Ginsters launches new pork pie range

Ginsters, the UK’s leading savoury pastry brand, is launching its own pork pie range this spring in order to expand its popular portfolio of quality pastry products and drive growth into the pork pie segment.

Available in a variety of pie and pack sizes to suit all kinds of snacking, sharing and lunchbox occasions, the versatile new savouries are made with 100% British pork.

The UK market for pork pies is worth £130.9m with potential for further growth across the coming year. Head of Brand Marketing for Ginsters, Andy Valentine, comments: “The pork pie market is a traditional sector in need of reinvigoration and that’s exactly what we’re aiming to do with our new range.

“Consumer research has highlighted that the perfect pork pie should be well seasoned, contain fresh British pork and have firm and crunchy pastry.

“We’ve specifically addressed these traditional characteristics with our new pies, whilst bringing a range of sizes and flavour options to help attract younger buyers to the market.

“Our loyal consumers will love the handy snack-sized packs which are ideal for lunchboxes or picnics and our new Ploughmans Pork Pie, containing Red Leicester Cheese and pickle, has proved very popular in research.”

Each product in the new Pork Pie range uses only 100% fresh British pork, is baked to a traditional recipe seasoned with Ginsters own pepper blend, and contains no added colours or flavourings.

RRP: Snacking – Individual Pork Pie (135g), £1.59: 4pk Snack Pork Pies (300g), £2.50 and 4pk Snack Ploughman’s Pork Pies (300g), £2.50 (Pork, Red Leicester Cheese and pickle).

Sharing, Medium Pork Pie (280g). £2.00; 6pk Mini Pork Pies (300g), £2.00 and Lunchbox, 2pk Mini Pork Pie (100g), £1.49.

Porkpiers of the year 2009

and the winner is…:

Derek Wyatt.

Derek Wyatt, the Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey in Kent A Labour MP claimed on his parliamentary expenses for  five mini pork pies an individual pork pie.

Man eating pies

A soccer fan has spent the season sampling the pies sold in the 92 football league stadiums scattered across the country.  Tom Dickinson, 22, is writing a book called “92 Pies” about his experiences.  He has done 89 so far, and reckons he has covered the distance to Australia and back.  His verdict so far?  The worst was Walsall: “not much heat or meat in the middle.”  The best have to be those sold at Morecambe’s Christie Park. These include pork pies (served hot), minced beef & onion and steak and kidney all at £1.30 each, and now a steak and gravy pie with mushy peas and mint sauce for £2.  And no, he hasn’t put on much weight, he reports.

Everybody’s talking about our pie awards

By Ben Truslove, Melton Times

A media frenzy encircled Melton this week at the first ever British Pie Awards.

The ceremony in St Mary’s Church was hailed a massive success with 511 entries in 12 categories, featuring on BBC Scotland and East Midlands, Central News, GMTV, Channel 4 news, the Today programme and even Cyprus radio.

Thirty eight judges chomped their way through the selection with a Melton Mowbray pork pie crowned the Supreme Champion, the Pie of Pies, made by Walker’s Charnwood Bakery for Sainsbury’s.

Celebrity chefs rubbed shoulders with food writers from the national press and authors of best selling cookbooks as tasty snacks from the length and breadth of the nation vied for top spot in 12 separate categories.

TV-cook Rachel Green said: “It has been a filling day but it has been a fantastic occasion and it couldn’t have been held in a better place than Melton. This is the hub of food in the UK.

“Holding it in St Mary’s Church has given it a superb atmosphere – it felt like a medieval banquet with all the food lined up on tables.

Sheila Dillon, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s the Food Programme enjoyed the belt-expanding experience and announced the winners.

She said: “I am feeling sort of bilious now but impressed at how alive the pie industry is in Melton Mowbray.”

Organiser Matthew O’Callaghan was delighted at the number of entrants there, but said there were improvements to be made.

He said: “I think our greatest achievement was the number of people who wanted to participate and recognised Melton’s unique place in British food. There are lots of competitions out there one dedicated to pies is unique and the enthusiasm with which people participated was inspiring.

“This is just the start, all the judges have asked to come back. I expect soon we will have over 1,000 pies and a major festival located in the town. Although I suspect at some stage we will have to let the tarts in.”

