Thursday 19 September 2019

Pork Pie Of The Month - August 2019 - Marks & Spencers, Bourne



This is no ordinary pork pie....this is a Marks & Spencers pork pie. That's how the advert would probably sound. But would it be justified, is this really a superior product? I bought this example in the M&S foodhall in Bourne but I am sure you can find exactly the same product in any of their 959 stores across the UK. In sausage reviews we have repeatedly shown that supermarket versions are almost always inferior to the butchers' own offerings, is that same with pork pies?

Well this pie looks decent, a slightly irregular crimping is nice. There is some leakage during cooking, but I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing. But there's no aroma, none at all – very disappointing. The filling is fine cut and densely packed together, heavy on the pepper but pretty unremarkable. Pastry I quite like, it's dough-y and not overdone. And there's a good layer of jelly that actually goes right the way around the pie. So it's OK. It's par for the course. It's average.


This is no ordinary pie...oh, hold on....yes. Yes it is.

Appearance & Aroma 2.5
Filling 3
Pastry 3
Jelly 3.5
Total 12.0

Price £3.50


The year so far:
14.0– Manor Farm Shop, Leasingham (made by Southern & Thorpe, Ruskington)
12.0 Marks & Spencers, Bourne
8.0 - Chris’ Quality Butchers, Worksop (made by Potters of Barnsley)

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