National Pie Week

Apparently, it's national pie week in the UK. That is great news as most Brits LOVE pie. The hot debate is which pie do you love the most?

It could be a creamy fish pie with blushing prawns and juicy hunks of fresh fish, a belting steak and ale pie or a comforting cottage pie. (If you chose Pukka or Fray Bentos then shame on you!!) Whichever pie you choose, hot and bubbling straight from the oven is the only way.

Living in Hong Kong, it has become apparent that the only way to find a decent pie is to make your own. That is exactly what I just did specially requested by Mr Woo for a birthday treat (see pic). Having said that, the Globe and Coast in Central do pretty good jobs of the pies they produce. Unfortunately, many eateries try to create a pie by cooking the filling and the lid separately then sticking them together in an attempt to look modern. The lid must be baked with the pie so some of juicy gravy and flavour soaks in. There is nothing more off putting than a pie lid like cardboard and just placed last minute on the side of the plate!!

I think the best pie I have tasted in recent years was a wonderful rabbit pie at 'The Bell' in a quaint English village called Sapperton near Cirencester . Check out their website here: http://www.foodatthebell.co.uk It was BIG, delicately flavoured, creamy with chunk of succulent rabbit that simply fell apart in the mouth.  have not yet found a pie to rival it! Feel free to submit your ideas for the best pies around :)