Judges were looking at a whole host of different aspects to each entrant, from look, feel, if the contents had spilled out and last, but by no means least, taste.

Dr O’Callaghan said: “There was a surprising number of pies that were disappointing, undercooked or with rancid meat. But we are giving back feedback to the bakers. Our ultimate aim is to improve the British Pie.”

*Winners in the categories included a strong Melton showing.

Dickinson and Morris picked up the best pork pie award and the savoury cold category with its game pie.

Brockleby’s scooped the best other pasty group.

The winners in full:

Melton Mowbray pork pie: Walkers Charnwood Bakery for Sainsbury’s (also supreme champion)

Pork pie: Dickinson and Morris

Steak and Kidney: Mrs E King

Savoury Hot: Learmont Butcher

Savoury Cold: Dickinson and Morris (game pie)

Fish: Baghall Butchers

Vegetarian: Pieminister

Cornish Pasty: Chunk of Devon

Other pasty: Brockleby’s Farm (poachers game pie)

British apple pie: Stuarts’ of Buckhaven

Other dessert: Kensey Foods (Tesco cherry)

Football pie: MacDougall and Hastie (Clachnacuddin FC)

Reaching For The Pies!

Winners announced in the First-ever British Pie Awards

 

In a tense and closely-fought contest, Sainsbury’s Melton Mowbray Pork Pie produced by Walker’s Charnwood Bakery, was declared the ‘Pie of Pies’, the Supreme Champion in the first-ever British Pie Awards held in the splendid
setting of St Mary’s Church Melton Mowbray, Tuesday 21 April 2009, beating off more than 500 rivals.

Winning £1000 and a weekend at Stapleford Park, Ian Heircock, Master Pie-maker of Walker’s Charnwood Bakery said, “We are really delighted to have won, it means a lot to have our pie acknowledged by such an expert panel of judges.”

The winner was announced to an audience of dignitaries, celebrities and pie-makers by Sheila Dillon, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme.

The pies were blessed by the Rector of St Mary’s, the Revd. Peter Hooper, and TV chef Rachel Green read an ‘Ode to Pies’, specially commissioned from BBC Radio Lincolnshire presenter Judy Theobald.

Matthew O’ Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, which hosted the Awards, said; “With over 500 entrants, from the Highlands of Scotland to the Coasts of Cornwall, the Awards showed the craftsmanship of Britain’s bakers and butchers and their passion for pies; our unique contribution to world food.”

With 12 classes of pie, including a Football Pie class (entered by clubs such as Everton, Aston Villa, Celtic, Rangers – and Accrington Stanley), 511 pies were entered. To qualify as pie, the entry had to be fully encased in pastry, and also be in commercial production. Each class has a Winner, with Gold, Silver and Bronze awards (see below for details).

The prestigious line up of judges included Ed Bedington, editor of Meat Trades Journal, Angela Boggiano, Food Editor for Delicious magazine, Xanthe Clay, food writer from The Daily Telegraph, Sophie Conran, author of Sophie Conran’s  Pies, Tamasin Day-Lewis, author of Queen of Tarts, Sheila Dillon, presenter of The Food Programme, Radio 4, TV chef Rachel Green, Sylvia Macdonald, editor of British Baker, Simon Majumdar, co-writer of food blog Dos Hermanos and TV Chef Phil Vickery.

Sponsored by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association and Food from Britain with support from Sysonby Knoll Hotel and Stapleford Park Country House Hotel.

British Pie Awards Winners 2009

Melton Mowbray Pork Pie – Champion: Sainsbury’s Melton Mowbray Pork Pie produced by Walker’s Charnwood Bakery

Pork Pie – Champion: Dickinson and Morris 6 Pack Mini Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

Steak and Kidney Pie – Champion: Mrs King’s Pies

Savoury Pie – Champion: A J Learmonth Butchers – Chicken, Haggis and Peppercorn Pie

