The Crusty Chronicles. Savories from Bakeries.

[Anna N]

I had not planned on dipping into my stash of crusty goodies so soon but by 6 PM yesterday evening I realized that I was downright hungry and that I had hardly eaten anything all day. Choices. Choices. Sometimes you can have just too many of them. But the Scottish meat pie won.

 

 

 

I reheated it at 350°F for 30 minutes. It didn’t seem to take on very much color. When I broke into it I was a little disturbed by the color. I was certain that it was beef but this looked much more like pork. I checked the ingredients and it certainly said beef.

 

 

As. you can probably see the meat is clumpy. That’s the best word I can come up with. But despite all these apparent anomalies (as compared to my expectations), the filling was well seasoned and quite palatable. It was a little like eating meatballs though. I had hesitated initially whether I should reheat one or two of these. I am glad I opted for only one because it was very filling. 
 

 

The crust is sturdy. It’s not horrible but neither is it particularly appealing either in taste, it has very little, or texture so I did not finish the bottom casing. 
 

Overall it was nowhere near my favourite but it did have its own appeal and I will certainly eat the second one.  

 

 

 

 

[Shelby]

How have I missed this until now?????  I haven't made a pot pie in forever.  Craving something like that now.  I'm very happy Anna didn't get the pie with the cheddar in it.  I suspect that would have hit the trash can toot-sweet.  Or maybe the no cheddar rule is only for sausage rolls. 🤣

[liuzhou]

9 hours ago, Anna N said:

I had not planned on dipping into my stash of crusty goodies so soon but by 6 PM yesterday evening I realized that I was downright hungry and that I had hardly eaten anything all day. Choices. Choices. Sometimes you can have just too many of them. But the Scottish meat pie won.

 

 

 

I reheated it at 350°F for 30 minutes. It didn’t seem to take on very much color. When I broke into it I was a little disturbed by the color. I was certain that it was beef but this looked much more like pork. I checked the ingredients and it certainly said beef.

 

 

As. you can probably see the meat is clumpy. That’s the best word I can come up with. But despite all these apparent anomalies (as compared to my expectations), the filling was well seasoned and quite palatable. It was a little like eating meatballs though. I had hesitated initially whether I should reheat one or two of these. I am glad I opted for only one because it was very filling. 
 

 

The crust is sturdy. It’s not horrible but neither is it particularly appealing either in taste, it has very little, or texture so I did not finish the bottom casing. 
 

Overall it was nowhere near my favourite but it did have its own appeal and I will certainly eat the second one. 

 

 

Now, a proper Scotch pie (not Scottish pie, and Scotch can only be applied to foods and whisky - never to people) is not complete unless the depression on top is filled with mashed potatoes, Heinz beans or both! Some come with curry sauce - never been there. Also, they are usually made from lamb. That said it is at least 40 years since I ate any type of Scotch pie.

Edited August 21, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

Quote

A solid pie is a larder in itself, & is as useful on the moors or at sea as in country situations, where families are liable to the incursions of VORACIOUS visitors

 

Mistress Margaret Dods, Cook and Housewife's Manual (1826)

 

[Kim Shook]

21 hours ago, Anna N said:

 

 

 

On the top shelf you will notice Heinz salad cream. I almost asked for a bottle and then remembered that I had tried it again a few years back and found it quite revolting. Strange because I have only good memories of it when I lived there. 

 

 

I was especially interested in the pickled onions. I want the ones that make you pucker up. No wussie onions for me.

 

 

 

I was really torn between the Thurston‘s and the Heywoods. (Damn, I just noticed the jar of piccalilli.) And I do wonder what those Tesco soups are like.

 

Here is the loot:

 

 

 

No worries. I will not be eating bourbon biscuits and pickled onions at the same time. The biscuits are a product of dear old Marks and Sparks.

 

 

 

 

What I wouldn't give for a shop like that near me. 

 

I don't mind salad cream on some things.  Excuse me if I've told this before, but when my English stepsisters came to the US back in the late 1960's, that was the only way they'd eat salad.  When their Nanny came over from England, she brought some with her.  I tasted it on a salad and remarked that it tasted like coleslaw.  My mother tasted it and agreed and bought some Marzetti slaw dressing.  They loved it and have used either that or Kraft coleslaw dressing ever since.  We can get salad cream now, but it is crazy expensive.  

[Anna N]

52 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

What I wouldn't give for a shop like that near me. 

You were the very person I had in mind when I posted the photographs of the shelves in the store. I knew you would enjoy a good old browse. 

 

I have a recollection of a cooked dressing used on coleslaw which was reputed to last an inordinate amount of time in the refrigerator and that did remind me of Heinz salad cream. I think it was all the rage at one point in time — perhaps in the 60s. 

 

[Anna N]

4 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Now, a proper Scotch pie (not Scottish pie,

I can defend myself only by pointing to the label. In my mind I hear “scotch meat pie“. 
 

[haresfur]

I have yet to meet a sausage roll I like. My bakery will often run a special where they throw one in free when you buy two pies. Makes the dogs happy.

[Tri2Cook]

12 hours ago, haresfur said:

I have yet to meet a sausage roll I like. My bakery will often run a special where they throw one in free when you buy two pies. Makes the dogs happy.

 

I've made a lot of sausage rolls that made me happy... but I don't think the sausage roll purists and those with happy sausage roll memeoty associations would be as happy with them. The standard sausage roll filling I usually see is way too bland for me. I usually use other types of sausage but even when I go with the more traditional filling, I supplement it with some heat (usually cayenne so I don't change the flavor too much). 

