This iconic roadside pit stop is in Tyndrum, the busy gateway to the Highlands. Mr Bite and I have driven past the cafe many times and admired its facade so it was great to get the opportunity to review it. Those of a certain vintage may remember the cafe as a Little Chef but the present owner Sara Howard took the reins 19 years ago. Tyndrum is a vortex of coach parties, bikers, families, dogs, cars, and walkers and although The Real Food Cafe is always busy it manages also to be an oasis of calm. Large windows expose nature (there’s a row of bird feeders outside) and muffle the outside commotion. If you suffer from overwhelm it’s a good retreat. Mr Bite observes that the haddock is MSc certified and a chalkboard above the fryers and hotplates identifies the  Langsoy Trawler in the  Barents Sea, Spitzbergen (Norway)  as the vessel we can thank for today’s catch. Provenance joins traceability in the cafe’s portfolio of ethical standards. The beer we drink is from Loch Lomond Brewery; a  Blonde and Bonnie and a Southern Summit complement our food. First up are Jalapeño Bites;  a mix of cream cheese and chilli peppers with a chilli sauce piques our appetite. They are light and crispy as all dishes are served to order. This is noted with Mr Bite’s Fish and Chips also. Not only is the dish award-winning but the café is a Coeliac UK Accredited Caterer, with an A grade rating for its gluten-free fish and chips. Vegans and vegetarians are also catered for. The menu features homemade soup, Scotch beef and venison burgers, Scottish salmon, home baking and organic and fair-trade coffee. I choose the Salmon Salad with fish from Letterfinaly Smokehouse near Fort William. Serious contenders are a Chip Butty (only £4) and Fish Chowder. Service is outstanding and there is a prestigious listing on ‘The Best Places to Work in Hospitality’ Awards 2023, run by The Caterer magazine. The awards identify and showcase the Top 30 operators who lead the way in people engagement and workplace culture. We leave with a doggy bag of sausage rolls and home-baking (Haggis and Pork Sausage Roll was declared third best in the land at the annual ‘Great Sausage Roll Off’ competition held in London in February). Jeremy Vine “loved it”. I can’t see us ever driving past the Real Food Cafe again without succumbing to its siren call of temptation. Oh, and speaking of doggies there is a dog and boot washing station at the entrance to the Cafe. But, it’s not just a dog-friendly cafe it's an everyone-friendly cafe. (S. Wilson) Real Food Cafe - Tyndrum, Crianlarich, FK20 8RY - 01383 400235 Closes 9 pm.

I’m sure that many readers of these pages are fellow Italophiles. What’s not to love about a country with so much beauty and culture which centres around savouring regional food and drink at the table? And also like me, I bet the word ‘Magnaccioni’ in this book’s title sparked your interest. New to me, it’s a Roman dialect for ‘people who live to eat and drink well’. Oh yes, that’s us! I was introduced to author Anne Pia by a food historian who managed to squeeze me into the launch event at none other than Valvona & Crolla (where else?), the treasure trove of Italian (and Scottish) produce celebrating its 90th anniversary this year. I could have listened to Anne all night, as she so evocatively read extracts from the book and shared her food memories. The way she described the joy of watching Italians with “visceral” pleasure; the rituals around making and drinking coffee, shopping for pastries on a Sunday or relaxing with antipasti in the sunshine, perfectly captured how so many of us feel about this special country’s food and drink culture. It was infectious. An esteemed author and poet, this is surprisingly her first foray into food writing. A very personal memoir, as the grandchild of Southern Italian immigrants, Anne invites us to share her Italian food heritage, and the recipes, stories and music that have influenced her. Divided into enticingly named chapters, from ‘Antipasti…relaxing with guests’ to ‘The best of life’, ‘L’ora dell’aperitivo’ (that delicious drink and snack before dinner) and ‘The sweet South’, Anne lyrically describes traditions and food customs, her memories and anecdotes, with accompanying recipes, from her famous frittata and beef sugo to homemade ricotta,  mushrooms with lemons and walnuts and focaccia. There are drink recommendations too, as well as playlists of classical and modern Italian tunes (oh I can hear them now). Anne’s philosophy is one of simple food, made with good ingredients that respect the land and seas, to be shared around the table with music and conversation. They are dishes and ingredients that are easy to make at home and to get stuck into with friends and family. It's easy to romanticise Italian food culture, but this book doesn’t aim to do that. It’s about sharing joy, real food inspired by precious heritage, reminding us of all of the pleasures of the table and what this can add to our lives. Whether a fellow Italophile or not, this is surely something that we can all get behind. Buon appetito! *** Anne’s book can be purchased online at Luath Press or, at the time of writing, Valvona & Crolla and The Edinburgh Bookshop.

