EYES ON THE
PIES
FOOD + DRINK
A BRITISH ICON , THE FAR FROM HUMBLE PIE IS ONE OF THE NATION ’ S FAVOURITE DISHES . SWEET OR SAVOURY , PUDDING , SNACK OR MAIN , ENCASED IN BUTTERY PASTRY AND OOZING FLAVOUR IN THE CENTRE , THE COMFORTING SENSATION OF EATING A PIE IS A CULINARY DELIGHT LIKE NO OTHER . IN HONOUR OF NATIONAL PIE WEEK 7-14TH MARCH 2022 , OLIVIA RICCINI LEARNS HER PIE HISTORY AND SHARES KENT ’ S TOP PIE PITSTOPS .
© David Fedulov
The UK ’ s earliest reference to pie goes all the way back to the middle ages and has a unique connection to Kent . Canterbury Tales writer Geoffrey Chaucer , is said to have written a recipe for apple pie in 1381 , and with Kent being The Garden of England , it is likely that this would have been written with delicious Kentish apples in mind . The cookbook Chaucer penned was originally created for the exclusive use of King Richard II ’ s chefs . Years later , in the late 14th century , it was clear that pies had become either a solid hit or were just written more about , with numerous recipes for ‘ coffyns ’ being written down . This was in fact , the early name for the simple pie - presumably because of their shape - but this title was eventually shaken off and replaced with simply : ‘ pie ’. A word so perfectly representative , concise and satisfying on the lips , it now evokes mouthwatering sensations of that unique combination of buttery pastry and rich gravy filling or sweet melt-in-the-mouth shortness with a spoon of indulgent custard or two .
Some say that the christening of the pie came from the bird , magpie . The magpie itself was named before the food , via the Latin word for bird , pica , which was then shortened by the French to ‘ pie ’. It can be presumed that perhaps the notion of gathering all the ingredients you could find and enclosing them in a nest of pastry was metaphoric to the actions of magpies , who are known for stealing shiny objects and hoarding them in their nests . Just as a magpie collects pretty objects , a pie was a cook ’ s own version ; consisting of leftovers and other bits mixed together and baked as an edible delight .
Since the Middle Ages , the pie has come on leaps and bounds . Yet although it has seen some sophistication and transition , the simplistic fundamentals of the pie have remained pretty much unchanged . Over hundreds of years , the recipes that coincide with trends for pastries have evolved ; meaning taste , texture and structure have now been perfected and with the introduction of international cuisines , spices and ingredients , the possibility for different pie centres goes on into infinity . What ’ s brilliant about this is the fact that pie lovers will never run out of options , the quest to find the perfect pie being one that can remain unconquered , yet wholly satisfied by the plethora of pies available in a diverse array .
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