Long-time readers of the blog may have an inkling of my penchant for pastry, whether they be pie, pasty, tarts…trust me carb loading I’m good at, especially when it comes to the good stuff!!! Belgrave Music Hall held their very first (hopefully of many) Pie & Cider Festival on Easter Sunday and I wasn’t going to miss out on being able to feast!
The line-up was impressive to say the least; with over 50 varieties of pies in different forms….pies, sausage rolls, scotch egg, empanadas, scotch eggs, tarts made by the best Yorkshire producers, including Keelham Farm, Wilsons, WIlkinsons, Beasty Boys, Lishmans, Robinsons Farm Shop, Voakes and The Greedy Pig!! As always, dietary requirements were taken care of too with a range of goodies for those with intolerances to gluten, wheat or dairy.
To balance out the savoury, there had to be something sweet to keep things in check, so Belgrave regular Noisette Bakehouse was on hand to sort us out with another tour into her culinary wizardry, including a salt caramel brownie pie, taking the infamous salt caramel brownie up a notch!!
After all the feasting to quench the thirst there was also 30 varieties of cider and 20 different ales and beers to take your pick from!!
Here’s a selection of the spread on offer, get ready for some serious pastry action!!
Now for the sweet stuff, courtesy of Noisette Bakehouse!!
Meat maestros Bangers & Bacon were back serving the people some pork delight, including award winning sausages from Jimmy’s Farm!
Of course, I wasn’t going to just take photos and leave without eating something, no chance!!
Such a winner of a pie from Robinsons Farm Shop, definitely a pork pie with a difference. It was like a mini meal in itself; beautiful pastry, lovely seasoned pork and stuffing all topped with chunky apple!! So good!!
I went home with a small bounty to graze on as well, it frankly would’ve been rude not to!
I’d tried the empanada from the Beasty Boys at one of Belgrave’s feasts last year and loved it then, this was equally as good and I immediately wished I bought more of them! Lovely crisp, yet flaky pastry and a filling that was meaty with a delicate smokiness. Delicious!! The pork pie caught me a little by surprise, only because I’d asked for a steak, potato and ale one at the time, nevertheless, I was still more than happy as it was delicious. Not too much jelly which was great for me, beautiful pork filling and its pastry casing wasn’t too thick.
Ah, that pineapple and black pepper hand pie was my first of the three sweet options to get wolfed down! So good that i’d love it to be a regular on the Bakehouse menu!! It’s a bit like a pimped up turnover, the pineapple gives it some oomph and the black pepper brought its innate sweet and sourness out even more!
To say I was happy was an understatement!!!
Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen
1-1A Belgrave Street,
Leeds
A Tale of Two Sittings 