Now I like HP Sauce me. In fact I’d go as far as to say I love it. It’s the piri piri sauce of the working classes; and it’s been around since Nando was just that lad Abba used to sing about.
However, before we get carried away, my preference at a push is to put it on a pie not in a pie so this is no shoe in of a review.
I stand firmly in the HP camp on the old Ketchup v Brown bacon barm debate however that is when it is a condiment based addition to meat slapped between bread. Surely in the case of a pie there will already be gravy or meaty juices of some kind included within thus meaning the injection of another flavour of sauce will only serve to cross contiminate it’s natural flavour?
You’re messing with nature here Heinz and I’m not sure that I like it!!
Then there’s the whole concept of “brand extension” where established big companies are constantly trying to squeeze more money out of poor skint punters in ever more ingenious ways.
Weetabix now make drinks, Stella now brew Cider(re) and the bookshelves are now the domain of comedians and celebrities milking their fame in every way possibly while us lesser authors are left to pick up the scraps by haplessly mithering friends and complete strangers to part with their cash. No, not yet, MUST PUT BEGGING BOWL AWAY I’ll at least let you get to the end of this blog first.
Once upon a time, Lucozade was for taking with you to give to sick relatives you were visiting in hospital and a little bit more on topic even Walkers Crisps started life as the burnt offcuts of pork pies fact fans.
So it is with a heavy heart and intriguing mind that I pick up a Heinz Big Pie costing just £1 from Tesco. A steak and potato pie with HP Sauce no less. They also do a chicken and bacon version if a lighter coloured meat and filling lighter is your bag.
I say it’s a Heinz pie but this is actually a cross breed spawned from leading South Wales pie maker Peters Pies of Caerphilly, who have long since had a foothold beyond the valleys in supermarket and sporting events. These economies of scale allow them to bung their product on Tesco’s shelves for a mere quid and at that price I’d be daft not to indulge.
So yes it is a big pie with a large, thick crust, a kind of semi puff pastry which thankfully doesn’t raise too much further in the oven as there is already considerable airspace inside with the interior resembling an aircraft hanger.
This only marginally detracts from what is nevertheless a highly voluminous filling regardless with a good inch or so of depth and considerable density within. As with it’s soup based sister, the individual ingredient chunk size is very large indeed with hefty squared off potato chunks mixed in with slabs of succulent beef.
The gravy was highly palatable with the HP sauce merely adding a subtle edge without overpowering affairs. The crust does feel a little bit in a world of it’s own as its’ so high up but is nevertheless competent and holds the contents together well. Aroma wise it didn’t excite me too much until the very last minute when I pulled it out of the oven.
The scores on the doors (old ones not the new revised book ones!):
Filling: 8 Crust & Pastry: 7 Taste: 7.5 Warmth/Smell: 7.5 Size: 7.5 Service: 7 VFM: 8
Total 52.5/70 In summary, any pie scoring over 50 is worth it’s salt (and pepper) and at a budget price this represents the ideal fodder to stuff down your neck after a gruelling game of 5 a side as I did. What you have is a solid yet not spectacular pie on your hands here.
Next week. I buy a better pie, bung it in the blender and heat it up over the hob. Hey presto: PIE SOUP. MMMMMM……..
If this inane piece of pie drivel has tickled your fancy, the book the Life of Pies is now available to pre-order. Just click here to buy
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