Wigan's pies - overrated?

[without a dream]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

It is just like anywhere else mate really, a few bakers take pride in using their own ingredients and personal crimping style as opposed to the shipped in hollands type pre made ones.
To be honest though when i was in the lake district with the ex their butchers and the like seemed very proud of their pork pies with banners outside proclaiming they have the best pies. Across the road is a few more butchers with slightly different banners proclaiming they won this and that for their pies.
Wigan is not like that at least not now.

Like Cornish pasties, never had one which wasn't 'award winning'.

 

[Carver]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

Wigan's pie shops are no different to any other place that bake their own pies.
Those mass produced Poole's pies are revolting, they are just potato slop.
At one time some fella who apparently broke his leg in the cup final bought Poole's pies. Does he still own them or does he not like talking about that either?

Their association with pies does not stem from the golden crusted meat and potato filled tins of loveliness, although the number of independent shops that they had does have a bearing on the way that this has gone into folklore. It's to do with the 1926 Miner's strike, where the Wigan miners were forced to eat 'umble pie' i.e. to face humiliation. The reason for them doing so is disputed, from being the first to break the strike to the last to go back (meaning the strike was over) to returning to work for less money.

(Umble is offal, the servants would be treated to a pie made from offal, whilst the lord of the manor would have the finest cuts of meat).

Oh and another thing, they think it's strange if you go into a chippy and ask for a pie in Wigan. Pies come from pie shops.

 

[Blomblomski]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

Noting like a overrated and over priced pie to start a good away win with.

 

[TGR]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

I have gone to Wigan before and the pies are nice but the way people talk about them you'd think they was better then they was.

Is it just me who doesn't see the fuss?

You are 100% correct.
I think I am in a position to comment as I have lived in Wigan for 25 years and have shifted more than my fair share of pies in that time.
The main baker in Wigan is Greenhalgh's and the pies from this establishment are mediocre at best it has to be said.

The pies that were legendary for all of the right reasons in Wigan many years ago was 'Poole's Pies' and folk (as they say in Wigan) did genuinely queue
for ages to get them on a Saturday morning. They ran into to trouble and the old leg breaker himself Dave Whelan 'saved' them.
The pies did genuinely go downhill fairly quickly after the intervention of Whelan. I think he then sold the business on not so long ago
to Rathbones who are another local bread maker / bakery.

The most recent innovation in pies in Wigan (pies are the only thing that is or will ever be 'cutting edge' in Wigan) is the concept of
'The Pound Shop' for pies and other similar items. As the name suggests everything on sale in the shop is exactly £1. The thrifty folk of Wigan
have embraced this purchasing revolution in pies with some gusto!

To briefly summarise:
When it comes to pies Wigan is living on its (past) reputation.
The pies are average at best.
The 'Pound Shop' for pies is the latest craze.
I will keep you updated.

 

[bezer57]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

I have gone to Wigan before and the pies are nice but the way people talk about them you'd think they was better then they was.

Is it just me who doesn't see the fuss?

You are 100% correct.
I think I am in a position to comment as I have lived in Wigan for 25 years and have shifted more than my fair share of pies in that time.
The main baker in Wigan is Greenhalgh's and the pies from this establishment are mediocre at best it has to be said.

The pies that were legendary for all of the right reasons in Wigan many years ago was 'Poole's Pies' and folk (as they say in Wigan) did genuinely queue
for ages to get them on a Saturday morning. They ran into to trouble and the old leg breaker himself Dave Whelan 'saved' them.
The pies did genuinely go downhill fairly quickly after the intervention of Whelan. I think he then sold the business on not so long ago
to Rathbones who are another local bread maker / bakery.

The most recent innovation in pies in Wigan (pies are the only thing that is or will ever be 'cutting edge' in Wigan) is the concept of
'The Pound Shop' for pies and other similar items. As the name suggests everything on sale in the shop is exactly £1. The thrifty folk of Wigan
have embraced this purchasing revolution in pies with some gusto!

To briefly summarise:
When it comes to pies Wigan is living on its (past) reputation.
The pies are average at best.
The 'Pound Shop' for pies is the latest craze.
I will keep you updated.

So get up to standish ,best pie shop in Wigan on pepper lane butter pies are to die for nice and peppery !!

 

[stony]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

The best pies in the world came from Greenwoods in Heywood. It was a sad day when he retired and sold up. It's now some sort of shitty deli and the greatest pies the world had ever seen are lost forever.
I'm welling up just thinking about it.

 

[Vienna_70]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

Not a patch on a proper pasty.

But then, I've yet to come across any savoury pastry-filled baked dish that is.

 

[desperatedon]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

I struggle to find ANYTHING good to say about Pie Town

How about, "it has been a bastion outpost of loyal blues going toe to toe with tommy two team fair weather rags for many years"?

 

[jazzy]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

The best ever meat & potatoe pies are from Rothwells in Houghton green in the 70s. Ahhhh the golden memories of childhood .

-- Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:45 am --

The best ever meat & potatoe pies are from Rothwells in Houghton green in the 70s. Ahhhh the golden memories of childhood .<br /><br />-- Sat Mar 08, 2014 11:45 am --<br /><br />The best ever meat & potatoe pies are from Rothwells in Houghton green in the 70s. Ahhhh the golden memories of childhood .

 

[johnny on the spot]

Re: Wigans pies - overrated?

Best pie I've had in years was from Todmorden market recently. Absolutely fantastic pork and apple.