Celebrating British Pie Week and a look at the enduring appeal of the popular pastries

From the moment your fork breaks that golden-brown crust, releasing the smell of the hot filling inside, you know you’re in for a treat.

And so, it’s good to know that there is a whole week in the calendar dedicated to this humble pastry-based staple.

In a calendar full of increasingly odd days dedicated to things, it’s only fitting that pies get a full week, and this year, that falls from Monday, March 2 to Sunday, March 8. (Did you know there is also a National Pi Day in America, on March 14? Think about it...)

The antecedents of the modern pie can apparently be traced back to the ancient Egyptians.

And the first recorded pie recipe was published by the Romans – for a rye-crusted goat cheese and honey pie.

While the likes of apple and cherry have become popular desserts, British Pie Week tends more to celebrate the savoury version.

Introduced in 2007 by the pastry manufacturer Jus-Rol as a marketing wheeze, it has since taken on a life of its own (the company is no longer quite so involved), as pie-producers and their fans have taken up the reins and kept fanning the (oven) flames of this annual event all over the country.

As producers of more than 20 types of pie, Buckwells Butchers in Osborne Road, Southsea, are keen advocates of the week.

John and Helen Buckwell have run the shop for 33 years, and even though both are in their 70s, neither is showing any signs of quitting soon.

Over that period, pies have become an increasingly important part of what this traditional butchers offers.

‘It’s a big part of our business,’ says John. ‘When we first started we didn't really do them – butchers didn’t do that sort of thing.

‘But we would go to the baker’s, and you would get something with one sad little bit of meat and a bit of gristle if you were lucky.’

The Buckwells thought they could do better – and with a number of prizes and commendations for their wares, their confidence proved justified.

They are currently in the running for the Q Guild Butchers Smithfield Star Awards – the only butcher in the southern region outside London nominated for these prestigious prizes.

The winners will be announced in a ceremony on March 24 at, appropriately enough, the Butchers’ Hall in London.

‘We only use the best – for us quality come first,’ says John.

‘We use PGI Scotch beef – that’s protected geographical indication,’ the same standard that covers the likes of Champagne and Cornish pasties, ‘so we know that it’s been born, reared and killed in Scotland. It’s grass-fed, all natural.’

What do they think lies behind the enduring appeal of the pie to consumers?

‘They’re a quick meal solution, aren't they? We've already done most of the work for you – you just need to make some gravy, some mashed potatoes and peas, job done! It’s easy.

Making the pies on site is crucial to the shop.

‘They’re not mass manufactured, they’re all made here by hand.

‘We’ve always tried to make our own pies here. We aren’t trying to compete with anyone else, just to be the best at what we do.

‘These days all the supermarkets and places like Greggs, they all sell pies, but it’s a different market.

‘They’ve been very successful at what they do, but we have been successful too in our own small way at what we do.’

With this year’s offering including everything from the several steak variations to lamb, curry, and even haggis for recent Burn’s Night celebrations, they have all the bases covered.

‘We keep trying to cut down the number of types of pie we do, but people love them.’

Astles of Portsmouth in Copnor Road, Copnor, is another family-run butchers, with their pies winning awards from Hampshire Fare.

Paul and Karen Astle ran it as Real Country Butchers for 22 years before rebranding it to their family name in 2018.

‘We've got a pretty big pie trade, and we’ve become quite well-known for them in the area,’ says Karen.

‘It's built up over the years. It wasn’t such a big thing in the early years, but we had a bakers neary back then, and they did them.

‘We gradually introduced a couple of pies and it grew from there.’

They now offer seven different types of pie, but it’s steak which is their best-seller. ‘By far,’ says Karen. ‘People like to keep it simple sometimes, and they know they’re getting a decent round in there.’

The business supplies others in the area with their pies too, from Baffins Milton Rovers FC on their match days, to Eastney Tavern.

For Karen, the meat is the key to a perfect pie. ‘You don't want any fat or gristle in there.

‘I like a fair amount of gravy in a pie. I know some people prefer them a bit drier, but I like a good helping of gravy in there too.’

According to statistics from 2018, the average Brit will chomp their way through a stonking 2,160 pies in their life time, or 36 a year.

And it doesn’t seem that our love affair with the pie is about to fade away any time soon.

But perhaps John deserves the final word as he adds: ‘How much can you say about a pie?

‘The best thing to do with them is just eat them!’

Bon appetit.

With a smile, I’ll take you to the seven ‘C’s of pie…

What goes into making the perfect pie?

Online pie officianados, Pierate – Pie Reviews, have set out seven criteria they look for when putting a new pie under their expert gaze. And with more than 600 pies reviewed since the site began in 2009, they can justifiably bill themselves as ‘the web's premier pie resource.’ Here are the seven key aspects they say to check out:Colour ConsistencyCapacityChewinessCheapnessContentConditionAnd their number one? A steak and ale effort by MYPIE London.For more information go to pierate.co.uk or follow them on Twitter at @pierateers.

The perfect combination

IT’S one of those ideas which, on paper, looked to many, too daft to succeed.

But combining a pie cafe with a record shop turned out to be an inspired moment, and so Pie & Vinyl in Castle Road, Southsea, opened its doors in April 2012.Owner Steve Courtnell admits his first love was music and wanting to open a record shop, but a decade ago when physical music sales seemed to be in terminal decline, it was a non-starter. But Steve’s wife had a contact with the Bristol-based company Pieminister, and so a tie-up between the two was soon on the cards.‘It’s working class food,’ says Steve, ‘it’s got a lot of heritage and a lot of history – similar to vinyl records in that respect.‘We wanted to create an experience and that’s what we offer above all.’The shop makes sure to cover all culinary requirements – with vegan, soy and gluten-free options, with their own-made pies as well as bought in ones (including Buckwells).And when they host their regular instore performance and signing sessions, there will often be an accompanying pie, with ingredients chosen by the act, and a punning name.‘We have a lot of fun with that – the punter can come and watch the band, buy a record, get it signed, and then eat a pie curated by them too.’For Pie Week the store has something every day, including their first ever pie and music quiz on Tuesday (‘there will be questions on pies too,’ promises Steve), on Thursday it’s their Pie For a Pie charity initative, and on Friday you can win a year’s worth of pies in their pie-eating contest.

For more details go to pieandvinyl.co.uk.