Savoury Pie – Champion: Dickinson and Morris – Game Pie

Fish Pie – Champion: Boghall Butchers – Cod with White Wine Pie

Vegetarian Pie – Champion: Pieminister – Heidi Pie

Cornish Pasty – Champion: Chunk of Devon

Other Pasty – Champion: Brocklebys – Poacher’s Game

British Apple Pie – Champion: Stuart’s of Buckhaven

Other Dessert Pie – Champion: Tesco’s Cherry Pie produced by Kensey Foods

Football Pie – Champion: Clachnacuddin FC produced by MacDougall Hastie Butchers

English classics from Tesco

A move to celebrate England’s often under-appreciated contribution to world cuisine is to be launched this week. Over the last 20 years sales of English dishes have gradually been overtaken by Italian, Indian and American style cuisine – even Englands biggest selling dish is now a curry, Chicken Tikka Masala. But now Tesco wants to restore pride in England’s great culinary history. On St. George’s Day the supermarket is taking first steps to bring greater recognition to iconic English dishes starting with Melton Mowbray pork pies; Yorkshire beef and beer pie; and Bramley apple pie. Each dish will carry a sticker with the slogan “an English classic for St George’s Day”. And, if customers like the move then Tesco could extend it across the UK to other English classics such as fish and chips, Lancashire Hot Pot, Shepherd’s Pie, Toad in the Hole, Spotted Dick, Jam Roly Poly, Beef Wellington, Bubble and Squeak, roast dinners, and of course the sandwich. Tesco Convenience Foods buyer Alex Freudmann said “England has created some of the world’s most delicious and enduring dishes such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash and apple crumble yet unlike other international cuisine it doesn’t get the credit it truly deserves. “We don’t think that’s right and we want to restore some pride in our amazing home creations – English dishes deserve their rightful place in world culinary history. “We thought that St George’s Day was the perfect launch date for the campaign and we are starting with classic pies – Melton Mowbray pork pie, Yorkshire beef pie and a Bramley apple pie. “If the trial is a success we will look at extending the campaign to other English classics and celebrate each dish’s regional origins at stores in that area.” Each of the dishes featuring the St.George’s flag will initially be trialled in their county of origin – the beef and beer pie in Yorkshire; the pork pie in Leicestershire and the Bramley apple pie in Kent. There will also be promotional activity including tasting sessions for customers. The idea for the campaign came after demand for traditional English staples soared during the last six months as shoppers look to cheer themselves up with old favourites during the recession. Sales of Braised Lamb and Mash at Tesco have quadrupled on the same period last year while demand for Lancashire Hotpot and bangers and mash have more than doubled. Other top sellers in the last six months include: • Toad in the Hole – sales up 179 per cent on the same period last year • Cottage Pie – sales up 176 per cent • Bangers and Mash – up 72 per cent • Roly Poly and custard – up 32 per cent Tesco shoppers have already become more supportive of buying locally produced fare and in the last year sales of locally-sourced produce totalled £624m – smashing the £545m target. Added Tesco’s Alex Freudmann: “We know through our own sales figures that the Scots, Welsh and Irish are all very patriotic when it comes to buying their own locally produced food whether it comes from the north, south, east or west. “The English are different and tend to remain loyal to their counties so hopefully this move will help encourage a wider feeling of nationality.”

The best pork pies in Britain (unofficial)

 

Esquire.co.uk

Although we like to keep as trim as possible (at least until baggy trousers come back into fashion), we’re very keen on our snacks here at Esquire, and, like pigs sniffing for truffles, we will travel great lengths to find the perfect feast. This week we managed to get our trotters on what are possibly the country’s best pork pies.

This much maligned snack (okay, it’s not great for your cholesterol) surely deserves a gastronomic comeback. These particular gems we found at Samphire, the farm shop at Blickling Hall, former home of Anne Boleyn, in Norfolk.

Samphire’s Gloucester Old Spot pork pies with onion marmalade have previously won rave reviews from The Times’s Giles Coren and the BBC, and truly deserve the wholehearted approval they received from the Esquire team this week. And they come at a credit-crunch friendly £2.49. If you’re not heading to Norfolk this weekend, they will even deliver. Order on the Samphire website or by calling 01263 734464.

 

 April 16th, 2009

Award-winning Pudsey butcher beefs up empire

By Laura Bowyer, Yorkshire Evening Post

A Pudsey butcher has banished the recession blues and beefed up his empire.

Bentley’s, on Robin Lane, has been in business for 18 years and has now taken over the vacant shop unit next door.

