Looking for Last chance to enter The British Pie Awards! By Austen Dack
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he British Pie Awards are back, and there’s still a chance for you to enter the best chippy pie category? After Covid-19 forced a delay in 2021 they are back in their Pie Week home in March and pie makers across the country are battling out to be named the best. There are 800 entries overall across 23 categories – including a vegan category which provided 2019’s winner. The winners of the awards will be announced on Friday March 4th with judging taking place on March 2nd. Organisers said it has been a “tough” couple of years, but the 150 judges are back & excitedly looking forward to sampling the hundreds of entries. The British Pie Awards attracts pie producers large and small from across the country. The event is judged in Britain’s pie capital, Melton Mowbray, and last year 813 pies were entered in 23 categories The one that interests us the most is for the best Chip Shop pie. Won recently by The Cods Scallops and last year by Mud Foods. If you have your own homemade pies why not enter! The Cod’s Scallops Chicken, Ham and Leek Pie was awarded class champion in the Fish & Chip Shop Pie category. Judges gave the pie top marks with comments including “great bake”, “lovely flavour”, and “nice pastry”. Made with pastry created to a recipe bespoke to The Cod’s Scallops, which includes extra
Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • February 2022
butter, the pie is filled with home-cooked, locally sourced chicken, gammon and leaks, and a touch of cream. Owner John Molnar comments: “We were so pleased to win another award for our pies. Last year we won with our Steak and Ale Pie so two out of our three pies on the menu are now award-winning. “We make our pies upstairs in the development kitchen and a lot of time and effort has gone into getting them right.” Mud Foods sells pies, squiches (square quiches) and sides of beer battered chips, mash or sweet potato fries. Christian said: “We have our staple pies, the ones we do year in and year out, and then we come up with new varieties each year. “Last year we have the hearty beef and potato pie, pulled pork in a sticky BBQ sauce and a scrumpy cheese and onion pie.” Christian prides himself on the quality of the ingredients used in his pies from the butter in the pastry to the locally sourced items. The pies use meat and dairy from the Goodwood Estate, the scrumpy cider is Heart of Hampshire from Mr Whiteheads, which is between Petersfield and Alton and the porter ale in the steak and ale pie is from Greyhound Brewery in Storrington. Mud Foods was started in 2009. Christian initially worked in financial services, but during a conference in 2007 he realised he needed to do something else. Based in Midhurst, it entered 15 pies in Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • February 2022
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