Audiences in Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh have the chance to experience a revival of world-renowned director Sir David McVicar’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata this summer from Scottish Opera. Soprano Hye-Youn Lee performs Violetta Valéry who lives in the hedonistic social scene of the Belle Epoque in Paris, squeezing each day for its joys before her illness catches up with her. When the idealistic young Alfredo offers true love, happiness seems possible – but her past has exacted a price. After seeing some of the food props from the production, Bite became curious and asked Marian Colquhoun, Head of Props, about her role in the opera. What attracted you to your profession? I was raised by two very creative parents who taught me that often the best way to get what you want is to make it yourself.  I loved to sew, sculpt, paint and play musical instruments and then I discovered prop making. I trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland,  in various London workshops and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden.  I moved home to Scotland and have had an amazing eleven years working for Scottish Opera, helping to build their Props Department which is now home to some of Scotland's finest artisans. What do you need to consider when designing food and drink props? Food props can often be our favourite type of prop! The story or director will steer whether the food props have to be real or fake.  If the food is not to be eaten we will assess the cost of buying food versus the cost of making high-quality props. With the latter, we aim to make them look mouth-watering. What scenes are most important for food and/or drink in this production? The food props play an important role in Act 1 of La traviata. In the Parisien Salon of Violetta Valéry, the courtesan is hosting a lavish party with an abundance of food and alcohol. A large banqueting table is laden with Champagne, platters of oysters, expensive meats, breads, pates and fresh strawberries. The food communicates sensuality as we witness the romantic tension between Violetta and Alfredo. Oysters and strawberries symbolise sex. What are your favourite food or drink props and why? I enjoy replicating food from the 1960s & 1970s. We often use recipe books from this period as inspiration for making over-the-top cakes and desserts. The more elaborate and flamboyant the better! It's brilliant fun to make towers of jelly and flans covered in detailed decoration.  It's so rewarding when people think they are real, especially when you consider that they are mostly made from foams and chemicals.  However, my favourite food prop I have ever helped create was the giant Tunnock's Teacakes for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. Where and how would you do research? We do a lot of research online but some of the most interesting references available are documented in old recipe books, history books and paintings.   We must research to create food that is 100% accurate because we are recreating a picture of what life was like at the time.  People are passionate about food and we must be equally passionate in our representations of it on stage. Festival Theatre Edinburgh 7,11,13 & 15 June 2024, 7.15 pm; 9 June 2024, 3 pm (Matinee)

A new high-end boutique hotel, The Roseate, has opened here, at the stone villas on West Coates just past the Donaldson’s school development W of Haymarket, raised away from this busy artery on beautiful terraced gardens. An impressive entrance leads into a contemporary cocktail bar & dining lounge designed for comfort & style, where a sense of calm & peaceful luxury envelops the weary traveller and is conducive to work and leisure.  It’s hard to tell there are bus, tram & taxi links just outside the lush garden to whisk you to the airport, whilst Haymarket station is walkable. We are welcomed with house Champagne (Moët), and cute canapés circulate whilst a restorative afternoon tea tempts from a window table.  Non-residents are welcome for lunch, dinner & drinks here too.  Across a hallway is the first spacious suite of several (every room is individual). I am led down the garden path where a whisky tasting is in full swing, sheltered by a heated, fairy-lit canopy, and over the convenient crossing by the bus stop to another part of the hotel opposite, set in its own front & rear gardens.  Here I discover a delightful garden room preceded by a naturally lit passageway, creating the perfect entrance for a small intimate wedding. An honesty bar & fridge within a large attractive armoire fills one end of another larger private dining room that would work for business or friends.  The charming staff will go above & beyond to adapt to hold any occasion, large or small, in considerable style and comfort. A useful addition to the city’s hospitality portfolio. The Roseate Edinburgh - 4 West Coates & 5 Hampton Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5JQ Scotland - +44 07927132696

