British Pie Week celebrates butchers, bakers and pastry makers as the nation celebrates an age-old dish and pie-lovers get a slice of the action across Lincolnshire
Pie lovers will be getting a slice of the action this week as butchers, bakers and pastry makers celebrate an age-old dish.
British Pie Week is now upon us (running from March 4-10) and as a nation we are celebrating this traditional comforting treat – from mouthwatering savoury to sweet – for seven days. As an area that prides itself on its top quality butchers and traditional food we are perfectly poised to be able to celebrate this much loved dish.
Among those taking part in the celebrations in Lincolnshire will be The Ivy’s in Swineshead which is putting on a pie carvery, Moulton Chapel Butchers and Grange Farm in Gosberton whose pie maker spends 16 hours a week making them.
From award-winning traditional pork pies to niche varieties such as Caribbean jerk chicken or steak and Stilton, the British pie is being celebrated across the country.
“There is nothing more comforting than breaking into the pastry of a pie and seeing the gravy oozing out,” said Mark Elsey, owner of Moulton Chapel Butchers.
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He runs his shop with wife Katie who makes all the pies and, in April, they will have been trading for a year in the Roman Road shop.
Their best seller is minted lamb and Mr Elsey, whose personal favourite is a steak pie, said: “You can put anything in a pie and we are always looking at developing new pies and have new ideas.
“We serve steak and ale, minted lamb , chicken ham and leek, Caribbean jerk chicken and the more traditional steak and kidney.
“We are always looking at making different pies and to develop fruit and sweet pies.
“It is important to us to find out what people like.”
Before taking on the shop he had been involved in the food industry on and off since he was 12 – working at George Adams for a time.
The husband and wife team create ideas in their development kitchen and the fillings are made from scratch – with the pastry bought in from another small family business in Bury St Edmunds.
They believe in using British beef and chicken and the lamb comes locally sourced.
Mr Elsey said: “We live in an area where we have the best ingredients.
“If we are not careful we are going to end up with the big supermarkets taking over.
“Having a small independent butchers and bakers is more of a personal touch and customers can ask questions such as the best way to cook the pies.”
By supporting other small businesses they in turn support theirs and British Pie Week helps to recognise this too.
He said: “It reminds people that as a country, I think, we produce some of the best food in the world.
“We have the best practices in food manufacturing and it is important to support farming through to butchers and pastry makers.
“We grow some of the best good quality vegetables in the world and it is important that we highlight the food industry.
“What's better than having a pie with mash and veg?”
So, why are pies such popular?
Mr Elsey said: “It is when we go back to rationing - making a pastry case and using leftovers.
“It is a good way to use leftovers – using the carcass for the sauce plus a few leaks and potatoes - and creating a good hearty meal.
“When you cut into a pie and the pastry lid breaks and everything comes oozing out – it is all your favourite food in pastry.”
Over at The Ivy’s in Swineshead, the team has opted for something different to mark this week – with a pie carvery.
Debbie Martin said: “This will be our first time being involved with pie week.
“People come in for our pies - steak and ale, steak and gravy, steak and stilton, gammon and creamy chicken, minced beef and onion, apple pie and cherry, apple and raspberry.
“These are all popular on our menu and customers buy them in our farm shop and restaurant.”
So, what makes the perfect pie?
Debbie, whose favourite pie is either plain steak or chicken, said: “It's got to be the filling and plenty of it.”
Rachal Carr is the manager at Grange Farm in Gosberton whose steak pie is award winning.
She said: “We sell a lot of pies - lamb and mint, steak, steak and ale, chicken and vegetable – they are quite popular.
“Our best sellers are steak and lamb and mint.
“We sell so many we can't keep up.”
In fact there is a designated pie maker, Shona Grange, who spends 16 hours a week just making pies.
Rachal added: “We use local beef that is grown on the farm and all ingredients are sourced as locally as possible.
“We are supporting the local farmers and helping them as well as us and customers.”
What is her secret to a good pie?
Rachal said: “The pastry and if the pastry is well filled.
“One thing about ours is that they are well filled.
“We make a good pie and use proper meat – people even take them home frozen.”
Pie facts
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients.
The first example of a meat pie can be traced back to Roman times.
Pastry wasn’t edible but served as way to keep food while travelling – a bit like a plastic lunch box nowadays.
In the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence – four and twenty blackbirds can be attributed to legendary pirate Blackbeard – the blackbirds were his pirates and the pie his shop.
Lower classes would eat ‘umble pie which consisted of leftovers such as heart, kidney and liver – while the gentrified would enjoy the richer meat such as venison.
The collective noun for pies could be ‘bouquet’ suggesting the rich and varies types on offer.
- The pie carvery is taking place at The Ivy’s on Thursday, March 7 at 12pm-2pm and 5.30pm-8pm.
What do you think? Where sells the best pie in our area? Post your suggestions in the comments below...
