Venue: Harrop’s Bakery, 135, Chew Valley Road, Greenfield, Saddleworth. OL3 7JN
Date: 13th October 2017
Pie: Steak Mince & Onion
Pie Temperature: Hot
Rating: 9.0
The Bakery in Greenfield has undergone a few changes over that decade or so and I remember fondly the days of my youth when “Old Mr Greenwood” was the Owner and Head Baker. I could go into the delights of his Custard Slices, Custard Tarts and the heavenly smell of his freshly baked Teacakes and crusty White Bread but this is about Pies so I’ll save those for reminiscing over a beer with my ever understanding friends. So a quick word about the current Head Baker, Howard Greenwood, yes he is the son of Old Mr Greenwood and a fine Baker he is too. All the Pies, Bread, Cakes and Tarts sold in the shop are the created fresh each day on premise. Today I’m writing about a pie I picked up on my way past the Bakery as I passed through the village of Greenfield, as I often do.
I do have to say that I’m quite partial to a Steak Mince & Onion Pie, especially when it’s pipping hot as this one was and especially as I was ravenous at the time (skipping breakfast is never a good idea). When I entered the shop I was greeted with a warm smile and as I asked “what have you got that’s hot?” Howard recalled off the list of Meat & Potato, Cheese & Onion, Steak & Kidney, Chicken & Mushroom, Lancashire Hot Pot and Minced Steak & Onion. Yes these are the staples or the pie world, nothing fancy here, just good honest pies at a good honest price. So, Minced Steak & Onion it was, I paid my money, told Howard to keep the change and stepped out of the shop and headed home.
The Pie was still warm when I popped it onto a plate, the tin foil case had kept the heat in well, and set about it with a knife and fork and a hot cup of tea. The pie measured about 11cm in diameter at the top, about 8.5cm at the base and was about 4cm deep. The pastry was a nice golden colour and had been cooked well, it was crisp and didn’t just crumble when I cut into it. I would say that the sides, top and base were about 4 or 5cm thick. It looked tasty. There was plenty of mince and onion filling and filing was generously coated with a velvety snooty and rich gravy. on the Meat to Onion ration I would say it was about 90% Meat and 10% Onion. The Onion was chopped quite fine, but not so small that it was mushy, there were no large lumps and the Minced Steak was about 3 to 4mms too and no fatty lumps or gristle. The pie was delicious, well seasoned with a little salt and a hint of pepper, and would I should imagine have been even more so if I’d eaten as soon as I’d stepped out of the shop, but alas the heavens had opened a soggy pie is never go good thing.
As I hinted at the beginning, I’m probably writing this review with an element of rose tinted glasses, I’ve been a customer of the Greenwood family for many years, I even remember when Old Mr Greenwood used to drive around the villages of Saddleworth selling his wares from an old Bedford Van, but that was a long time ago, a really long long time ago.
HF.
