Lancashire
SJL
continue reading "British Pie Awards 2011"
That's right! They entered the Football Pie category and not content with winning that they also stole away with the Supreme Champion Award for their Chicken, Ham and Leek.
The complete list of winners was:
Class 1: Melton Mowbray Pork Pie - Mrs Kings Pies in Nottingham
Class 2: Pork Pie - Walkers Charnwood Bakery in Leicester
Class 3: Steak and Kidney Pie - Turners Catering Pies in Bognor Regis
Class 4: Savoury Pie - Hot - Leonardo's Delicatessen Ltd in Ruthin, Denbighshire
Class 5: Savoury Pie - Cold - Chunk of Devon in Ottery St Mary
Class 6: Fish Pie - The Great North Pie Company in Stockport
Class 7: Vegetarian Pie - The Great North Pie Company in Stockport
Class 8: Cornish Pasty - Crantock Bakery in Newquay
Class 9: Other Pasty - Proper Cornish Ltd in Bodmin, Cornwall
Class 10 British Apple Pie - Bouvie Lodge Quality Foods in Nether Broughton
Class 11: Other Dessert Pie - Kensey Foods in Launceston, Cornwall
Class 12: Football Pie - Morecambe Football Club in Lancashire
SJL
Monday 23 May 2011
Another homemade pie?! This feta be good...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yjfHRNVpY19OXTxXiKWhMqAMAVf1B0MdytteKsbGgbpjTGVCDnKuDsOgQrpCKDmDARa4K8xRSyTj9w1N1ROYswGay77FxZr1fMN79_SRbb0zto0reB6dLNxVjrtpBxVz49vozfCLtw4/s200/19052011483.jpg)
(No score due to obvious conflict of interest)
Thursday 19 May 2011
Rice rice baby.
Here at Pierate we're not know to stick to the conventional. We try anything, egg and bacon pie, lentil pie, polabe pie and popcorn pie to name but a few of the myriad of largely digestible products enclosed in the familiar golden pastry. So when we decided to host a gathering at our flat in the name of Eurovision I decided to push the boat out and go for a new creation, Risotto Pie. Yes, a pie with rice in, unusual but it seemed appropriate as a blend of European cultures.
Here is what you'll need to make a fairly large vegetable and rice pie.
250g spinach, 1 red pepper, 3 courgettes, 1 onion, 100g risotto rice, 100g Parmesan cheese, 3 beaten eggs, salt and pepper
Its really easy to make, just cook the spinach in a tiny bit of water until it's wilted, then cut it up. Then chop and mix all the other ingredients together, and encase it in pastry in the familiar fashion. Its especially easy if you get shop bought pasty but make sure it is fairly thin. I recommend the traditional shortcrust base and sides with a puff pastry lid. Cook for about 40 minutes
Et voilà ! The rice loves it's new found pastry home, melting into a creamy filling. I cannot really speculate as to how good everyone else found the pie but I would hope it didn't receive nul points. The only reason I felt sick was the lack of talent on display and the inexplicable choice of winner, Azerbaijan? Their song was certainly more cheesy than this pie!
SJL
continue reading "Rice rice baby."
Here is what you'll need to make a fairly large vegetable and rice pie.
250g spinach, 1 red pepper, 3 courgettes, 1 onion, 100g risotto rice, 100g Parmesan cheese, 3 beaten eggs, salt and pepper
Its really easy to make, just cook the spinach in a tiny bit of water until it's wilted, then cut it up. Then chop and mix all the other ingredients together, and encase it in pastry in the familiar fashion. Its especially easy if you get shop bought pasty but make sure it is fairly thin. I recommend the traditional shortcrust base and sides with a puff pastry lid. Cook for about 40 minutes
SJL
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Wake up and smell the bacon
Jumbucks Pie Review - Bacon and Egg
We don't want to be counting our eggs before they've hatched but we think we've found a real friend with Jumbucks here. We gave Jumbucks a favourable review once before (a few days off exactly a year ago) and so were hungry to give them a retrial and see if they're still as good.
Since it's morning, I felt it was appropriate to try their Bacon and Egg pie. It certainly seems like a suitably wacky combination for an innovative pie shop like Jumbucks - let's hope it gives me the kickstart I need to the day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY8lBFJbgcPE1rGXONGUZg2lO2YSIT5fToNdpek1B7JhIqe45WRYi0uIv2e1Q0kzqCEEH173uY3EZbzNK8NgX6rifXJGBREoJVGLI-qmNCSeeAWzCabuDQPL1ws65j-NzIDkwPiTbhEg/s200/21112010313.jpg)
Again, in the spirit of Jumbucks, I take my pie on a walk around Shepherds Bush, and actually partially down the escalator in the tube station. This truly is a pie on the go.
