The time is pie

The clocks have gone back, temperatures are plummeting and that can only mean one thing, pie season has officially begun.
It has been quite the culinary journey for 23-year-old Craig Hennessey, who shot to fame with his Cumberland tattie pot back in March after winning the prestigious pie award.

Hennessey says: “It meant a great deal to me, and especially to my Dad, when I became British Pie Week’s Pub Pie Champion.
“I’ve always been hugely passionate about pies — they’re a big part of my Cumbrian food heritage.

“Pies play such an important role in pub menus and the best pub food is simple dishes done really well.

“This is what pies are all about — just the perfect combination of buttery Jus-Rol pastry, meaty ingredients and vegetables. They fill you up and make you happy.”
Quality counts​

“For pubs looking at their winter menu offering,” he adds, “there’s no better or more popular dish than a pie when it comes to a busy service.

“Quality ingredients are incredibly important, whether you’re talking about the pastry or filling.

“Home-made pies are easy. It’s all in the planning: I make the fillings in advance and finish off the pies with Jus-Rol. It helps me with the demands of making everything to order.”

Craig’s winning pie was a new take on a traditional Cumbrian speciality that was regularly enjoyed by local huntsmen and farmers and featured shortcrust pastry, Herdwick Hogget, garlic cloves, potatoes, carrots, shallots and local black pudding accompanied by red cabbage.

“I always cook dishes that reflect my roots,” explains Hennessey.

“Wherever possible I prefer to use local suppliers, and tend to take dishes that have a historic or regional connection and add my own twist. No matter how simple a pie’s filling is, it becomes much more special for the customer if they get a taste of the local area.”

Enter your pubs now​

Calling all pub chefs — British Pie Week’s Pub Pie Champion competition is back.

The hunt for Jus-Rol’s British Pie Week Pub Pie Champion has returned for its fifth year. In partnership with the Publican’s Morning Advertiser and the Craft Guild of Chefs, Jus-Rol is throwing down the gauntlet to pub chefs to send in their best pub pie recipes and be in with the chance of being crowned the 2012 Pub Pie Champion.

The winner will receive:

• A £500 cash prize

• A personalised chef’s jacket

• Publicity for them and their pub in the trade and national press

• The famous British Pie Week trophy

Last year’s champion, Craig Hennessey, will be on the judging panel for this year’s competition.

“If you’re thinking about entering, just go for it,” he says.

“Winning has changed my life. The publicity was brilliant and winning has given me the confidence to take the next step in my career.”

For more information and to enter the British Pie Week’s Pub Pie Champion 2012 competition visit www.britishpieweek.co.uk and complete the form before 29 January 2012. The winner will be announced during British Pie Week (5-11 March 2012).

Criteria apply. For full terms and conditions simply visit www.britishpieweek.co.uk.​

Over the moon about pie sales​

Rebecca White, pub pie competition finalist 2011 and chef/owner of the Full Moon at Morton, Newark, shares her pie tips
Being a finalist in British Pie Week’s Pub Pie Competition with my moon pie with wings has been fantastic for sales.

The publicity we received resulted in our customer base growing, and our pie sales increased by 30% in the weeks around British Pie Week.

We are famed for our pies in the local area ­— approximately 30 to 40% of our food sales are pies.

We have three variations of pie on the Full Moon’s menu: moon pie, with Nottingham beef and roasted vegetables, moon pie with wings — a chicken and Stilton pie, decorated with pastry wings, and the ‘Oon pie’, which contains no meat, and is made with lentils and roast pumpkin.

We use Jus-Rol pastry as we wouldn’t be able to keep up with the orders if we did it all ourselves. Our pies sell for £11 with a side helping of chips and Savoy cabbage.

Customers can also pre-order pies as a take-away option for £6.
Pie Week activities​

Last year we put on a special pie promotion for British Pie Week, offering a pie & pint for £12 and encouraged upselling by offering a trade-up to a dessert for £3.50, instead of the usual £5. The promotion worked really well and we can generate additional drink sales off the back of it.

Putting pies at the top of menus​

There’s never been a better time to put pies at the top of pub menus. To support pubs, Jus-Rol’s dedicated pie website
www.britishpieweek.co.uk​ is packed full of tried and tested recipes and advice. You can also download promotional posters and claim your free PoS pie kit, which includes tent cards and British Pie Week bunting.

For more information about British Pie Week, simply visit www.britishpieweek.co.uk​