This eatery in leafy Bearsden is part of the Worq Hospitality Group that also owns the spectacular El Santo in Glasgow, Hemingway’s in Edinburgh and a clutch of other venues. Testimony enough to spur Mr. Bite and me to spend a day in the ‘Dear Green Place’. We build up an appetite by visiting Mugdock Country Park one of the many green spaces that give Glasgow its nickname. The 270-hectare space is found in the shadow of the Campsie Fells and includes a 13th-century castle, loch, wood, abandoned zoo, wildlife aplenty and it verges onto the West Highland Way and the Allander River. After more than 10,000 steps of exploring, and a shared ice cream we drive three short miles to Drymen Road to refuel properly. 55 Bearsden Cross’s exterior is painted bright green; a colour that combines with classy dark blue when it extends to the interior. It also helpfully does that old-fashioned, thing of posting the menu at the entrance. There is the characteristic bustle and warmth of the west coast inside. Football is on the telly and the place is busy with a diverse crowd from families to dogs to elderly folk. We are seated in a spacious booth where I order a Green Lady, a cocktail based around Shipyard Gin in a nod to the West’s heritage. Mr Bite has a pint of Neck Oil. The chef at 55 Bearsden is Glaswegian John Keenan whose major claim to fame is the dance classic FRAGMA’s “I Need a Miracle” (there's your earworm for the day). We hope his culinary skills are just as impressive. To start, I have a plate of Beef Carpaccio, juicy sumptuous slices of iron-rich meat piqued with pickled red onion rings. A recommendation of Zatar Fried Chicken on a gargantuan dimpled Waffle with Maple Syrup and Fried Egg is eaten with gusto across the table. I note how the sweetness and spice neutralize and complement each other resulting in an Americana nirvana of lusty mouth pleasure. Sometimes I wonder how Mr Bite can fit in the amount of food he manages. His ‘main’, a double-patty burger with all the colourful works and fries, is demolished with enviable ease. As with the chicken, the portion could feed two. The beef is sourced from local butcher Christies. I choose two modest tacos with fried chicken and haddock swaddled in mini fluffy tortillas. Salsa or a squirt of sriracha would provide the kick they missed but for £3.50 each you won’t hear me complain. We are impressed enough to share a Chocolate and Coffee Mousse which is a substantial ganache in a rum, and caramel sauce, oh mamma it’s good. I have to order a Negroni (of course I do ) and it is perfectly built and balanced with a dramatic garnish of rosemary sprig and orange twist. Considering the coronary-inducing prices of some Edinburgh establishments, my thoughts now turn to more trips out west. Even verdant Bearsden establishments like 55 Bearsden Cross are offering great value feasts. Make a day of it. 55 Bearsden Cross - 128 Drymen Road, Bearsden, Glasgow - Tel:  0141 465 2710 Open: Wed & Thursday: noon - late, Friday & Saturday: 11 am - 1 am, Sunday: 11 am - late

Le Bistrot Institut Français d’Ecosse Step inside this French Bistro in West Parliament Square and you will immediately be struck by its serenity. The venue's Gallic air of nonchalance is a stark contrast to the bustling intersection of The Mound, George IV Bridge, and the Royal Mile just outside. I arrive and one of my dining partners Kerry is already sipping a Pinot Grigio at a corner table. White wine and a nibble of bread and butter is my favourite way to start a meal and I am soon indulging and feeling très francais. The decor is laid back with simple tables and chairs and an eclectic selection of artifacts and adornments that are bistro-typical.  