The electric light bulb, the telephone, the World Wide Web…. whilst they all may well be great inventions, there’s no denying the likes of mince pies or a steak and ale number are actually some of Britain’s finest creations.
We might all be able to agree that pies are the crème de la crème of the British food scene, but one important debate remains unsolved. Last week, on Pancake Day, a burning question divided households across the nation, and now we're bringing it back, this time, about beautiful British pies. So, should they be sweet or savoury?
For me, there really is no debate to be had - savoury pies do it best, hands down. Whether it’s a homemade Cottage Pie that takes you straight back to your childhood and going round to a friend's for tea, a pork pie fresh from the local butchers that every British Grandad lives off, or just a hearty pub lunch of chicken and mushroom pie with lashings of gravy after a long walk, the savoury pie is most certainly versatile and delicious, without fail.
There’s only one sweet pie that gives its savoury counterparts a good run for their money, and that’s the mince pie. Whilst words like mincemeat and suet don’t exactly scream “fine cuisine” to most people, there really is no denying that the very first bite of a homemade mince pie, fresh out the oven and filled with rich fruity goodness marks the start of the cosy winter season and never fails to get everyone well and truly in the Christmas spirit.
There's only one sweet pie that gives its savoury counterparts a good run for their money, and that's the mince pie
So, whilst I'm no stranger to the odd sweet pie when they make their brief, but welcome appearance over winter, it’s safe to say that savoury pies hold a special place in my heart, and definitely take the well-deserved title of best type of pie. To anyone out there who says British food isn’t much good in comparison to other tasty dishes on the international scene – you really will be eating humble pie when you take your first bite of a steak and ale pie, with chips and gravy, in front of a roaring log fire at the pub. Just try and convince me otherwise!
