Pie Shop Blog

A work colleague of Sister Anya visited the Stagger Inn in Stainton, Cumbria. Phil Robinson of Dalton-In-Furness, two time reject from Britian's Got Talent, who also likes to be known as Phillipa, has written a small blog for us pie connoisseurs.

"I write not as sister but as fellow friend, I have a sorry tale to share with the sisters...

Whilst dinning out at the Stagger Inn, I chose a mouth quenching chicken and leek pie ….

This is when the wheels came off ....

This pie was served with the crust on the bottom with all ingredients piled on top of it …. I know its like a scene from some crazy pie slashing movie – but I kid you not.

Now lets just say soggy bottom … and I don't mean the old farmer stood at the bar with dubious stains. Nope it was a trade description meltdown of some magnitude.

Now I'm not expecting the sisterhood to descend and start hiding the patio chairs – oh no as the pub is a favorite …. but please that meal should never be titled PIE …"

Looking into Phil's pie-tastrophe it sounds like my fellow pyjama-dressing friend Phillipa didn't have a pleasant pie. I wonder whether he will try another one!

The Bake Shed

Now that the football season is over, one of the sisters, who lives at the end of a very long col-de-sac has decided what better way to spend her summer than by trying out pies from shops throughout the Lake District.

Both of the local sporting teams have already been reviewed, so here we go!! Using the knowledge gained at the British Pie Awards back in March 2017 and looking at the Colour, Consistency, Capacity, Chewiness, Cost and Condition.

Today the bakery I tried was The Bake Shed, having been told by local people they were one of the best in the town. I thought it was a perfect place to start!

The selection of pies at The Bake Shed was vast, with many choices. They are produced by Higginsons Bakery of Grange, titled legendary, high quality pies.

Now for the bit you have all been waiting for, the review of what I would say was a lovely pie.

Colour - The colour of the meat and potato pie was a rich caramel, golden brown throughout, with a nice glossy coat over the lid. The crusts of the pie were a consistent golden colour, with no additional darker/lighter areas.

Consistency - This category refers to the texture of the liquids of the content. The Bake Shed's meat and potato pie, was perfect. The potato was soft with a velvety texture, and it simply disappeared with no effort. The meat was minced into small bits, making it easy to eat, even for those with false teeth.

Capacity - The ratio of air:filling was obviously more filling to air. The meat and potato was evenly distributed with very little gab between the filling and the pastry surrounding it. The ratio of crust:filling, again there was more filling. Sometimes pies can have to much pastry, that then takes away from major part of the pie, here there was the perfect amount of both pastry and filling.

Chewiness - This category refers directly to meat pies, and how chewy the meat is. As already mentioned, the meat was minced into small pieces, and melted in your mouth.

Cost - Usually there is a negative correlation between the expense and score of a pie. The more expensive, the higher the quality; the case with many products, from clothes to food. The Bake Shed's meat and potato pie cost £2.05, however the other pies available varied in price. Personally, I feel that this is a reasonable price for the standard of pie, however this is something I will compare throughout my pie shop reviews.

Condition - I bought 6 meat and potato pies, I promise they were not all for myself! All 6 were near enough identical, none of them were burnt or had any boil outs, all a consistent rich caramel brown colour, with the odd crack showing the filling inside. The pies were cooked completely through, with base and sides the same thickness and colour with NO SOGGY BOTTOM!

The people I bought the pies for agree with me, that the pies were of an exceptionally high standard and they would buy them again, and maybe try a different filling too!

Fellow Barrowvians, visitors, contractors and workers please use your lunch breaks wisely and try any pie from The Bake Shed and see what you think!

The Bake Shed
90 Roose Road,
Barrow-in-Furness,
Cumbria,
LA13 9RH

Gosforth Bakery

Gosforth Bakery is a bakery located in the small village of Gosforth, West Cumbria, close to Scafell Pike (highest mountain in the lake district). A good selection of pies and other pastries are available from this shop, price being £1.80.

Pies are available with varying fillings from Steak, to Meat and Potato, to the ULTIMATE BREAKFAST PIE for £1.70. What could possibly be in a breakfast pie, now let your mind run wild... Sausages, bacon, egg, beans, hash browns all inside a pastry - guilty eating at its best. This is definitely a pie that will have to be tried.

Being a typical northerner, the meat and potato pie was the way to go! Straight out of the over, hot hot hot. A leaky pie that disintegrated pastry isn't a good look - it would have been better cooled down. Very soggy bottom due to the filling me very liquidised with too much gravy, and a pie connoisseur never complains about too much gravy unless it results in a severe soggy bottom.

However, a large chunk of millions shortbread for pudding went down an absolute treat and made up for the leaky, breakable pie.