[heidih]

I thought I had zip to contribute but this topic did remind me of an occasional savory crispy baked item I occasionally made for the kids. If there was phyllo in the freezer I'd cut a sheet in half and add a spiced ground meat filling and fold it up "flag style" to make triangles and bake. They snarfled them up. 

[suzilightning]

21 hours ago, Anna N said:

 have a recollection of a cooked dressing used on coleslaw which was reputed to last an inordinate amount of time in the refrigerator and that did remind me of Heinz salad cream. I think it was all the rage at one point in time — perhaps in the 60s. 

 

My copy of my great-grandmother's recipe is quite a bit older than that...early 1900s.

 

Loving this .

[Anna N]

So, back to the subject at hand which is to compare savoury baked goods from various bakeries. 

For lunch today I thought I would try a chicken pie for a change. @Kerry Beal had brought two from Ernie’s Meat Market. 
 

 

Straight out of the freezer.

 

 

After 50 minutes in the oven at 325°F.  I’m sure you suspect that I have these two photographs reversed. The truth is that they were taken under very different lighting conditions and so are not terribly useful!

Upturned into a bowl. 
 

 

Broken into. 
 

I found the crust to be flaky and quite palatable. Even the bottom crust was appealing in taste and texture. There was plenty of chicken and it was well flavoured. My choice would have been for considerably more vegetables and a little more “gravy”. I have been buying the Swiss Chalet chicken pot pie from the freezer case in the supermarket. I would have to say this pie was considerably better than those but still not quite the chicken pot pie of my dreams. 
 

 

But I did not leave very much for the compost heap.

 

I know everyone has their own favourite recipe for a chicken pot pie but do let us remember that this is about commercially made pies.

[rotuts]

@Anna N  

 

I never thought of eating a CPP  or any PP upside down.

 

I envy your selections .

[Anna N]

25 minutes ago, rotuts said:

@Anna N  

 

I never thought of eating a CPP  or any PP upside down.

 

I envy your selections .

You mean there is another way to eat them?😂

[demiglace]

I love sausage rolls, scotch pies and a good Melton mowbray pie. I've had some pretty bad pastries on pies though. I bragged about Thriftys carrying Melton mowbray pies but they stopped carrying them. Figures. I'm loving this ladies thank you. Have either of you had steak and kidney in suet instead of pastry? 

[Tri2Cook]

21 hours ago, Anna N said:

So, back to the subject at hand which is to compare savoury baked goods from various bakeries.

Apologies for drifting... got caught up in the conversation but we don't have a local bakery here to toss in the mix. 

[Anna N]

34 minutes ago, Tri2Cook said:

Apologies for drifting... got caught up in the conversation but we don't have a local bakery here to toss in the mix. 

That’s OK. But there’s a thought — perhaps you could start one. I’d be more than happy to tell you what is wrong with your crust, your filling, your choice of seasonings etc. etc. 😂

[Kerry Beal]

Ernies - a ground beef and peas for myself and the rug rat.

 

 

 

30 min steam bake 350º F in CSO 

 

 

 

 

Nice pastry (wouldn't call it particularly flaky but it's still perfect for meat pies) - tasty savory filling - peas could have been a bit more cooked - usually are. 

 

 

 

 

[Kim Shook]

I'm hoping to be able to participate in this thread next week.  Adjacent to downtown is a New Zealand influenced (I don't know if they are actually from NZ) sweet and savoury pie shop called Proper Pie.  The plan is that one of the days that Mr. Kim is working from the office (generally 3 out of 5) he will go by on his way home and pick up what I order.  Stay tuned!!!

 

[haresfur]

10 hours ago, Tri2Cook said:

Apologies for drifting... got caught up in the conversation but we don't have a local bakery here to toss in the mix. 

 

Wow, you must be remote! Want me to send you a meat pie and a vanilla slice? 😀

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Several years ago when Amazon Fresh (not to be confused with Amazon Prime Now) was still delivering to my area, one of the third party food purveyors whose products were available from amazon was an Australian meat pie company in Philadelphia.  Other people sold scrapple.

 

[liuzhou]

I hate this topic!

 

 I love me a good Scotch pie, a chicken and mushroom pie, a steak and kidney pie, a good sausage roll. Even a shepherd's pie, even though it isn't really a pie in my book. An apple pie.

 

Why did I move to China? A totally pie-less nation.

You can google Chinese pie. All you'll get is some bizarre Canadian not-pie!

😀

Edited August 24, 2020 by liuzhou (log)

[Anna N]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

I hate this topic!

 

Oh but you have so much to contribute even if it’s only memories! If it was feasible I would ship you boxcar quantities of pies and pastries and other crusty things. And after you had emptied the boxcar you could fill it with wonderful noodles and multiple varieties of mushrooms and bushels and bushels of fresh vegetables and fruits and send it on its way back

to me.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Anna N
Typos etc. (log)

[blue_dolphin]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

I hate this topic!

 

 I love me a good Scotch pie, a chicken and mushroom pie, a steak and kidney pie, a good sausage roll. Even a shepherd's pie, even though it isn't really a pie in my book. An apple pie.

 

Why did I move to China? A totally pie-less nation.

You can google Chinese pie. All you'll get is some bizarre Canadian not-pie!

😀

 

 

Isn't it mooncake season? They would seem to be a fair contribution to the topic.

[liuzhou]

Mooncakes are not pies and, unlike pies, are barely edible.