British Pie Week: operators and suppliers come together to celebrate pies
Pastry pros Pieminister and pubco Ei have worked together since 2014 to give customers a staple dish on the menu.
Pie Week sees Pieminister launch The Hopper, a Mexican-inspired cricket and black bean pie cooked in a rich tomato, chipotle chilli and sour cream sauce with fresh lime and coriander.
Available from today (6 March), Pieminister hopes its innovation will challenge consumers’ preconceptions of what eating insects could be like, and help raise awareness of the environmental issues surrounding sustainable sourcing for food production.
Pieminister co-founder and managing director Jon Simon has urged diners to try something outside of the box and give the cricket pie a go.
Trying something new
He said: “Some 70% of the world’s population (5.5bn people) see insects as the norm yet many of us Brits would run a mile at the idea.
“As a food business, it’s important we look ahead and explore how we can keep on creating great pies in a sustainable and responsible way.
“British Pie Week is a chance for us to experiment with this future-food and put Britain’s taste buds to the test."
In homage to the pie, London-based Three Cheers Pub Co is offering 2-4-1 on all pies during British Pie Week and the week after, claiming that though the week runs from 6-12 March, seven days 'just didn’t seem serious enough'.
Creations aimed at getting diners pie-eyed will include a classic steak and ale with dry-aged beef, kale & ricotta pie and even a raw chocolate, date & pecan pie.
Hampshire and Surrey-based pub group Red Mist Leisure is also getting involved in the pie-filled action with at least two pies on offer at every pub, and a staff competition.
Pie is good for charity
Managing director Mark Robson said: "There is a competition running between our staff for the best photo of a pie or pie with customer engagement.
"We have two football tickets for the winners who manage to capture the epitome of what British pie is all about in a photo."
The group is also tying the week together with fundraising and will be donating £1 from every pie sold to its two chosen local charities – Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance and children's charity the Rainbow Trust.
Three-time British Pie Awards-winner the Windmill in Mayfair, central London, is offering a variety of flavour-packed, handmade pies paired with specially selected beer and gin.
The Young’s-owned pub serves about 15 tonnes of pies a year, drizzled with 5,500 litres of gravy and paired with more than 460kg of potatoes every week, and even has its own pie club.