Tasting Britain
TastingBritain.co.uk - 'Pie World Cup' launch @ Square Pie, Old Spitalfields Market, Spitalfields, London
Old Spitalfields Market's Square Pie began 'properly' (to quote the website) in 2011, when recently unemployed cofounder Martin Dewey found himself inspired to create a place to get 'quality pies' round here. Considering the UK is supposedly known for pie and mash (amongst other things) I can't help but feel that the country was letting him down back then. Anyway, well over a decade later (and after some rough times, including the remortgaging Martin's flat) Square Pie is doing very well indeed. We were invited down into the Square Pie mothership (OK, it's just a shop but mothership sounds better) on Old Spitalfields Market for their latest pie/global sports tie in: the 'Pie World Cup'.
So yeah, this was the launch of their new range of 'pies for trys' (lol). They've teamed up with ex England captain and all round sports hero, Lawrence Dallaglio, and his charity - the Dallaglio Foundation - where Square Pie are 'official food partner' for the next few years. What this entails, really, is a limited range of pies with unusual ingredients: including Kangaroo Pie (for Australia) and Moose Pie (for Canada), Springbok (South Africa) and Pastel De Carne (Uruguay). Representing England is nothing other than the classic Steak and Ale, with 10p from every sale of said steak and ale going to the Dallaglio Foundation - which is cool. Lawrence was not around to comment on charitable pies but I was distracted by a new variety of cider so this is OK.
A little more about their history, Square Pie, who describe themselves as a 'gourmet pie company', started trading on a small stall in Spitalfields market (supposedly selling a grand total of seven pies on their first day of trading..) which eventually led to the likes of a stall at Glastonbury and now to outlets all over London - including Canary Wharf, Heathrow Terminal 1 and Selfridge's food hall. They're opening their first 'non-London' outlet at the new Grand Central development in Birmingham later this year, and have produced over 120 pie varieties to date - supplying said pie varieties to the likes of Manchester United, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis.
Asides from pies in many forms (and by 'many forms' I mean usually square), they also produce a range of (mainly sausage-centric) British classics such as bangers and mash, sausage rolls, macaroni cheese, etc. Square Pie also list the kcal/macros for most of their foods onsite, which is pretty ballsy for a supplier of food that will never be accused of being healthy. I'm no fan of pies but they seem like good people so I wish them many further successes!
TastingBritain.co.uk - 'Pie World Cup' launch @ Square Pie, Old Spitalfields Market, Spitalfields, London
Old Spitalfields Market's Square Pie began 'properly' (to quote the website) in 2011, when recently unemployed cofounder Martin Dewey found himself inspired to create a place to get 'quality pies' round here. Considering the UK is supposedly known for pie and mash (amongst other things) I can't help but feel that the country was letting him down back then. Anyway, well over a decade later (and after some rough times, including the remortgaging Martin's flat) Square Pie is doing very well indeed. We were invited down into the Square Pie mothership (OK, it's just a shop but mothership sounds better) on Old Spitalfields Market for their latest pie/global sports tie in: the 'Pie World Cup'.
So yeah, this was the launch of their new range of 'pies for trys' (lol). They've teamed up with ex England captain and all round sports hero, Lawrence Dallaglio, and his charity - the Dallaglio Foundation - where Square Pie are 'official food partner' for the next few years. What this entails, really, is a limited range of pies with unusual ingredients: including Kangaroo Pie (for Australia) and Moose Pie (for Canada), Springbok (South Africa) and Pastel De Carne (Uruguay). Representing England is nothing other than the classic Steak and Ale, with 10p from every sale of said steak and ale going to the Dallaglio Foundation - which is cool. Lawrence was not around to comment on charitable pies but I was distracted by a new variety of cider so this is OK.
A little more about their history, Square Pie, who describe themselves as a 'gourmet pie company', started trading on a small stall in Spitalfields market (supposedly selling a grand total of seven pies on their first day of trading..) which eventually led to the likes of a stall at Glastonbury and now to outlets all over London - including Canary Wharf, Heathrow Terminal 1 and Selfridge's food hall. They're opening their first 'non-London' outlet at the new Grand Central development in Birmingham later this year, and have produced over 120 pie varieties to date - supplying said pie varieties to the likes of Manchester United, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and Wimbledon Lawn Tennis.
Asides from pies in many forms (and by 'many forms' I mean usually square), they also produce a range of (mainly sausage-centric) British classics such as bangers and mash, sausage rolls, macaroni cheese, etc. Square Pie also list the kcal/macros for most of their foods onsite, which is pretty ballsy for a supplier of food that will never be accused of being healthy. I'm no fan of pies but they seem like good people so I wish them many further successes!