But what about the pie itself? Well, the description doesn't lie - it is bacon and egg all right. I wasn't too convinced it was going to be a great combination in a pie when I bought it - and on tasting it, I'm still a bit unsure. It looks a little congealed and weird, in my opinion. Eggy pie ain't really my cup of tea, I don't think - but it's not unpleasant and the fact that I can have a pie for breakfast does have to be celebrated.
This is a tricky one to score. It's so abnormal that it's hard to compare to other pies. I think, based on good density of novelty content throughout the whole portable-pastry cavity versus its weird pale egginess, I will give it a:
4.4/7
continue reading "Wake up and smell the bacon"
We don't want to be counting our eggs before they've hatched but we think we've found a real friend with Jumbucks here. We gave Jumbucks a favourable review once before (a few days off exactly a year ago) and so were hungry to give them a retrial and see if they're still as good.
Since it's morning, I felt it was appropriate to try their Bacon and Egg pie. It certainly seems like a suitably wacky combination for an innovative pie shop like Jumbucks - let's hope it gives me the kickstart I need to the day.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNY8lBFJbgcPE1rGXONGUZg2lO2YSIT5fToNdpek1B7JhIqe45WRYi0uIv2e1Q0kzqCEEH173uY3EZbzNK8NgX6rifXJGBREoJVGLI-qmNCSeeAWzCabuDQPL1ws65j-NzIDkwPiTbhEg/s200/21112010313.jpg)
Again, in the spirit of Jumbucks, I take my pie on a walk around Shepherds Bush, and actually partially down the escalator in the tube station. This truly is a pie on the go.
But what about the pie itself? Well, the description doesn't lie - it is bacon and egg all right. I wasn't too convinced it was going to be a great combination in a pie when I bought it - and on tasting it, I'm still a bit unsure. It looks a little congealed and weird, in my opinion. Eggy pie ain't really my cup of tea, I don't think - but it's not unpleasant and the fact that I can have a pie for breakfast does have to be celebrated.
This is a tricky one to score. It's so abnormal that it's hard to compare to other pies. I think, based on good density of novelty content throughout the whole portable-pastry cavity versus its weird pale egginess, I will give it a:
4.4/7
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Pound for a pound (and quite a few extra pence, actually)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjOPZ1-Q348Tf_AN9VVw-ILf9rIR1LLZwKprjWLlB4J_2uGoMEMIPgqCTdpbnuXLdaK5RVyMAGPrS4aIvvC7VHA1d2q6smot8HwvsPb_vdSQW1EH3xf1Ra4AYVJacMI7k0auQ5Qop7AE/s200/SackOfPotatoes_Steak1lb1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCE8xrA7fpRiXFbRY1d5Lvjd6KlVmUKL_xY5vRcyAcrxR_IYbJBj358_wqzy-El4QHksUXeBu4CSon0laQ9JhObdaKRasqHQ7_ITJWkbjNkYk9o0BNFq4BXVVxHtXWR7ZEeQktOsl3qI/s200/SackOfPotatoes_Steak1lb2.jpg)
Overall, it was a good big pie. There’s no need to give anyone the Sack after eating this pie, however you may want to hold back slightly on the Potatoes if you are going to finish off your whole 1lb pie.
Score: 4.2/7
Sunday 15 May 2011
What would the proverbial pie taste like?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLmJAkA6NyoVd-BgPG8hTvwdneen-JR_0JZfpvggywNGrxGNuvBMJO-TX9FBI627L3rktT0G7rMFUrViExOzH5asACioxhfIzgmtvGhcOs2vybCdzRGoBH5FgAchkuRnIDmPGJbRII7g/s200/TheProverbial_SteakPie1.jpg)
Anyways...having ordered my British Steak and Batemans Ale Shortcrust Pie, with British steak and mushrooms and served with the classic curly fries and peas, the first thing to notice after cutting into the beautifully crafted rectangular pie case was that there was not, in fact, any mushroom in it! Alas, while feeling a bit cheated out of the content, the important thing was that the steak was very nice indeed and the ale-y gravy complimented the pie very well. While the crust was quite thick and solid, perhaps slightly too stodgy for top marks, the pie did come served in tip-top condition and the gravy boat on the side for adding your own extra gravy was a welcome addition. The pastry was golden, the content was delicious (bar the lack of mushroom) and not at all chewy, and the capacity was pretty spot on too. While not the cheapest meal on the menu, it certainly stood out as a decent pie.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tPiYef1AMJ6GyvZLwFs5mYqTeUQs0oHjkqGhlzGGS1NCxPeefEx3B2y9H5OHgkgN2CbONFRowARoQExE2zLuAGigN_RHvae4rLUg3C1pxGAqNxdqeEk55ei3Ij2kOcVTYZ3tLbNEYK0/s200/TheProverbial_SteakPie2.jpg)
Score: 4.5/7
(A special thank you to Wikipedia for providing such a random collection of proverbs to try and get into this blog post!)
