If you can't beat them...

....join them. I made my first meat pie tonight. (pause for shock and awe.) why? New Zealand is OBSESSED with pies. pies are EVERYWHERE. and everyone has the "world's best" version of them. after mistakenly eating another crummy pie while we were touring the NZ countryside, i decided to try to make my own. for you back at home, think, pot-pie. same thing.
here is a recently purchased pie, it looks cute, no?
it was rubbish!


Aunt Nancy has this really funny saying about British food, and since British food most resembles New Zealand food, i shall recite her saying.... "British food has the 3 F's. Fried, Flimsy and/or Flavorless." ah so true, so true.

so my first mince pie, it was surprisingly delicious. Here is the recipe, Best Mince Pie



Modifications: 1 carrot and 1 celery, 2 bay leaves in the simmering mixture (because my older sister taught me that bay leaves make every stew type dish better) and added a bottom crust. it was cheater crust. i am using the excuse that my rolling pin has not yet arrived. and when the rolling pin arrives, i shall find a new excuse for buying store bought pie crust. am i allowed to complain about food if i purchase pie crust from the store? who knows but i do know that the results are in on the mince pie.

Result: Very lovely tomato flavor. Great depth of flavor. Recipe worth repeating.
Also, I'm never buying canned tomato paste again. it's tube all the way.