Having introduced the original Clarks yesterday, it would be harsh not to give it’s English cousin a bit of air space.
The same day I went to Cardiff, I also weaved my merry way to the Clarks pie shop in the sleepy area of Bedminster (sorry) in Bristol. Cruising along the A5 past the Severn basin with an army of joggers and cyclists up above, down below and alongside on a glorious wintry day. Past the football ground (City not Rovers) where they have a mobile stand.
I enter the shop and a man in white overalls is serving meat and veg pies through a small hatch. Nice touch. Don’t mind if I do. This is a surrogate Clarks you see. They are as big in Bristol as they are in Cardiff but at some point a relative moved out of Wales and set up their own franchise. If such a word existed in the 1920’s.
The differences are discernible, there is more potato and onion in the Bristol version and a more defined crimp in the top crust. They’ve also added 50p to the price, although in fairness this time I am paying a “retail” not “wholesale” price.
The Bristol version is called a Meat and Veg Pie and the Cardiff one…well I bought it off a bloke in a kitchen so I don’t really know. The Bristolian Clarks is again a top notch pie, shaped like a rock cake but filled with meat and as a resident of Wigan, the supposed home of the pie it is truly inspiring to see such traditions and high regard for the humble pastry product in the South West too.
Whereas Pieminster have cornered the top end of the market in this part of the world, for good old fashioned stodgy street food capable of filling up a hungry tummy, Clarks of Bristol again deliver the goods.
There’s another 313 pies like the above featured in Life of Pies. If you want to order a copy of the book for just £9.99 plus postage please click this link to order www.lifeofpies.co.uk/buy
You’ll receive it in as soon as I’ve finished my pie!
No. 4 Greenhalghs Vindaloo Pie
No.7 The French Oven Minced Beef and Mushy Peas Pie
No.12 Dickinson & Morris Creamy Chicken Pie
No.13 Plested Pies of Southampton
No.14 Haffners Meat and Potato Pie
No.15 Treflach Farm Pork & Apple Pie
No.16 TJ Parry-Jones & Daughters
No.23 Galloways Meat and Potato Pie
No.25 Aulds Steak & Haggis Pie
No.31 Greggs Meat and Potato Pie
No.33 Dorset Blue Vinney Pork Pie
No.35 Thomas Bakery of Ulverston
No.36 Thomas of Malmesbury Steak and Stilton
No.39 Pound Bakery Chicken Chip Shop Curry Pie
No.40 Dawsons Meat and Potato Pie
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