The staff are attentive, friendly, and unobtrusive. We could easily be in Paris albeit the signature bistro scent of garlic bubbling in wine is absent. Kerry and I chat away until Elenora arrives and we proceed to order our meal. The menu warms my cockles as it is a traditional but extensive list of bistro classics. No fancy pants frills with the French. They know what works and stick to it. What a relief from the overly clever all-fur-coat and no-knickers small plates that populate Edinburgh menus and sometimes leave you viscerally disappointed. I had my heart set on Moules-Frites but decide to go for the Salmon with Barley Risotto, Broccoli and Beurre Blanc instead. Kerry opts for the slow-cooked Confit of Lamb Shank with mash and slender green beans and Eleonora chooses the Cod. The portions are generous, and we find ourselves needing another bottle of wine. Que Sera. My salmon is a whopper with a very crispy and consequently edible skin. The pleasant blandness of the barley is a good foil to the orange fatty fish. Kerry and Eleonora seem happy too especially Kerry who praises the tenderness of the meat as she scrapes her plate clean. This is a quickie meal as we are heading to St Giles for a concert at 8 pm so we haven’t had time for starters and desserts. Check out the menu though and you will find smoked salmon, scallops, and goat cheese dishes amongst the former and four classic desserts. I could eat everything happily and am a pushover for Tart au Citron and Millefeuille in particular. I will be back ‘toute suite’ to explore more of the menu. And the best part is, they serve breakfast and lunch too, so I can indulge at any time of the day. I think Le Institute just gained three new regulars.

·      Wemyss Bay butcher secures world-beating recipe as Angus butcher retires ·      Production of award-winning products to continue as brand is protected ·      Scotland’s favourite recipes brought together in one business The secret recipe for Scotland’s five times World Scotch Pie Champion has been sold in a deal involving two of the country’s leading independent butchers. James Pirie and Son’s world-beating pie is just one of the closely guarded award-winning recipes being sold by the Angus business to the UK’s Butcher Shop of the Year – McCaskie’s Butcher and Café of Wemyss Bay. The multi-award-winning Inverclyde butcher takes over the brand, coveted recipes and intellectual property of Pirie’s, which closed its business and Newtyle shop earlier this month when owners Alan and Norma Pirie retired after hugely successful careers in the industry. McCaskie’s will increase production of the internationally renowned Pirie Pie - along with other leading Pirie favourites - at their state-of-the-art small batch production unit in Wemyss Bay. “Given Pirie’s fabulous heritage, McCaskie’s absolutely intends to protect and promote the brand name and recipes, honouring the legendary status owner Alan, his father Jim and wife Norma have established over the past 64 years,” explained McCaskie’s MD Nigel Ovens. The record-smashing Pirie Pie lifted the World Scotch Pie Championship in 2024, 2023, 2021, 2020 and 2018. Pirie’s recipe book also contains the secret to their national title-winning sausages, pies, bacon and haggis. McCaskie’s, the current Scottish Black Pudding Champion, has an equally impressive track record of winning national awards for their range of products (including Scotland’s most awarded Haggis), with its own family recipe book, dating back generations, under lock and key. Nigel said they were “delighted” to have brought both leading brands together, creating a catalogue of more award-winning recipes than any other butcher. “We have a long-standing friendship with the Pirie family and, as they head off to enjoy a well-deserved retirement, McCaskie’s will ensure that their life’s work lives on,” he said. “We’re delighted that Alan will initially act as a consultant to our team to ensure the Pirie branded products taste exactly as they always have. “It’s a real honour to be entrusted with iconic products such as the world-famous Pirie Pie and we intend to make the family proud as we take their brand forward.” Sealing the deal this week, Alan Pirie said: “We can’t think of a better company than McCaskie’s to continue the Pirie brand and recipes. “Not only are they officially the Best Butcher Shop in the UK, but they have a formidable catalogue of national award-winning products themselves. “Our families share the same values and commitment to the highest standards of both product and service and we’re reassured that the Pirie legacy will be in safe keeping at McCaskie’s.” McCaskie’s immediate plans are to focus on building a relationship with Pirie’s existing wholesale clients and broadening the distribution of the products to specialty retail outlets and the hospitality sector. A new James Pirie and Son website will be launched soon, offering a full range of Pirie products which enjoy national award-winning status such as pork and beef sausages, haggis, specialty pies and bacon. Pirie’s range of pies will also make a welcome addition to McCaskie’s growing range of products available in their shop.

