Venue: Thomas of Helmsley, The Bakers Yard, Sawmill Lane, Helmsley, York, YO62 5DQ
Date: 30th September 2017
Pie: Ploughman’s Pie
Pie Temperature: Cold
Rating: 9.6
The second bakery I visited while on my birthday treat to Yorkshire was Thomas The Baker of Helmsley. As you can see from the photo’s I was temped into the bakery by the Town Crier, a very jolly and knowledgeable Gentleman. The bakery itself focuses on Artisan Breads, Sweet Mince Pies, Curd Tarts and a small selection of savoury pies. The shop also sells locally sourced meat and poultry (used in their bakery too) and lots and lots of locally sourced cheese. I could have spent a fortune on the cheese, but I was there for one purpose, a pie I had spied the day before, but unfortunately although it was only 10am, the shop had sold out of the individual Ploughman’s Pies so I had to buy a generous slice of the alternative “loaf type” pie with the Ploughman’s filling instead of the usual Pork and Egg which is normally found in this shape of Gala Pie.
So onto the pie…… If I’d been out in the fields driving a plough behind a big Ox, sowing seeds as I went, then the Ploughman’s Pie would indeed have served it’s purpose as a lunchtime feast as it was packed full of a filling of Pork, Ham, Chicken, Cheese and chunky Onion Pickle. I was told by the lady serving that the chefs bake a wide range of fresh pies and hand-made sausage rolls daily and that they never store the pies and sell them the next day, they are always made fresh, and you could tell as the hot pater pastry on the pie was lovely and crisp, about 4cms thick, and the egg glaze had done it’s job with the resulting colour a deep golden honey.
Starting at the top under the pastry lid was a layer of chunky roast ham obviously cut from a joint an then cube, it was delicious. Moving down next was a thin layer of brown onion chutney followed by a layer of what I believe to be Double Gloucester cheese, then a generous layer of succulent chicken breast and thigh meat and finally a later of pork. What a feast it was, each layer was moist, seasoned to perfection and when a full mouth bite was taken all the various elements came together in a veritable explosion of flavour. It was delicious. My only regret is that I didn’t buy a whole pie to keep in my fridge and have for lunch everyday for a week.
Sadly it’s over ninety miles to Helmsley from where I live otherwise I would be tempted to go back and buy that pie, it’s just a little too far isn’t it….? Well my wife says it is.
HF.
