It seems rebellious to vote conservative now

[venta]

Things from the internet:

1. A government e-petition to "Make wrongly describing a casserole with a pastry lid as a pie a criminal offence." (Thanks to Will for the tip-off.)

I'm torn; clearly this is a cause after my own heart, but I feel slightly bad about wasting Government time. On the other hand, as onebyone pointed out, the "review" stage has already happened and the petition is unlikely to get to the required 100K, so all the time that's going to be wasted already has been. I also take slight issue with the petitioner's rather hardline approach to genuine top-crust-only pies.

2. Someone's made me a to-do list! 25 Pubs You Must Drink In.

6 down, 19 to go. Though for clarity I'd like to confirm that the Birch Hall Inn is not in Whitby, it's in Beck Hole. It took me a minute or two to work it out, because I've never heard its name (in fact, I've never heard anyone call it anything other than "the pub in Beck Hole".

(I've drunk in The Spaniards Inn, the pub in Beck Hole, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Eagle and Child, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, and The Dove.)

The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell, is unknown to me and pretty convenient for a post-work drink, though, if anyone fancies joining me.

Comments

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

I could probably get myself to the Jerusalem Tavern (though possibly not in the next couple of weeks)

[venta.livejournal.com]

Well, if I make it in the next couple of weeks I'll report back. If it's great, we can go again, if it's rubbish, I've saved you a wasted journey :-)

[sea-of-flame.livejournal.com]

Haven't been there in the last few years so it could have changed, but last time, plus side was St Peters beers, downside was v crowded (but it's a pub within reach of the City, so like the rest of them, exists in two modes - very crowded, or dead to the world ;)

[sea-of-flame.livejournal.com]

(Oh, I can call at least four - Eagle & Child, Jerusalem.Tavern, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, and the Butcher's Arms. Of course, I did/do live down the road from the first & last of those :)

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I think I've done three - Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Eagle and Child and, I have a vague memory of, The Jerusalem Tavern.

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

OOO i shall have to check out the pub list as i am a great beer loving geek.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Hey, all beer-loving geeks are great! The world needs more of us.

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

American people seem to think a pizza is a pie. That should be an offence, possibly a capital one.
Also, when I went to the Eagle and Child not so long ago,it proved to be disappointingly crap.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was never actually a huge fan of the E&C. Then again, it's a Youngs house and I don't like Youngs beer all that much. I suspect it makes the list for literary associations rather than pub excellence.

T'other half makes a Chicago-style pizza sometimes, which is pretty much worthy of being called a pie.

[lathany.livejournal.com]

The Jerusalem Tavern, Clerkenwell, is unknown to me and pretty convenient for a post-work drink, though, if anyone fancies joining me.

Maybe. Not least to check whether I've been there before!

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

I feel there should be a clause for the innocent home baker who accidentally doesn't quite make enough pastry to do the top and the bottom of the pie, as compared to the baked goods company who had the tuits to do it right and chose not to.

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

I've yet to encounter one of these lid-only "pies", thankfully.

I don't think it needs its own law, but I wonder if it could be covered by existing laws such as the Trade Descriptions Act. This issue is surely on the same scale of importance as the infamous Cakes vs Biscuits tax case!

[lnr]

A friend linked to the pie thing on Facebook, and this is what I said on the subject:

"Pie" on its own should have pastry top and bottom. An exception can (as you say) be made for pies which are traditionally topped with potato (eg cottage, shepherd's, fish). Any other such pies should be clearly labelled as being potato-topped.

"Top crust pie" or "pot pie" can be used to describe pies which have pastry only on the top - however if the pastry is cooked separately from the filling and only added at serving time it is not *any* sort of pie at all!

Both pies and top crust pies should ideally also specify the sort of pastry used. Suet crust and short crust are both almost always superior to puff. I love a proper pie, but will enjoy a top-crust pie in some cases if the pastry is good.

It is acceptable to *sell* stew in a bowl with a puff pastry hat, but I want to be able to tell that's what it is so that some other bugger who actually likes it can order it but I can avoid.

Mind you I didn't go fill in the petition - I don't want to ban anything, just insist on proper labelling.

The only one of the pubs I've been to is the Eagle and Child. And thanks for clearing up where the "Whitby" pub is, since the description mentioned it was in a nearby hamlet but failed to specify which.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't rush to the Nutshell if I were you, as apart from its extreme smallness it has little to recommend it (and: Greene King beers).

The Dunken Druck in Ambleside is very nice though.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Greene King: the most resoundingly 'meh' beer in Britain :)

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, and I consider them pretty much evil for the way they've bought up smaller local breweries and meh-ified their beers. Plus other unpleasant practices.