New pie eating champion is crowned in Wigan

[vernon]

Pie news from oop North.

So near and yet so far!

A superior pie establishment is just round the corner in Mill Street. Their stand pies are superb. Just last month I got through one of their stand pies, one of their standard pork pies and one of their sausage rolls on the way to the Station Inn at Ribblehead before moving onto pork and black pudding pies made locally to the pub. Pies make great ballast and act as stabilisers when digested prior to and during a two gallon drinking session.

I had to google, as a casual mention of vernon 'demolishing' something needs investigation! I found a Dewhurst butchers archive with pictures of pie-making machinery, recipes for seasoning involving 14lbs of white salt etc, and I mostly wanted to find the mean(wood) size of a stand pie. Big to bigger seems to be the flavour

Some champion pies are here - it's all very interesting you know...

The establishment linked to by the second link traumatised me last week. Their products are great but their opening hours are somewhat antisocial. I turned up at their Armley Branch at what I considered to be a reasonable time, 16:05, to buy pies only to see the assistants leaving having cleaned the shop and returned the unsold stock to base. I had to make do with Waitrose Melton Mowbray pies @99p which were, at best, snack sized in comparison.

 

[krushavik]

Thats why when you go into some of these large supermarkets you can always smell fresh bread. Thats to make you feel hungry and buy more.

 

[vernon]

Thats why when you go into some of these large supermarkets you can always smell fresh bread. Thats to make you feel hungry and buy more.

Eh? What this got to do with pies?

 

[vernon]

I think that the rules need changing for the world chompionships.

The meat and tattie pies aren't that much of a challenge as the contents are pre-chewed and moistened and the crust ain't up to much.

They could either:

Preheat the pies in a microwave for five minutes immediately before the start whistle.

OR

Supply a stand pie to each competitor.

Both alternatives would produce a lot of prolonged action. Pie eating should never be a sprint. I see it more of a middle distance event.

 

[Aperitif]

When I ate these types of p-p-pies, it was VERY important to finger out all the blobby jelly before biting into. Ones with an egg in the 'middle' were my favourite effect, and I always wondered about the dark brown crusts - compared to my Mum's sausage and egg home-mades which had eau-de-nil outers - with just a tint of umber around the crust.

I like the microwaved pies idea vernon - say goodbye to that layer of skin on the roof of your mouth, folks!

 

[vernon]

When I ate these types of p-p-pies, it was VERY important to finger out all the blobby jelly before biting into.

No!!!!!!!!

The jelly isn't to everyone's taste but it's an integral part of the pie. However,for a sublime experience pork pies are best eaten warm, fresh from the oven with the gravy/jelly still in liquid form.

Ones with an egg in the 'middle' were my favourite effect, and I always wondered about the dark brown crusts - compared to my Mum's sausage and egg home-mades which had eau-de-nil outers - with just a tint of umber around the crust.

The gala pie in its entirety has yet to be demolished by yours truly. A full one is a true challenge to a pie muncher and I am mildly curious about my consumption rate in grams/sec. A full one weighs in at around 2.5 kilograms mmmm.....
I think I'll downgrade my curiosity to very mildly curious.

 

[Aperitif]

You have £10 from me, vernon, for the 'Meanwood Stuffery' Challenge for a /charitable cause/s. If you eat the chopping board as well, I'll double it.
The pic is bringing back odd memories and accompanying desire for that crusty edge...am I turning carnivorous again?

 

[Aperitif]

No - don't remember that Mort but I have been searching for evidence! I am now discovering an underworld of accents, clothes and real people dedicated to their metier...the equivalent of darts for pie supporters!

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es53niro1bU&feature=related[/media]