We are definitely not going to get into a verbal fist fight over whose best or whether our Dad is bigger than you Dad (which to be fair he probably isn't) but you get our point. Simply put, we make great pies, they take ages to make and we don't rush. However as you are a consumer and it's your money we would like you to digest the following honest points regarding the honest pies we'd like you to buy.
All the red meat that we use in our pies, including mince, is seared and browned to keep the flavours in. This is a sharp contrast to many other pie manufacturers who boil their meat and, by design, cook the flavours out. Our method is not very cost effective for our shareholders (if we had any!) but the taste difference is marked. Who Ate All The Pies has a policy of 'slow & steady wins the race', we will not compromise taste in the pursuit of production targets. If we are out of stock, we're out of stock; this is because our pies take at least two days for the flavour to mature before they are baked and we will not be rushed - not even by the rich, the famous or any other grand causes that may come upon us!
All our pies are thickened using a standard Chef's Roux; quite an expensive way to thicken a sauce for a pie you might say, but that's what helps create some of the finest pie filling in the South Island. Once the hot fillings are created, we blast chill them down and leave the flavours to 'fuse' over night. You may not be aware, but pie filling taste better 24 hours later and no prizes for guessing why we choose this cost 'in'-effective method.
We are probably the only pie bakery in the South Island that has a deliberate policy of using only ice cold natural spring water in their pastry. We religiously collect it from the local spring every two to three weeks and as a result we spend a whole lot of time discussing and tweaking our pastry. We believe a pie without a first class pastry will always be a disappointment. Here at Who Ate All The Pies we have decided to offer the Kiwi consumer something pretty radical in the southern hemisphere. As far as we know, we are the only pie bakery in the south island that uses the UK approach to fine pastry. The bed rock of all our pastry mixes is that back in fashion ingredient 'pork lard'. It makes any pastry softer, more elastic and flakier. The latest research also suggest that because it comes from an animal that has DNA not unlike us, it is less intrusive on our bodies and easier for us to remove from our systems. Here at Who Ate All The Pies we believe 1000 years of European history cannot be wrong and we simply copy what our great grandparents did. The Result? A mighty fine pastry and all round delicious bite.
In addition to our regular fare, we do occasional runs of rare speciality pies like Ostrich and Hare & Rabbit. We are continuing to develop this product areas and will be looking to add 'Goat' and 'Wild' Boar pies in the future. It comes down to seasonal availability and a realistic price for sure rare meats. Should you wish to be kept informed about such gourmet delights, please join our Pie Club to receive newsletters detailing when such fare is available.
