Pie in the sky...

pie
n.
1. A baked food composed of a pastry shell filled with fruit, meat, cheese, or other ingredients, and usually covered with a pastry crust.
2. A layer cake having cream, custard, or jelly filling.
3. A whole that can be shared.

I bloody love pie.


Really love it. It's probably one of the reasons I'm on a healthy eating kick. There are just so many wonderful pies in the world, it's a travesty not to consume them.

Here, for your pleasure, are my top 5 pies (in no particular order, I don't play favourites with my pies)...


1) Pork Pie

Oh mama, I love those bad boys. Big ones, small ones, ones with cheese in, ones with egg in (gala pie = triumph). It's just occurred to me that pork pies are a British thing so, if you need a definition, feast your peepers here.


2) Hot Pies

Ah, hot pies. In all their glorious forms. Chicken, lamb, beef, steak and ale. Meat encased in pastry. Served with mushy peas and mashed potato. Life does not get better than that, my friends. I'm truly convinced that the best pies ever are from Pie Minister. If you're ever at a festival and you see the Pie Minister stall, buy one. Buy twelve. They are incredible. Me and C quite literally lived on them at Bloom last year. I'm a big fan of the minty lamb and the chicken of aragon varieties.


3) Potato topped pies

This category includes your fish pie, your shepherds, your cottage. All manner of potato topped loveliness. I find it hard to beat a fish and king prawn pie myself but I recently discovered an Oakham Chicken and Bacon Pie in Marks and Spencer which was fairly gorgeous. Basically potato nestling on top of a hot filling can never be a bad thing. Unless said hot filling contains mushrooms. Then I'm throwing it in the bin.


4) Fruit Pie

I mean, seriously, who isn't salivating at the mere sight of those cherries bulging out of their pastry prison? Nuff said. Give me some custard to splatter on it and I'm literally in heaven.


5) Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue gets a category all of it's own. Is it a pie? Is it a cake? Who cares. It's zingy, crunchy, chewy and an utter delight.


6) Mince Pie (Yes, I said Top 5 pies. I lied. Mince pie has to be included)

If I had to choose a favourite sweet pie then this would be it. Mince pies become my life once December begins. Well, maybe not my life. I'm not quite that tragic. I do heart them though. Especially icing topped ones. With courvoisier cream. Oh sweet lord.


So there you go. I've just rambled on about pies for 20 minutes. I blame the fact I can smell my tea cooking. And the fact I'm just a fatty who likes pies.



What's your favourite pie?