9:00 am – 2:00 pm Fresh meat, vegetables, and artisanal goods beneath Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Farmers’ Market

The Biscuit Factory Beverage Festival 2024 proudly announces the final list of drinks exhibitors plus a compelling schedule of tastings and master classes for April 19th and 20th. The Biscuit Factory has collaborated with some of the finest makers and distributors of exceptional beer and cider, boutique spirits, fine wines, and quality beverages of all types to bring a new beverage festival to Leith, Edinburgh. Hosted over three sessions on Friday the 19th and Saturday the 20th of April 2024, The Biscuit Factory Beverage Festival will feature over 50 exhibitors (see list below) Tickets for the Biscuit Factory Beverage Festival are on sale to people 18 years and older at www.biscuitfactory.co.uk/bfbf/ for £16.00 per session which includes an eco-cup for sampling and purchasing drinks and two drinks tokens for attendees to redeem from the exhibitors. A series of masterclasses and tastings will take place throughout the two-day festival and will feature guest speakers and Meet the Maker sessions from the following: Friday 19th of April at 6 pm - Springbank Distillery Cage Bottling tasting with Spirit of Caledonia Friday 19th of April at 7 pm - The History of Leith Whisky with Bonnigton Distillery and Kask Whisky Friday 19th of April at 8 pm and Saturday the 20th of April at 8 pm - An Introduction to Alternate End Beer Co. of Aberdeen Township, New Jersey Saturday the 20th of April at 1 pm - Antique, Old & Rare Scotch Grain Whiskies with Spirit of Caledonia Saturday the 20th of April at 3 pm Thompson Bros X Campervan Hauf & Hauf whisky and beer tasting Saturday the 20th of April at 6 pm - Stunning Sherries & Sherry Cask Whisky with Great Grog & Old Perth Whisky Fiona Hamilton, Managing Director of The Biscuit Factory said: “For the past 5 years The Biscuit Factory has been an incubator for small businesses and startups with many of these going on to become institutions of Edinburgh such as The Bearded Baker, Hemp Eyewear, Williams and Johnson, Lethal Hot Sauces, and Superoni. The same ethos drives the Biscuit Factory Beverage Festival and we are pleased to work with this exciting range of drinks producers from all over the UK and further afield, by showcasing them to the Edinburgh public on the 19th and 20th of April.” The Biscuit Factory Beverage Festival will be hosted over three ticketed sessions on: - Friday evening 19th of April starting at 18:00 - Saturday daytime 20th of April starting at 13:00 - Saturday evening 20th of April starting at 18:00 Drinks will be available to purchase directly from the producer and many of the exhibitors will have bottles and cans for attendees to purchase as gifts or to enjoy at home. Talented DJs from Marinello Studios will provide entertainment and there will also be retro drinking games. The bar and entertainment will run until late Friday and Saturday night. Tickets can be purchased from the Biscuit Factory website. List of exhibitors Alternate Ending Brewing Co. Barney’s Beer Bittersweet Cocktails Bonnington Distillery Blind Summit Whisky Brewtoon Brulo Campervan Brewery Cloudwater Brewery Crabbies Whisky Copper Rivet Distillery Crafty Distillery Dead End Brew Machine Dornoch Distillery Edinburgh Cider Co. Farm Yard Beer Fyne Ales Fragrant Drops Great Grog Glengoyne Distillery Hackney Church Beer Co. Holy Goat Brewing Holyrood Distillery Lady of the Glen Lind & Lime Gin Lindores Abbey Distillery Morrison Distillers Neptune Brewery Ninefold Distillery Old Poison Distillery Orbit Beers Overtone Brewery Pilot Brewery Pintail Wines & Spirits Port of Leith Distillery Pochle Precision Spirits Pretty Decent Beer Co Raasay Distillery Rutland Square Gin Simple Things Fermentations Smokehead Whisky Spirit of Caledonia Stravaig Spirits Tamdhu Distillery The Three Legs Brewing Co. Tempest Brewery Thompson Bros. Whisky Two By Two Brewery Walkie Talky Brewing Co. Woven Whisky Woodrow’s of Edinburgh

Friday 29th March is the grand opening of Ruma: the capital’s brand-new specialist rum bar home to over 100 bottles of the spirit; the largest collection across the whole of Scotland Opening its doors in Edinburgh next week, Ruma - Scots Gaelic for Rum - will offer Scotland a wider selection of rum than ever before. Based at 39-41 Broughton Street in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town, the brand-new independent bar will welcome rum lovers with a high-quality range of signature cocktails including deliciously inventive twists on classic rum serves. Run by two experienced operators in the Scottish bar scene, Jamie Shields and Steven Aitken, the specialist rum bar will be a laid-back, inviting spot where the rum does the talking. Through its Scottish rum selection, Ruma will showcase local and global rums; listing rums from Barbados, Guyana and Fiji, Ruma, plus a range of Scottish rums from producers such as Ninefold Distillery, J. Gow, Islay Rum and Matugga Rum. Ruma is moving into the space which formerly belonged to Treacle, one of the city's most renowned bars. Joining a thriving area for the capital’s drinks scene, the centrally-located Broughton Street is home to an array of innovative bars and restaurants. Ruma Co-Owner, Jamie Shields, said: “Ruma was born, as many good ideas are, over a couple of drinks with a couple of pals. Edinburgh didn’t have a dedicated rum bar – why not? Rum has been growing in popularity every year, and with the growth of Scottish rum distilleries, it was time to remedy that. It’s taken a lot of research and planning but now is the perfect time to launch Edinburgh’s specialist rum bar with summer around the corner. “There’s something so magical about the Edinburgh hospitality scene and customer’s thirst for knowledge. To have our very own specialist rum bar as a platform to serve & educate people is a dream come true. We’ve got rums from all over the world. Also some beautiful bottles from right here in Scotland. We can’t wait to open our doors, see familiar faces and make new friends. We are so excited & so proud to be opening Ruma.” Steven Aitken, Ruma Co-Owner, said: “From what began with a discussion in a bar between Jamie & I over some spectacular rum, we decided Edinburgh deserves its very own specialist rum bar. Edinburgh’s bar scene has grown from strength to strength over the last decade. Being home to Scotland’s largest collection of rum is something we’re really proud of. “To see everything come together is incredible. Demonstrating to Edinburgh that rum is a beautiful and versatile spirit is something we are really looking forward to. There’s so many types & variations of this delicious spirit offering endless possibilities of what it can do in cocktails. We can’t wait for the wonderful people of Edinburgh to walk through Ruma’s doors.” Ruma will open its doors at 39-41 Broughton Street Friday 29th March serving Scotland’s largest rum collection.