The award-winning business, which recently scooped a prize for its pork pies from the National Butchers Federation, is owned by Steve Martin and employs 12 members of staff.

Following completion of the £10,000 shop refit the bakehouse has now moved downstairs and there is a new counter to cater for continental and delicatessen produce.

And the Lord Mayor, Coun Frank Robinson, officially cut the ribbon to open the new store.

He said: “This is for all the good shops that are in Pudsey and I will do anything I can to promote business in the town.

“Shoppers are after good quality stores and this is one of the best. I would just like to wish the whole business huge success.”

Mr Martin says his success is because the store sticks to its firm traditional roots in the market town.

He said:”We are an old fashioned, person friendly service that offers local produce and I think that is one of the main factors that attracts customers.

“I am over the moon with how the new development has turned out and hopefully we will be able to expand on the large range of locally sourced produce that we have to offer.

“We never had the space to be able to do this before and I am delighted with how it has all turned out.”

Despite the on-going work next door Bentley’s remained open.

Pudsey’s town centre manager Nigel Conder praised the success of the shop and the effects that it might have on the market town.

He said: “It just goes to show that local quality produce can deliver what customers are looking for in terms of value and strength.

“Hopefully this will boost our Shop Local campaign that is being launched over Easter to encourage locals to shop within Pudsey and will also help Bentley’s go from strength to strength.”

 

The full article contains 355 words and appears in n/a newspaper.

‘Pie’ – Cookbook of the Day

by Kat Kinsman, Slashfood

PIE

Angela Boggiano
Mitchell Beazley — 2009 (paperback)

 Fans of savory pies need no longer fear getting hung up at Heathrow security due to the suspicious scent of smuggled Stargazy pie and Cornish pasties emanating from their person. Angela Boggiano’s pastry-centric paen to traditional British fare allows the rest of the globe to tuck into cold Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and hand-held Grimbsy Town Soccer Pies in the comfort of their very own homes.

There’s a serviceable nod to the dessert end of the spectrum, but the meat and fish based recipes are the sweet spot.

Takeaway tips: Pastry crust isn’t difficult to make, so long as you follow the author’s three golden rules:

1. Handle it lightly.

2. Keep it cool.

3. Bake it in a hot oven.Quality of pictures: Seductive and instructive

We tested: Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and Eccles Cakes
Recipes were thorough, easy to follow and quite approachable for home cooks and fledgling pie makers. The U.S. edition translates all measurements into non-metric quantities. Our one quibble was a single digit omitted from the Eccles Cakes baking temperature (50F? Really?) but we took our best guess, and both pies turned out as pictured and previously sampled while we were in their native land.

Worth the investment: Yes, for Anglophiles, ex-pats, lovers of lard and the gluten averse — she includes recipes for wheat-free pastry.

Success for Huddersfield firms in Master Pork Pie Maker Competition: X-Factor’s Pete Waterman is guest judge

By Joe Shute, Halifax Courrier

Connoisseurs from across Britain descended on Calderdale at the weekend for the 17th annual charity Master Pork Pie Maker Competition.

Hundreds of people piled in to the Old Bridge Inn, Ripponden, to watch the judging.

Organiser Kevin Booth said: “It went brilliantly and just gets better every year. We had 50 entrants and the pies were as good as ever.”

The event has grown hugely since it was dreamed up by the Calderdale-based Pork Pie Appreciation Society.

This year record producer and former X-Factor judge Pete Waterman was a guest judge.

He said: “I’m a big pork pie afficionado. The quality of some of these is just staggering.

“Put me in a room with one of those pies and a dollop of mustard and I wouldn’t want anything more.”

There were pie-making demonstrations, music and an appearance from Pork Pie Man, who declined a cake at his wedding, opting for a three-tiered pie instead.

Pie maker Clarissa Webb travelled from Ireland to pick up a few tricks of the trade. She said: “When I heard about it I had to come.”

Judges ruled Hinchcliffe’s of Huddersfield the winners. Broster’s of Lindley came second, Bentley’s of Pudsey third and Wilson’s of Leeds fourth.

Other finalists were: Peter Middlemiss, Otley; Andrew Jones, Huddersfield; E&R Grange, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield; Ingfield Farm Shop, Southowram, Halifax; Mellors Farm Butchers, Newark.