Come Pie With Me WITH ME An In depth review of Pies in North East Scotland Come Pie withme © Contents 1. Scope & Background 2. Disclaimer 3. Response to the Study 4. Executive Summary 5. The “Pie -Off” 6. Best & Worst by Category 7. Demographics 8. Full Results & Comments Come Pie withme © Scope & Background • Objective is to independently assess as many pies as possible to determine what are the best & worst in North East Scotland. • Each pie was marked out of 10 for pastry, filling, presentation and an overall rating. • In addition to pies other pastry products were also reviewed. • Suppliers of the pies included bakers, butchers and some home made attempts. • 30 pies, sausage rolls and bridies were reviewed over a 5 month period • Due to the complexity of the pie industry and the large variety in the market, the Tour de France model was used to allow for different classifications: 1. Yellow Jersey. The best overall. 2. Polka dot Jersey. King of the Alternatives. Best pie with an alternative (not mince) filling. 3. Green Jersey. Best non pie product • Because the top two pies were separated by 3 basis points it was decided to have a “pie off”. Come Pie withme © Disclaimer • The identity of the pie tasters have not been disclosed in order to maintain their integrity and independence. • We can make the following disclosures however: ▫ Each pie was assessed by 5-10 independent pie reviewers ▫ No taster has any financial interest in any of the bakers / butchers assessed ▫ Like a jury the tasters covered a large demographic area 2 foreign nationals 2 females The guy who was always hungry, hence gave every pie at least 8 The Simon Cowell-esque tester who rarely gave above a 7 People from the lowest elements of society (they know who they are) Guest reviewers including the legendary Lord of the Pies himself who published a Critique of the Highland League pie industry 2004-6. ▫ To the best of our knowledge each pie was assessed in accordance with GAPP (Generally Accepted Pie Principles). • Feedback on the report can be emailed to [email protected] Come Pie withme © Response to the study A reading companion no Pie fan should be without” Waterstones “This holds no punches. A convincing and damning critique of the Scotch Pie Industry. Compellingly argued.”Baker’s Weekly “Shocking and galvanising….it is still possible to avert a future time bomb in Keith” The Guardian “A gruesome portrait of national degradation…this report is composed with precision, contempt and a truthfulness that is recklessly unselfserving .” New Statesmen “A brave, important, eye opening study…..the researcher scrapes off the gloss to expose the chilling facts……He writes with calm clarity and wit. This has provided a compelling wake up call. Now it is up to us to add out voice to his, and to vote with out feet. “ P&J Weekend Supplement “The prose is fluent and racy.” New York Times “This is a meticulously researched expose . This is a report that will make you angry at just how far some bakers have misled us, seducing us with Americanised products whilst destroying out local heritage and food culture” Food Magazine Far from being one-sided and polemic, the writer's style is even-handed and sober, if sometimes caustic. They comes across as genuinely concerned with improving the scotch pie industry, rather than gaining a reputation for themselves. Turriff Advertiser Come Pie withme © Executive Summary –Winner & Losers Winners JERSEY LEADER YELLOW JERSEY 1 Bruce of the Broch Mince & Mealie 8.86 • BRUCE OF THE BROCH’S Mince & Mealie pie was voted the Best overall 2 George Moir - Whitehills 8.83 best pie in existence. This was very closely followed by the 3 Murdoch's Forres, JG Dosset Kintore 8.57 excellent GEORGE MOIR of Whitehills. Bruce finished 0.03 above Dod and then defeated him 7-3 in the end of season “pie- POLKA DOT JERSEY 1 Bruce of the Broch Mince & Mealie 8.86 off”. King of the "Alternatives" 2 J&G Dosset Kintore - Steak 8.57 • BRUCE OF THE BROCH also won the “King of the Alternatives” 2 David's Mum - Mince, Skirlie & Tattie 8.50 ahead of a number of very good steak pies. • MCLAREN’S of Forfar traditional Shortcrust Bridie won best non GREEN JERSEY 1 McLaren's Shortcrust Bridie 7.43 pie product edging out THAINs flavoursome sausage roll. Best non-pie Product 2 Thains Sausage Roll 7.20 3 G&S Carnoustie Sausage Roll 7.16 Losers TASTER COMMENTS • Worst rated pie was STRATHISLA BAKERY of Keith’s BRUCE OF THE BROCH - If pies were to be compared to music then this pie is Beethoven's 5th. Complex, uplifting and