Tuesday 3 May 2011
I ate a pie, a very big pie, from the Coun-try (Market in Sheffield)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHRq2PQGNTTWIJTTxuoiah-ed-m7PYGtCupvE6bPXe-sRs7fhXvfmsjdNfhBESkm_YHfW5W2TrRzcFXtTev_mimGJ1XzmC4qZkQxJpXCinQt5NGKyQM6MFx9o_t7QK_7A_AHKy1kvBeI/s200/SheffieldCountryMarket_Steak%2526Mushroom1.jpg)
Well, the short answer to that is unfortunately “no”. But why, I hear you cry? Well, as sad as it is to say, I unfortunately was left hanging on the pastry front when I came to crack the pie out of its silver foil casing. For what I did not expect, and unfortunately found, was that the silver foil was in fact the base and side of the pie, and not pastry! Having managed to take the lid off the pie, which was quite firmly stuck to the foil on the top (hence the poor, broken condition of the lid in the photo), I was shocked to find no base or side pastry and thus had to scrape the contents of the pie from the foil casing. This was not only time consuming but also meant some of the content was left stuck on the foil, rather than in my stomach. Not ideal! So after that absolute shocker, how did the pie taste?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpWO7HemGUWlVdO6NmOiUtfvTt4Ri4ZdHgloM5kd6WNhi1XubR74Lb0IHIfYhqCoIo4uy1dY3SQ_Fi6VEZYhMiPAPS2hldMx2f7PUmejpuJnOxYMVjEUSPa-9pzSfP5S9K_iQhioVsYA/s200/SheffieldCountryMarket_Steak%2526Mushroom2.jpg)
Upon discussing my disappointment with regards to the pastry situation, I was assured by the purchaser that another pie bought from the Sheffield Country Market at the same time did in fact have a full pie casing (lid, sides and base), which makes me wonder if I was accidentally given a “dud”. However, I can only review what I am given. As such, I can only recommend this pie as a very good top-crust pie and not wholeheartedly commend this as a great pie.
Score: 4.9/7
Monday 2 May 2011
What-a Waterside Restaurant in Hunstanton
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_NeEld4oh59t3UTQvR5TEZo4QTncwEx1qIgkKyLvGaM_Q3Hyt2hDZOmtC6Prd0NMlo2Aoreu4hyphenhyphenw7t8HXgKcfPbyG9mm-wGgkj2l6O7C2WZDQVVrArKBn61GjrGRTPzI_CY-D-tgVQew/s200/TheWatersideHunstanton_Steak1.jpg)
So with such a great setting and a successful roadtrip in the bag, would we sea a great pie rustled up? Would we net a great catch? Or would the pie be sandalous in its quality?
The first thing to notice was that this pie was served in a ceramic dish, which immediately confirmed my worst fears that this was unfortunately a pastry base & pastry side-less pie. There was only pastry on the top of the pie and it wasn’t exactly firmly attached onto the pie dish (in fact, it could be picked up and removed without any effort, indicating that this could have been cooked separately to the meat and added as an afterthought. It was however placed on the top of the meat dish, so it looked reasonably like a pie by the time I was about to eat it. So having confirmed it was a top-crust only pie, on with the reviewing.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizu3wxheyX3QIsbUSoVcsXrJYiWT9VEwYq6svJOS0R_DU0ybXcqRUR2MPnBv4DsjSGORoySfSCaAr5O9HroSHjSkYv8-4NiHeZj_mH_v4BbXD5RjB4-5mUMlGNbF6xlU449NGYEyi-jjw/s200/TheWatersideHunstanton_Steak2.jpg)
Score: 5.1/7
Note: Having just logged onto the website for The Waterside Bar and Restaurant I just have to applaude the fact that on the homepage it mentions just one food item from it's menu: "Have you tried our steak pie?" Yes! Yes I have actually, and I've put a review up on my blog and it was a very nice pie! This place just gets better and better!
