THE BEST PIES IN CORNWALL?
At the Griffin we take great pride in our homemade pies, so much so we think of them as being the best in the county! Not only have we yet to be challenged on this claim but Griffin customers frequently reinforce the view. We welcome any challengers for a ‘pie-off’! While we maintain our ‘best pie in Cornwall status’, we consider ourselves pretty well placed to talk about what makes the perfect pie…
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PIES
Pie-like dishes have been around since the ancient Egyptians, but it was slightly later that the ‘pye’ made its mark in Britain. Early pies were usually meat encased in pastry, the purpose of the pastry was to preserve the meat so the contents would be eaten and the pastry discarded. Handy for long sea voyages before the days of refrigeration. Pies grew in popularity in medieval Britain as they made great centrepieces to banquets with surprise contents making their big reveal at the table to excited guests. Pies have come a long way since then, recognised as a dish in some capacity in most parts of the world and so long as the pastry encasing is present, pretty much any filling goes.
OUR PIE MAKING TRADITION
The Griffin has been synonymous with good quality pies for generations. As one of Newquay’s few traditional-style pubs we’ve always tried to reflect this in our food offering, bringing home-crafted traditional food to your table. With such a rich history, hearty British pies make the perfect pub grub served with mash or chips, seasonal veg and a rich onion gravy. With our recipe perfected over two-decades ago, our pies became so popular that we introduced pie night on a Wednesday, originally as a ‘pie carvery’ and now as a popular dining deal. If you ask any local where to get a pie in Newquay, we’re pretty confident that they’ll point you in our direction!
WHAT MAKES A PERFECT PIE?
“Patience & practise!” says Griffin Head Chef Pete. “There are so many elements to a pie that can be got wrong by the finest of margins. When it really comes down to it though, getting the pastry right is key and this is all about timing; kneading, rolling, baking and settling of your pie will be the deciding factors over its eventual quality.”
Pete’s top pie making tip, “Get the egg wash right.. a 50/50 mix of egg and milk makes the perfect wash, get those proportions wrong and you might end up with scrambled egg on top of your pie!”
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL...
So you’ve mastered your pastry, now you need the perfect filling. When it comes to pies, more often than not, simplicity is key. So to make the perfect filling think about using top quality ingredients, traditionally cooked. Pies are not stews, they are not a way of using up leftover scraps. Our pies use only the finest Cornish ingredients; Cornish grass-fed beef from quality cuts of steak, Cornish ale and local fish. Let the ingredients do the talking, let them slow cook together to release the delicious flavours and don’t over-season!
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
We like to know what you think! When asked to leave a review on Facebook after pie one of our Wednesday pie nights, customer Elaine said..
“I have tried many pie’s over the country. The Griffin pie was definitely the best I have ever had. Highly recommended you going there.”
Thank you Elaine!
READY TO TRY IT FOR YOURSELF?
During British pie week 2022, 7th – 11th March, we’ll be serving up our famous pies from 5.30pm each day. On Wednesday night, our official pie night, your pie meal plus any pint of your choice (or glass of house wine) will cost you less than £10!
Book a table online: Click here
Book a table by phone: Call 01637 874067
Happy pie week! ❤️
