The Marriage of Pie and Football…
Filed under: EPL, England, WTF
To go to England and attend a match like a local, you’ve got to pre-game at a nearby pub with supporters, drink the local ales, and you must eat a traditional English pie, right? But what exactly are these pies and why are they so tied to the traditions of the game in the UK? The Guardian writes about the “Pie Revolution” at stadiums these days, and (never having had a pie) I went to find out more…
More after the jump….
A little history….Like everything else, pies were invented by the Egyptians around 2000 bc and passed along to the Greeks around 1400 bc. Later, the Romans took to pies, and brought them to England in 1200 ad.
By 1800 pies had become traditional British working class food, in part because there was no need for use of pots when making pies, you just threw them in the oven. Pies didn’t cost much to make and also tasted great, and the flaky crust could be filled with all kinds of meats and vegetables. Because pies were easy and inexpensive to make, pies quickly became popular English street food. As the game of football grew (or “Association Football”/Soccer as it became known) throughout the 1800’s, early pie venders would bring their horse drawn carts to the grounds to sell pies to fans where they immediately became popular.
Here’s a typical sign for pies at the new Emirates Stadium…
On a cold day, I bet these things taste quite good…. Although hamburgers and hotdogs and more are sold these days, the pie has the most tradition and history with the game.
Look at these guys sucking their pies down…Lots of carbohydrates and protein, perfect for eating with plenty of beer.
Here’s a Minty Lamb pie, made of chopped lamb, beef stock, peas, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and obviously mint.
Pie, Mash and Liquor…David Beckham’s favorite dish and an East London specialty.
“Liquor” is a green gravy used to top pies. Liquor is made of butter, vinegar and parsley although no actual liquor is used in the process. Traditionally the water used comes from the preparation of stewed eel.
Here’s a Chicken Pie…an example of the variety of pies available. Check out the ingredients…
A traditional pie with fan at Kidderminster Harriers FC…
There are almost unlimited types of pies; Pork Pies, Fidget Pies, Lancashire Hotpots, Lancashire Steak Pies, North Country Fish Pie, Welsh Cockle Pie, Mincemeat Pies…etc, etc.
Please share your English pie thoughts below…it’s all part of the live EPL experience I’m looking forward to having some day.
Hands down best pie ever had was steak and kidney pie lashed with HP sauce on top. Me Gran used to knock up a decent one but sadly that all stops when you move away.
Crazy - been reading the blog a few weeks and picture 4 is taken at the club I support (AFC Wimbledon).
They advertise cheese and onion pies but rarely have them - I don’t eat meat and the cheese variety if my only chance of taking on the traditional pie!
(PS best Pie I ever had at football was at Preston North End).
Question - do they really use eels in those eel pies with liquor?
Yes the really use eels, after stewing the eels they often Jelly them in the stew juices. You can buy them that way in ‘Pie and mash shops’ but are mainly a southern thing…Particularly east London.
Man, eels…insane. Meat pies would be an interesting offering at the new sss’s here in the US, a taste of England.