Welsh piemaker’s talent recognised at top awards

 

A North Wales delicatessen famed for its home-made produce has been highly commended at the British Pie Awards in Melton Mowbray.

Leonardo’s Delicatessen Limited in Ruthin was recognised for its lamb, coriander, and apricot pie in the lamb pie category at the prestigious awards.

Leonardo’s makes its own quiches, puddings, sausage rolls, patés, and ready meals, alongside its meat pies including chicken, leek and laverbread pies.

The deli was founded in 200 by Ceris Brunzel-Roberts and her chef husband Andreas Brunzel. It uses seasonal fruit and vegetables from the owners’ garden, Tyn y Celyn free range chicken, Welsh black beef from Bala, Mochyn Merllyn pork, and Coed Du Farm milk and cream. Other local ingredients used include Clyttir Farm free range eggs and Snowdonia cheddar.

The awards saw top honours given to a ‘Beef Skirt & Vegetable Pastie’ made by A.F. Huddleston Butchers.

The Cumbrian firm took home the title of Supreme Champion, beating 815 other pies to secure the coveted trophy. This pasty had the judges’ mouths watering for its even bake, beautiful glaze and well balanced flavours.

Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the British Pie Awards and Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, said: “I know many will be surprised to see a pasty winning the British Pie Awards, but the definition of a pie is a filling totally encased in pastry – pies come in all shapes including round pies, square pies and pasties.

“Pasties have been a feature of British cuisine for centuries ranging from the Forfar Bridie in Scotland through to the Midland’s Bedfordshire Clanger and down to the iconic Cornish Pasty. I’m pleased that we now have an award-winning pasty to shout about from Cumbria.

“The winning pasty was outstanding.”

The eighth annual British Pie Awards took place in Melton Mowbray during British Pie Week for the first time in the awards’ history. On Wednesday, 816 pies were entered from 132 professional bakers, butchers, and chefs and judged by over 100 top pie perfectionists –  including leading food critic Charles Campion, chef Rachel Green and TV chef Andy Bates.

Turner’s Pies Ltd in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, had four entries achieving first place within their individual classes. These pies were – Steak & Stilton Pie, Highland Top Rump & Potato Pie, Chicken, Ham Hock & Stuffing Pie, and Steak & Ale Pie. If you think football clubs are all about meat pies, think again. Morecambe Football Club won the dessert pie category with its apple, sultana,and cinnamon pie, and was highly commended twice.

The Speciality Class at this year’s British Pie Awards encouraged pie makers to create showstopping pies fit for Her Majesty The Queens 90^th birthday celebrations.  A Victorian Corset Pork & Chicken Pie produced by Walker & Son was crowned as the class winner.

 

THE RESULTS:

Award
Supreme Champion	Beef Skirt & Vegetable Pastie – A.F. Huddleston Butchers
Best Overall Small Producer	Steak & Ale Pie – The Wheatsheaf

 

Class	Class champion	Highly Commended	Highly Commended
Class 1 – Melton Mowbray Pork Pie	Melton Mowbray Pork Pie – Dickinson & Morris	Melton Mowbray Pork Pie – F. Bailey & Son	Melton Mowbray Pork Pie – Leesons Family Butchers
Class 2 – Pork Pie	Tesco Finest Extra Large Melton Mowbray Pork Pie  – Walker & Son	Pork & Egg Pie 440g  – Walker & Son	Pork Pie – Keelham Farm Shop Ltd
Class 3 – Steak & Kidney Pie	Steak & Kidney Pie  – Wessex Pantry	Steak, Kidney & Ale Pie  – Proper Pies Limited	Steak & Kidney Pie – Turner’s Pies Ltd
Class 4 – Beef & Any Flavour Combination Pie	Steak & Stilton Pie  – Turner’s Pies Ltd	Beef, Venison & Red Wine Pie – The Outdoor Pig Company	Steak Mushroom & Truffle Oil Pie  – Turner’s Pies Ltd
Class 5 – Beef & Ale Pie	Steak & Ale Pie  – The Wheatsheaf	Steak & Ale Pie – Tom’s Pies	Steak & Ale Pie – Chef’s Kitchen
Class 6  – Meat & Potato Pie	Highland Top Rump & Potato Pie – Turner’s Pies Ltd	Meat & Potato Pie  – Morecambe FC	Steak & Potato Pie – Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop
Class 7 – Lamb Pie	Lamb, Mint & Rosemary Pie – Robert Bowring Farmer & Butchers	Lamb, Coriander & Apricot Pie – Leonardos Delicatessen Ltd	Braised Lamb, Rosemary & Roast Potato Pie – Dunkleys
Class 8 – Chicken Pie	Chicken, Ham Hock & Stuffing Pie – Turner’s Pies Ltd	Chicken Pie – Plenty Pastry Ltd	Chicken Pie – Robert Bowring Farmer & Butchers
Class 9 – Chicken & Vegetable / Herb Pie	Luxury Chicken Pie – Nice Pie	Chicken & Leek Pie – Thomas the Caterer	Chicken & Leek Pie – Robert Bowring Farmer & Butchers
Class 10 – Chicken & Other Meat Pie	Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom Pie – Walker & Son	Chicken Pie – Plenty Pastry Ltd	Chicken, Ham Hock, Maderia & Wild Mushroom Pie – Proper Pies Ltd
Class 11 – Speciality Meat Pie	Game Pie – Mud Foods Ltd	Venison Pie – Plenty Pastry Ltd	Game Pie -Madaboutpies.co.uk
Class 12 – Savoury Pie	Pork & Apple with Layered Turkey & Sage Crust – Roberts Country Fayre	M&S Fluted Oval Pork & Chicken Layered Pie – Walker & Son	Tesco Ultimate Pork Pie 440g – Walker & Son
Class 13 – Fish Pie	Posh Stargazy with Prawns Pie – Fuller, Smith & Turner	Smoked Salmon & Caviar Pie – Katherine Walmsley Fine Foods	Salmon & Cream Cheese Pie – Cossack Cuisine
Class 14 – Vegetarian Pie	Lentil & Sweet Potato Pie – Sandersons UK Limited	Spinach & Mushroom Pie – Sanderson UK Limited	Saag Pie – Pieminster
Class 15 – Pasty	Beef Skirt & Vegetable Pastie – A.F Huddlestons Butchers	Pork & Apple Pasty – The Outdoor Pig Company	Traditional Cornish Pasty – Warrens Bakery
Class 16 – Dessert Pie including Bramley Apple Pie	Apple, Sultana & Cinnamon Pie – Morecambe Football Club	Bramley Apple Pie  – Morecambe FC	Traditional Apple Pie – The Rutland Pie Company
Class 17 – Pub Pie	Chicken, Brie & Cranberry Pie – Kentish Mayde	Ham Hock & Smoked Chicken Pie – Kentish Mayde	Highland Top Rump with Kidney – Turner’s Pies
Class 18 – Football Pie	Steak & Ale Pie – Turner’s Pies Ltd	Steak & Ale Pie – Kentish Mayde	Steak & Stilton Pie – Turner’s Pies Ltd
Class 19  – Free From Pie	Gluten Free Goats Cheese & Spinach ‘Heidi’ Pie – Pieminster	Gluten Free Beef & Ale Pie – Pieminster	Moroccan Spiced Vegetarian Pie – The Biddestone Arms
Class 20 – Speciality Class: Pie Fit For The Queen	Marks & Spencer Victorian Corset Pork & Chicken Pie – Walker & Son	A Royal Stamp of Approval Pork Pie – Walker & Son	Three Tiered Regal Pie – Walker & Son