The great warming and comforting British pie in all its various splendour and available fillings has been in existence for hundreds of years and is popular as ever in modern times. Some historically based research has suggested that the pie form can be identified as long ago within the antiquated lands of the Egyptian population.
Professional bakers who created their offerings in the Egyptian era utilised a combination of fruits, nuts and honey cooked within a bread-like doughy mixture, one of the first forerunners of the modern-day dynamically used pastry we all know and love.
The word 'pie' may have first stemmed from the long-tailed bold bird, the magpie, which commonly loves to hoard and make collections of a whole host of objects. Similar to the different combinations of effects that a magpie can gather, the earliest pie creations also featured a huge assortment of ingredients, but the word 'pie' is mostly always attached to a pastry combination. Pies in the earliest of times were very large products and now the pie world can be classed to join designs of many sizes, from small portions, to a feast sized meal with or without a pastry topping.
The Greeks are first thought to have introduced what we know today of traditionally based pie pastry. At the time of this birth, pies were cooked from cleverly invented water and flour based 'paste'. The wrapping encompassed the pie meat, serving to trap the juicy qualities of the cooked pie and also give a way to cook through the pie meat effectively. The Roman Empire later defeated many lands and with their dominating presence they also brought a feast of pies, introducing it to countless new populations. Roman conquerors also influenced other lands to create their own pie adoptions and recipes, with ingredients based on country culture and available foods.
Even today, the modest pie is still celebrated each year. The Great British Pie Week celebrates all kinds of pie variations from chicken and mushroom, wild rabbit ingredients, to hot steak and kidney, or the meat and ale pie. Vegetarian pies too are also in abundance with many different combinations of vegetables, from asparagus and wild mushroom, goat's cheese and spinach, and non meat containing products which feature a mix of tasty soya recipes.
For the more exotic British pie seeker, a bacon and apple pastry feast, pigeon pie or mint and lamb hot pie can also be sourced. The Brits appreciate a well designed pie with home-made pastry and quality filling, and in the North of England steak and kidney pies with mushy peas and pickle feature prominently. Further South in London, a fantastic combination of pie and mash, which enjoys a dressing of eel 'liquor' (a gravy sauce), is still very much enjoyed by Londoners from all walks of life.
To celebrate the Royal Wedding of 2011 between Prince William and Kate Middleton, one leading UK supermarket is actually producing a limited, commemorative based pie which has been constructed of British beef, pearl onions, mushrooms, wine, brandy and bacon which has been baked in a pastry crust. Served with plenty of mash and liquor this treat will be sure to make any street party or royal wedding festivity go with style!
Recent research that has been undertaken shows that sixty percent of the British population believe the pie to be ultimately traditional and British through and through. Over two-thirds of the UK devours a minimum of a single savoury pie every month, which makes the pie as popular as ever!
Sean Horton is a Director of Goddard's Pies Limited who have been making pies since 1890.
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