I’ve been looking back to 2003 to see which Edinburgh restaurants have stood the test of time. Some favourites are no longer part of our culinary scene, but a few have kept us well-fed over the years. They may have changed their name to MUMS, but Monster Mash Cafe opened 21 years ago on Forrest Road serving various bangers with mash; they also did a rather good rendition of Shepherd’s Pie, if memory serves me. Another stalwart is La P’tite Folie. Now over in the West End of the city, Virginie’s slice of France used to be on Frederick Street. I’ve had many excellent lunches there over the years, and I am pleased to say their set lunch menu still offers the same quality and value for money today; it’s one of Bite’s favourite haunts. Prestonfield House, on the outskirts of town, was taken over by Witchery owner, James Thomson in the same year. A fab place for afternoon tea, and a wander 'round the grounds spotting peacocks and heiland coos. There are several new places to nosebag this year. PIGGS will be opening up in Bruntsfield. This will be Iggy’s second spot and I, for one, can’t wait. The Spanish Butcher is taking up residence on North Castle Street, and Dan Ashmore is striking out on his own with Askr (old Nordic for Ash) in Leith. It looks like 2024 is going to be pretty exciting; celebrating Bite’s birthday year in style, methinks. On another note… I was told never to discuss religion or politics. I am going to have to break that rule and have a rant about a Scot Gov putting our beloved and traditional staple on a junk food list that will be subject to a promotions ban – PORRIDGE! This has caused a huge stramash, especially with Bite writers! The government has been forced to clarify it's only processed products using porridge oats would be included. Does that mean oatcakes and haggis is on that list? Well pardon my French, but fuck that! My WiS recipe is me sticking two fingers up to the politicians! WTF Haggis and Cheese Toastie! 2 slices of bread per person (preferably bread made with oats) Haggis Cheddar cheese, I like a strong Isle of Mull Soft butter Condiment of choice, optional Method Spread haggis over one slice of bread, as thick or as thin as you like. Top haggis with cheese, grated or sliced, your choice. Add your favourite condiment, pickle, or chutney if you fancy. Top with another slice of bread. Lightly butter the bread and throw into a hot frying pan or toasty machine. Weight down if you want. Flip over when golden. Serve with a salad if you’re feeling guilty, but I’d be chomping away muttering fuck the politicians after each mouthful!

The pie-oneering awards also crowned the first-ever Fusion Pie winner Barnard Castle’s Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop has been declared the Supreme Champion at the 2024 British Pie Awards. Hosted in Britain’s pork-pie capital Melton Mowbray, the awards saw the delicious Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato Pie by Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop overcome tough competition from some of the UK’s most innovative pie-makers to take the crown. Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop’s award-winning pie initially competed - and won - against 35 other contenders in the hotly contested Lamb Pie category.  After being highly commended by judges, who were also tasked with choosing one overall winner from all the winning entries, Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop was awarded Supreme Champion. Its Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato Pie was hailed as the best pie in Britain or ‘Pie of Pies’. Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop has been serving customers in Barnard Castle since 1950, with husband and wife team David and Lydia Sumter taking the helm in 2012. With the customer philosophy ‘Only the best will do for you” in mind, the eatery is not only known for its delicious fish and chips but its handmade pies which Lydia has been making daily for the last 12 years. They are known as a local sensation. Judges were also impressed with the Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato Pie with comments including “this is a come and eat me pie”, that the “pastry is a poem, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully flakey” and that the “filling is very well balanced, meat is beautifully tender and the mint is coming through well.” The pie-oneering awards, now in its 16th year, celebrate the nation’s most delicious pies – from the traditionally British to the tantalisingly innovative and totally whacky. The contest comprises 24 different classes or types of pie including traditional favourites as well as Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free Pies. Stand-out winning pies in other categories included a tasty Wagyu Beef & Ale Pie by Martin’s in Shropshire and a Butternut Chilli & Vegan Cheese Pie concoction by Turner’s Pies in Chichester. This year’s awards have also seen the introduction of a new category for Fusion Pie, which combines the British tradition of a fully enclosed pastry but with fillings based on flavour profiles from around the world.  