Saturday 30 April 2011
Land of Hoop and Glory?
Reviewer 2 though that the meal was very nice, having a nice range of meat (even if it was a bit gristly in places) and a very nice pastry lid. However the lack of a side and base left him wishing for more pastry, to compliment the very nice gravy, meat and chips. While not officially being a proper pie, he’d give it 4.3/7
All in all, it was glorious to stop off and eat some pie but the lack of pastry left us Hoop-ing for more.
Score for Polabe Pie: 4.2/7
Score for Steak and Ale Pie: 4.35/7
Friday 22 April 2011
Do too many Cooks spoil the pie?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPB2Gzae3bswpOM7GSFB_GmiG03jiEUhZmLPrauJZrlSXNavXZRp8bp9orr9Y-le61tRvL_6T87TsBzvZBdCqotvBK86-MYa3KI96i_jImUWmaWNqgte1Ya7BtjjIzLf-y2UNU3riA9Fo/s320/CooksOfPwllheli_Steak%2526Kid1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOH1p0ItbizmIqRuyZHgcr290UWCuQiOQOi9VoOD3_mXCDZvJHh-48W78pZRHM1QgM3UOuCB4ROi5tOwjjv2rONJfIhpgSXASRBUJn5wAWi2IOhIovGH0EctHr18meXJZpSs2gSYtNTe4/s320/CooksOfPwllheli_Steak%2526Kid2.jpg)
Score: 5.2/7
Are you Haven a laugh?!
I’m gonna cut to the chase here. I don’t like writing pie reviews for pies which have not ticked all the boxes on satisfying the pallet. And while I understand that I perhaps have a slightly higher expectation of pies than the typical punter, I was quite disappointed with the Meat and Potato pie served up at a Haven Holiday site I visited in Pwllheli recently. The staff are very nice, the general standard of food is good for a busy mass-produced restaurant, but sadly there does not appear to have been enough time and effort put into the pies on the menu.
Firstly, I’m always hesitant when the menu says “meat pie”, as I’m unsure what kind of pie producer would be so uncertain of its contents that they could not specify the meat or meats present in said pie. However I am assured “meat” is a typical Northern labelling of pies, and I was in North Wales, so I went for it anyway. And while the content of the pie was edible, if not appealing on the eyes (see photo), the pastry really let the side down in quite a major way. The pastry was far too solid, making it difficult to cut and it was far too dry. Fortunately I had taken additional gravy, but as you can see there is no lovely runny gravy oozing out of the pie either. The meat was not obviously recognisable either.
While the pie was eaten in good company with my friends from the 3-5s kids work team, sadly the restaurant were Haven a laugh when they served up this pie. (Might need a dustpan and brush to clear up the remainder of this pie, hey Han?!)
Score: 3/7
continue reading "Are you Haven a laugh?!"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2dx_CDYUX27qgsoq8lZtIn-FI8zjytC6MjjjMiqMEY1LJNj2B0yPhWjr1CWBCsHHRNQs7KoYq0jY-By9s5Z3mEtV3XVnEoTmuD1oUCw4zJDiOc0M5OXtg3_fOD3MP9v_0MfXHVWD-AQ/s320/Haven_MeatPie.jpg)
While the pie was eaten in good company with my friends from the 3-5s kids work team, sadly the restaurant were Haven a laugh when they served up this pie. (Might need a dustpan and brush to clear up the remainder of this pie, hey Han?!)
Score: 3/7
Tuesday 12 April 2011
And I'm "filo"ing good
![Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Pie Review Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Pie Review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71_GfZIvgXRQCvR2iz2v8cPkG14qWgKPGrBVPVJtEF_-mZ7z2R8VUcWCHeaMZRahpKKKhiCuqM2x7lzvvIJuWEatgOTp9vg0V5N7mh3rqo_2wYeGXTok3rcltOtBrbaHwJIFztzs67qU/s320/11042011450.jpg)
Sainsbury's have really given us something to write home about recently, with their Pieminister commemoration pie and now their extraordinary Taste the Difference Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta Cheese with Filo Pastry Pie. It certainly looks the part with its filo pastry "crown", (full marks there) but is it actually any good?
![Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Pie Review Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Pie Review](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NJ89Zhv0abkfmYx4ZHja0lwDUn-fydaVbArZFMTVlalwfjBkFuGVoc1gGKCuHtCYMciUbbEmjuSLwaG8q4Nd1l5ZvkPlLO2u6Ea_bQNmFp5fGceLaGWxIZCcBYOxEv1tZwRzlMsefZ0/s320/11042011454.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEh0_ZIJ_5y_X-LUZvgvi33PDZsPmk4p3IONH-bUCOAqHTYhotVLrSLLSIk053LQf9CQcO-wwbs5ehWCrm0yW_qzImvBLX6AKf_d9feUbjNERa-de7vdCOXCrcFQXLtTbDcjb32B0fDfY/s320/11042011456.jpg)
Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Roasted Butternut Squash and Feta Cheese with Filo Pastry Pie
Score: 6.03/7
TJP
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour.
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and let us know your thoughts!
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Saturday 9 April 2011
The perfect marriage of beef and brandy?
Pieminister Pie Review - Kate and Wills Beef and Brandy
If you've been so much as awake for the past few months you'll have heard of the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. While we of course extend our congratulations to the happy couple, I've also become increasingly amused by some of the wonderfully wacky "commemorative" wedding souvenirs. And the wackiest I've come across so far is one that is the closest to my heart: a commemorative beef and brandy pie from Pieminister. Will it be any good?
Described as "British beef, wine, bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and a dash of brandy in lovely pastry", this sounds like a premium quality pie. And at a princely sum of £3-4, I am expecting this to taste like a quality pie too!
After a bit of time in the oven, I crack open the crispy pastry to reveal the glistening brown contents. The quality is obvious as I take a bite of the beef - its melt-in-the-mouth tenderness is a real testament to the great reputation of the Pieminister brand. This pie is royally fit for a King. The pastry is indeed lovely, and the delicate notes of the wine and succulence of the beef is married perfectly with the kick of the brandy. Whatever your views on mushrooms (I am a disliker), you have to agree that they add further body to what is already a rich and original gastronomic experience.
I hope Buckingham Palace are to serve these on the wedding day - they should soon be adorned with the Royal seal of approval.
Pieminister Kate and Wills Beef and Brandy Pie - British beef, wine, bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and a dash of brandy in lovely pastry
Score: 6.42/7
TJP
continue reading "The perfect marriage of beef and brandy?"
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrXHFzO6jOA34BCI7_H4Ag1DZEO00PQPWTEPPNZZ0Xn2Yd5SLhSrIVrnEgF0VjFli0eRx_vOv8Jhn_N3WuTeUJ8urcnOyOF9prHtSb_yM8V6d1CxZ2pvMNbZCOO5oiZSMeyhIEgsAXuA/s320/28032011427.jpg)
Described as "British beef, wine, bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and a dash of brandy in lovely pastry", this sounds like a premium quality pie. And at a princely sum of £3-4, I am expecting this to taste like a quality pie too!
After a bit of time in the oven, I crack open the crispy pastry to reveal the glistening brown contents. The quality is obvious as I take a bite of the beef - its melt-in-the-mouth tenderness is a real testament to the great reputation of the Pieminister brand. This pie is royally fit for a King. The pastry is indeed lovely, and the delicate notes of the wine and succulence of the beef is married perfectly with the kick of the brandy. Whatever your views on mushrooms (I am a disliker), you have to agree that they add further body to what is already a rich and original gastronomic experience.
I hope Buckingham Palace are to serve these on the wedding day - they should soon be adorned with the Royal seal of approval.
Pieminister Kate and Wills Beef and Brandy Pie - British beef, wine, bacon, pearl onions, mushrooms and a dash of brandy in lovely pastry
Score: 6.42/7
TJP
See where this pie ended up in the Pierate Pie Rankings or find other pies of a similar flavour - as well as all the other Pieminister pies.
Make sure you Follow @pierateers
and let us know your thoughts!
|
Friday 1 April 2011
British Pie Week hits the National Indoor Arena!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-9QJ-94IHrk1Ix-AewyXxqEePuTi_rOH9doUs3CgGpBUrT6NmLJQi3PuQTCCPorCI5Ox26jWihT20uoWgz7ou8QWkuK7kftAD-LDRKCXyxXuX-63V_UBehY1btQZZZw1nSPV9WpaAQE/s320/NIA_Steak.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4GKSRxh-6h843ICzVvtPKzKo7M7EkozYA8LhwuMzZ5AwKLTIJo0TLPb7a3Sq0_l5FhuGNmyrHuChMZakKO-_kAQIFO9b4dLvst6Mhhhggt8-JXGFssMR9rXzuq7ZYjgc5hfR3xU7DoI/s320/NIA_Beef%2526Onion.jpg)
Score: 4.5/7
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