There are few foodstuffs as historic as the Melton Mowbray pork pie. The Leicestershire town has been producing the meaty bakes since the 1700s, satisfying the bellies of British labourers, posh huntsmen, modern lorrymen and everyone in between.
The pork pie itself has been around since the Middle Ages when pies were referred to as ‘cofyns’. Melton Mowbray became the capital of the bakes thanks to its local cheesemaking industry, the surplus of which was used to fatten up pigs.
That’s enough from us, though. If you really want to delve into the backstory of pork pies, head on over to the world's first ever pork pie museum, which is officially opening on June 13.
The museum is, of course, located in Melton Mowbray, in the grade II-listed Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe (the oldest and only remaining pork pie bakery and shop in town). It will feature footage of how the pastry package is made and a photographic display portraying the timeline of the pie and the shop.
To celebrate the museum’s grand opening as well as the reopening of the newly refurbished Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe, the store is selling a limited edition pie showing off the best of Melton’s produce. It’ll be a pork pie, topped with famous ‘Paint the Town Red’ Red Ale Chutney with creamy stilton from local dairy melted on top. Salivating already? You can preorder the bake at porkpie.co.uk.
Pies galore
Passionate about pastry? Discover all of the best pies in the UK, according to the British Pie Awards. Elsewhere on Time Out, read how Cornish pasty shops went to war with Greggs, where the hell hot desserts have gone and how baked good became the new streetwear. Plus these are all the best pie and mash shops in London and Britain’s best bakeries.
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