completely mind blowing. The opening Sonata delivers a solid pastry casing abomination the Smoked Sausage and Cheese pie, which was and a quick bite focuses the attention on the uplifting filling of mince and mealie. closely followed by their shocking steak pie. DOD MOIR: Pretty much the perfect pie for this taster, Sir! Pastry and meat were of a very high • Other disgraceful pies worthy mentioning were the worst mince quality, and the price was also perfect for a tight Aberdonian! Can't see this one being beat over pies ;RITCHIES of Inverurie’s sickening pie and the unforgivable the course of the survey ... just a shame these are not readily available on the 'open' market. microwaved pie from CHALMBERS in Westhill. MCLARENS. Bridies here Bridie's there Bridie's everywhere, as Mark Twain said "When one has tasted it he knows what the angels eat" STRATHISLA SMOKED SAUSAGE I was looking forward to this (alternative) pie but sadly I've been left frustrated, disappointed and empty in side. A poorly presented pie without any real substance, a lack of passion and any real quality: it made Arsenals performance at Man Utd look positively brilliant! Come Pie withme © Executive Summary –Key Findings • It is apparent that there is a very diverse range of pastry products in the North East market, with just as many bad as there are good. We Overall Standings categorised them as Strathisla - Smoked Sausage 4.71 ▫ >8 Excellent pies (20% of pies tested) Strathisla - Steak 4.75 Ritchies - Inverurie ▫ 7-8. Good pies but lacking that Champions league quality. 37% pies tested 5.00 Chalmbers Westhill 5.17 fell into this range and even within this grading there were large differences. Sinclair's of Rhynie 6.50 ▫ 6-7. Poor pies. Any pie in here had at least one major deficiencies that need Gordon Bakery - Aberdeen 6.57 immediate action (30%) Simpsons - Rothes 6.57 McLarens of Forfar (flaky) 6.67 ▫ <6. Disgraceful pies. These bakers should be forced to close their premises Strathisla Keith 6.75 immediately. (13%). Thains Pizza Pie 6.83 Porters Turriff 6.86 Ythan Bakery - Ellon 7.00 • It is saddening, and frustrating that the humble Scotch pie is made John Smith - New Pitsligo 7.00 G&S Carnoustie - Sausage Roll 7.17 so poorly by many Scottish bakers. What kind of message does this Thains - Sausage Roll 7.20 send to the worldwide traveller who comes specifically to the North Thains Aberdeen 7.20 East to sample a pie. Herds Rosemount 7.33 Ross of Chapel St 7.40 McLarens of Forfar 7.43 Irene's Fayre - Rothes 7.50 • We recommend the set up of a professional body (CHIPs – Roy's Haggis Pie 7.60 Chartered Institute of Pie-Makers) to monitor bakery standards and Simon's Mum 7.83 Simpsons - Bridge of Don 7.83 training. The sight of a Chalmers member of staff microwaving 8 Kelly of Cults - Steak 8.00 pies is one of the most shocking sights I have even witnessed. We Kelly of Cults - Mince 8.40 David's Mum - Mince, Skirlie… 8.50 must end this if we wish to avoid a “pie crisis”. J&G Dosset - Kintore 8.57 Murdoch's - Forres 8.57 George Moir - Whitehills 8.83 • In terms of demographics: Bruce of the Broch Mince &… 8.86 ▫ Butchers pies were rated higher than Bakers 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00 ▫ North pies have better pies that South pies but it’s clear a risk/reward relationship exists ▫ Novelty pies (non mince or steak) were not popular. Come Pie withme © Pie-Off – 3rd Nov-11 A Pie off took place between the best 2 pies at the end of the tasting season BRUCE O THE BROCH 10 tasters , 16 pies, 2 pie makers Voted Best Pie in Existence Pies were heated in the work canteen under independent stewardship Pies then went head to head in the worlds first PIE OFF. Each taster then placed their vote in the ballot box (Honestly this did happen!!). The votes were counted…… BRUCE O THE BROCH GEORGE MOIR Mince & Mealie Special Mince Pie 7 3 TASTER COMMENTS Bruce O Broch –its a beautifully constructed gastranomic delight. Pastry slightly flaky but the filling is perfect. Viscosity and texture could not be better. Hands down it locked horns with Dod Moir and humped it into submission becoming the clear winner in my opinion. Come Pie withme © Best & Worst by Category Each pie was rated on 3 main categories TASTER COMMENTS MURDOCHS- A good pie. A very good pie. A very very good pie. Concerns that the lengthy transit process coupled with the damp outdoor conditions making for an overly moist pastry were put to bed Best Worst on the first bite. Pastry was firm yet forgiving, not flaky at all and not too stodgy.