Murray’s Butchers Steak Pie
My mate, Paul aka Northern Casual found himself in Glasgow again recently. I received the following message: “I’m going to a butchers/deli nearby, on their website it says they sell homemade steak pies so if they’ve got some in, do you want some to try?” Is there ever likely to be a negative answer to this question from your correspondent
Judging at the 2021 British Pie Awards
It was once again a pleasure to attend the British Pie Awards in Melton Mowbray this week. The previous awards were held in March 2020, just a matter of days before the country plunged into the first of several lockdowns and the world changed for bakers, and indeed most people, everywhere. This year’s event was moved from March to September
Rheged Centre Pork and Black Pudding Pie
The Rheged Centre is a shopping complex just off junction 40 of the M6 by Penrith, and has a great little deli counter which is actually in the petrol station. As you’d expect, it also serves a fine range of craft ales, gins and jams and sauces, so I am more than in my element. There are hot options available,
The Crofters Tavern Steak and Ale Pie
We spend a lot of time up in the Lakes, and whereas, on a good day, it is only an hour or so up the M6, on a bank holiday weekend, it can take three hours of snarly traffic each way. Upon getting kicked out of our accommodation mid morning, we first stopped at the Rheged Centre for pork pies
McGraddie’s Scotch pie
John W McGraddie’s Butchers Scotch pie Scotch pies are popular in the central areas of Scotland. They have a distinctive tin shaped side to them and a loosely placed top crust. They are usually made with mutton and heavily seasoned with salt and other spices. In some senses, they are not dissimilar to the pies of my youth in North
Topping’s Chilli Pork Pie
Let me come clean from the start, I was heading to Booth’s primarily to get a La Trappe glass to pour my La Trappe keg of beer into. I'd had a tip off, that they had some nifty Benelux based glassware in. However, a trip to Booth’s always seems to mean buying more than I came for. Booth’s are a
McRobb Butchers Wigan lobby pie with beetroot
I paid my first visit to McRobb’s Butchers on Saturday, primarily to get BBQ gear but of course, there was no way I was leaving without a pie. McRobb’s are based in Chorley, Lancashire but also have an outlet in a nearby retail centre, where I have previously bought their meat but now, they have a shop in the centre
Slattery’s Meat and Potato Pie
Slattery’s are somewhat better known as a cake maker and patisserie these days. My good lady, who is not a proficient pie eater, has been known to go there for afternoon tea. Nevertheless, way back in 2012, they came highly recommended to me as a quality North Manchester pie maker, from a friend at FC United, one Maurice Twomowers, so
Percy Ingles Steak Bite
aka How not to buy a pie down South Chapter 4 of Life of Pies was a hard lesson learned about the intricacies of pie eating in the capital city. You see, I foolishly thought that, like in Wigan, you would just walk into a bakers cum pie shop and get one delivered in your luck, hot off the rack.
Taylor’s Meat and Potato Pie
Following my extensive review of Taylor's Peppery Pie, I also tried a couple of their other top sellers. The steak and ale will follow soon but I also sampled the large meat and potato pie, which is well padded with a creamy mash filling and sweet flavour. Again, there is lots of pepper present, to add a bit of seasoning,
Greenhalghs’ Butter Pie
Ah yes, the butter pie: talk about a pie which divides opinions. My personal opinion is that they are pleasant, but I’d always rather have a bit of meat in there if possible. For the uninitiated, this is a pie made with butter, potato and onion. In much the same way as Friday is “chippy tea” day, the Butter pie
Taylor’s Pepper Pie
Well, well, we are still in lockdown so my movements are so limited, I can’t even get across to Leigh. However, with a bit of improvisation, it was possible for a few pastry shaped pieces of Leigh to come to me. Cook & Foragers is a butchers based in Appley Bridge near Wigan who also sell pies. They sell them