I am sure the pies would be a great asset to take up the mountains for much needed sustenance.

Meadow View
Gosforth
Cumbria

CA20 1AS

The BakeHouse

Most weeks a work colleague brings in pies from The Bakehouse at Millom. This bakery provides a number of pies ranging from Meat and Potato to Steak and to Chicken Curry pies!

All of these three pies have been tried and tested by our very own West Cumbrian roving pie eater, in fact he normally has one for his breakfast... he isn't feeling the balanced diet kinda life. His favourite up to now is the steak pie which is very reasonably priced.

The steak pie has been rated 4.5/5, missing out on the 0.5 just because he hasn't tasting them all yet.

18 St. Georges Terrace

Millom

Cumbria

LA18 4DB

Greens Bakers and Confectioners

A number one favourite of the TV chef's 'The Hairy Bikers' (David Myers and Simon King) we had to try Barrow's famous Greens Pie Shop!

Taking the opportunity, whilst off for a weeks break the traditional meat and potato pie had to be tried. Oooosing with goodness, not too mushy minced meat, small edible chunks of potato and a soft but crunchy pastry - the greens meat and potato pie, priced at £1.75 was very close to 'pie'fection.

Having read reviews from the North West Evening Mail, an individual from the Pie Capital Wigan singled out Green’s meat and potato offering as the number one pie and heralding Barrow as the new Pie Capital of Britain earlier this year (2015)'

Green's is also 3rd of the Top 10 greatest pies in britain, closely being beaten by Morecambe FC!

24 Jarrow Street,

Barrow-In-Furness

LA13 9SZ

The Hull Pie Bakery

On Tuesday 13th March, we made our way to York to stay with the Mitchell family to get a good nights sleep, before the early get up and drive to Hull on Wednesday.

We had a lovely morning in 'The Hull Pie' kitchen where all the magic happens. Hull pies achieved the Silver Award for their Gluten Free succulent Steak Pie, bronze for their Melanzane Parmigiana Pie and highly recommended for their Curried Chicken Pie.

Whilst at the Bakery we took part in creating the base of a pie, the filling and using a handheld machine to press the lid.

The process to make a pie seems very simple, however image doing 100's of pies a day by hand with the same simple process for hours. Estimating the amount of pastry needed for the base, using a clamp type manual machine to create the base, then generate the filling and put it in to the base, then use a machine to roll out the pasty and cut out the lids, then use the clamping machine to connect the lid and the base together.

At the end of the session, we each chose a pie to take home and try. Succulent steak, chicken and leak and beef brisket. All three pies were scrumptious and very yummy alongside a portion of chips. The pies reached a 4.5 on the Pie'O'Meter.

The Sisterhood have many more trips planned, so until next time, keep calm and enjoy eating pies!

202 Newland Ave

Hull

HU5 2ND

Walkers

Walkers is a small bakery located in Grassington, a small market village situated in the district of North Yorkshire.

The Dales, meat and potato pie nicely warmed up. Reviewed as very filling, but a little bland, but the pastry tasted good! Sister Jess said she doesn't usually go for meat and potato, so this pie was a change, scoring 3/5 which still isn't bad and labelled as 'ok'.

4 Water St

Grassington

Skipton

BD23 1PB

Craven Arms

The Craven Arms in Appletreewick is known for its 'real ales and heart grub'. A lovely Steak and Ale pie with chunky chips and LOTS of gravy. Totalling to £13.95 for the meal, relatively cheap and reasonable.

Cooked all the way through, crispy looking pastry lid and filled well, with large chunks of meat and veg. YUMMY

Appletreewick

Skipton

BD23 6DA

Su Ellen's Bakers Shop

Having been told of a pie shop in a converted terrace house in Moor Row, Cumbria. Chris, the West Cumbrian pie blogger decided to give it a go, especially for The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pies.

'Once turning off the A595, you could smell the pie shop before you could see it. I bought a meat and potato pie and a chicken pie. The meat and potato pies was £1.50 and the chicken was £1.80, however I didn't think it was a normal pie. It was a tray baked pie, cut into small squares and placed in their own separate container.

As you can see from the images above, the meat and potato pie was layered. There was no soggy bottom or top, the pastry was cooked well but when you took a bite it fell apart. Overall, I have tasted better pies and would give it 3/5.'

Additional to this, the chicken pie wasn't much better, however it wasn't eaten fresh from the bakery, it was a lunch time treat for the next day.

The pastry was very flaky and the juice was a bit sticky, but there was a lot of big chunks of chicken. Of course it was all eaten but maybe not a choice that would be made again.

All in all, the pies weren't awful and they must be popular in the local village as there was only one meat and potato left and that was just after lunch!

26 Scalegill Road

Moor Row