News – Life of Pies

A PIE BOOK UPDATE: THE LAST HURRAH (SURELY)

jimmy2026-08-03T15:25:40+01:00August 3rd, 2026|

Hurrah indeed as many of you will say. Someone pointed out to me the other day that Life of Pies is currently retailing for nearly £30 for a paperback on Amazon and Ebay at one point. And that’s for a “nearly new” version.

Not to labour the point but I have been half arsedly selling it for half price at £4.99 plus p&p on my own site here, and I still have considerable stock left as follows:

First edition: 3 boxes, circa 60 copies

Second edition: Between 3 and 5 boxes, 60-100 […]

Dickinson and Morris Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

jimmy2020-03-09T14:15:42+00:00March 9th, 2020|

While it was British Pie week last week, I found myself once again in Melton Mowbray and of course, there’s only one place to go when you find yourself in Melton, and that is to pay a visit to Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe to try a Dickinson and Morris Melton Mowbray Pork Pie (£1.70).

The Melton Mowbray bit is important. For this is a geographically protected pie. The town of Melton Mowbray, home for over twelve years to the British Pie Awards, is a hub of pie based activity. It is the only place I have seen signs directing people […]

Wrights Pies, burning like fire!!

jimmy2019-10-11T23:32:26+01:00October 11th, 2019|

Got to keep up the batting average: now, where can I reasonably get to within my lunch hour without anyone noticing I’ve disappeared? I do 12 hours days so if I take longer than an hour it’s not a huge deal but then there’s the side effects. Having a pastry heavy pie for lunch often lays a bit heavy on the stomach; I may as well have six pints I’ll be that lethargic. Like the IT developers who go to our canteen and polish off a full curry, then apple crumble and custard for afters. If I did that I’d […]

Living the dream as a Pie Judge

jimmy2018-03-09T13:35:36+00:00March 9th, 2018|

I’ve written at length in the past about pies, reviewed pies, looked at particular types of pies, or pies by area and I write about loads of other stuff too but then you’ll have to go elsewhere for that as this blog is solely about pies.

I’ve also bemoaned certain events, some but not all which were out of my control but essentially resulted in my decision to write a book about pies into something of a mini-disaster.

Still, I wrote a book about pies which is what I set out to do and nobody can take that away from me. Moreover, […]

The greatest show on earth!!

jimmy2017-08-20T14:38:29+01:00August 20th, 2017|

It’s taken me a few weeks to catch up following my trip to Melton Mowbray but yes PIE FEST is really a thing, and it really is a festival of PIES!!

I was kindly invited there on the Sunday to talk about my book and my exploits whilst writing it, along with my experiences of pie traditions up and down the country and what I like to see in a good pie.

It was great to speak in front of close to 100 attentive people in the Pie Theatre and following my talk, I set up stall and managed to sell a […]

A festival of pies!

jimmy2017-10-12T15:42:52+01:00July 25th, 2017|

It’s not often I get a gig to go to. Even when I do it tends to fall through, like the unfortunate incident over the cancelled BBC Documentary. There are numerous events in the pie calendar that simply cannot be missed however and this year’s PIE FEST in Melton Mowbray is definitely one of them.

It’s quite telling that even in Wigan, the local council have never ever attempted anything so ambitious. Of course, we have the annual World Pie Eating Championships but a fine foodie weekend in Melton Mowbray offers up a whole host of cultural pie related entertainment.

At this […]

Release Date

admin2013-02-24T18:33:23+00:00February 24th, 2013|

The release of The Life of Pies is set for the 1st of August 2013.

For now, you can pre-order what is set to be the pie sensation of the year here.

Richard and Judy are rumoured to be interested. Well, Judy more than Richard, naturally.