Pie experts entered in their droves, rustling up a delicious storm of global flavoured pie fillings including twists to popular takeaway favourites like a Chicken Katsu Pie, Duck Legs & Spring Onion in Hoisin Sauce Pie, and a Greek-inspired Feta & Greens Filo Pastry Pie. However, it was Pieminister’s Harissa & Chicken Pie that went on to make history, becoming the first-ever winner for the Fusion Pie class. The British Pie Awards recruited the most qualified pie connoisseurs to judge every single entry. A record 147 judges’ are on the panel, with extensive industry experience between them.  This year, the judging panel included representatives from the prestigious cookery school Cordon Bleu, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant and The Royal Chef as well as a plethora of chefs and pie experts. Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: “These awards celebrate the expert skill of British pie makers across the nation, and we have been blown away with the level of pie craftsmanship coming through this year. It’s been interesting to see the uptake with our new category, too, Fusion Pies. From Greek-inspired Feta & Greens Filo to White Chocolate, Pear & Creme Brulee concoctions, the creative flair of 2024’s awards has made it a very enjoyable year.” O’Callaghan continues “On Wednesday we had the pleasure of tasting some delicious pies, and Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop stood out against the competition to triumph in the Lamb Pie category, and then go on to be crowned Supreme Champion, which is no easy feat. The winning pie was evenly baked with tender pieces of lamb, soft potato and a subtle minted sauce that was absolutely delicious. I’d like to offer my congratulations to Lydia and the team, a well-deserved winner.” Barnard Castle’s Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop takes over the title of Supreme Champion from Leicestershire-based Brockleby’s Pies, who smashed the competition in 2023 with its Moo & Blue Pie beating off competition across the categories to become the first ever winner from the Free-From category. FULL LIST OF WINNERS: Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Class Tesco Melton Mowbray Pork Pie 440g by Samworths Savoury Pastry (Leicester) Pork Pie Class Pork Pie by AE.Chambers Ltd (Nottingham) Cold Eating Savoury Pie Class Robinsons of Stilton. Chicken and Ham Pie by Robinsons of Stilton Ltd (Peterborough) Pastry Class Chicken Bhaji Pasty by Proper Cornish Ltd (Cornwall) Dessert Pie Class Turner's Dutch Apple Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester) Steak & Kidney Pie Class Measures Traditional Steak & Kidney Pie by Measures Butchers (Cambridgeshire) Beef Pie Class Pure South Beef & Peppercorn Sauce Pie by Fuud Ltd by FUUD Ltd (Leigh-On-Sea, Essex) Beef & Alcohol Pie Class Martins Wagyu Beef & Ale Pie by Martins (Shropshire) Beef & Cheese Pie Class The Crown signature steak & stilton pie by Stine Hospitality Ltd (Asfordby, Leicestershire) Beef & Vegetable Pie Class Ox Cheek & Shin of Beef w/ Root Vegetables by Mēs Pies And Wine (Brent, London) Meat & Potato Pie Class Turner's Steak & Potato Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester) Lamb Pie Class Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato by Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop (Barnard Castle, Durham) Chicken, Chicken & Vegetable/Herb Pie Class Chicken & Mushroom Pie by The Outdoor Pig Company (Alcester, Warwickshire) Chicken with Other Meat Pie Class Chicken Leek and Ham Hock Pie by Bowring Butchers (Nottingham) Game & Speciality Meat Pie Class Pheasant, Venison, Bacon, Black Pudding & Quail Egg Pie by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire) Hot-Eating Savoury Pie Class The Bell's Christmas Pie by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire) Fish Pie Class WeeCOOK Fishwife Pie by WeeCOOK (Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland) Vegetarian Pie Class The Bell's Sweet Potato, Spinach and Coconut Curry Pie  by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire) Vegan Pie Class Butternut Chilli & Vegan Cheese Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester) Pub Pie Class The Two Brewers Steak & Stilton Pie by Paul's Proper British Pies (Buckinghamshire) Sports Pie Class Cheeky Beef & Fondant Potato by Paul's Proper British Pies (Buckinghamshire) Fish & Chip Shop Pie Class Cheesy Potato & Onion Pie by The Cods Scallops (Nottingham) Free From Pie Class Italian Job (Melanzane Pie) by Kavanaghs (Oakham, Rutland) Fusion Pie Class Pieminister Harissa Chicken Pie by Pieminister (Bristol) Supreme Champion ‘Pie of Pies’