One thing we both miss here in France is pies! They do lots of pastry based things but not what you or I would call a pie. So last time we were across in Blighty we thought we would get a few Fray Bentos tinned pies so we could occasionally spoil ourselves.
I don't think it is illegal to bring tinned pies into France from the UK but we do like to think we might have smuggled them in, thereby adding flavour by the fact they would be contraband. It may well have added something but flavour hasn't been it. They have been a major disappointment. What meat there is, and there isn't much, isn't as flavoursome as we would like. Now this might be because of the change in our palettes. I longed for a sausage sandwich last time I was back but didn't enjoy it because there wasn't as much meat flavour as in our sausages here. However, I digress. We have now had two steak and kidney pies and one steak and ale. Just one of the latter to go. The other problem has been that the pastry hasn't cooked properly. The top layer rise and are fine but the layers just above the meat stay uncooked and slimy.
This was our great hope of pie nirvanha but alas we must wait until next visit where I shall be straight down the chippy for a Pukka Pie and chips. Now that's a proper pie!
4 comments:
I do find Fray Bentos to be disappointing in general.
We had a pie for dinner last night, funnily enough. It was a chicken pie, handmade by my 15yr-old daughter. She went a bit overboard on the seasoning, but other than that, it was a good effort and I scoffed the lot. The pastry was superb.
I am pleased that Masher has a live-in pie maker and I think that, when he gets to my age, he will appreciate the extra seasoning.
As for the Fray Bentos pies, I saw the steak and kidney ones in Tesco some time before the festivities so bought a couple. They have been in my partner's kitchen ever since so I have not tasted one yet, but I will remember your comment about seasoning. Mind you, nothing in tins tastes the way it used to - all the salt has disappeared... Never mind, I have a large Salt Pig with smoked Maldon sea salt in it. I have the power!
Masher. 15! 15!! Blimey, I better change my vision of the Masher sojurn South where Mrs Masher frolics on the beach whilst the mini Mashers play on the and with their buckets and spades. I assume it's now about Mrs M stopping Master M from smoking round the back of the bike sheds and Miss M trying to get away to go clubbing!
TA - I now have a desire to get a salt pig.
Ha - I am such a trend setter!
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