Holland's NEW Steak & Guinness® Pie

Holland's Steak & Guinness® Pie

Received the following news from Hollands Pies today regarding the new addition to their Gourmet range the Holland's & Guiness® Steak Pie

"This popular beer and pie collaboration offers a large 247g, deep-filled pie, with a slow cooked prime steak in a rich dark gravy infused with GUINNESS^® beer, and wrapped in Holland’s classic golden shortcrust pastry.  Holland’s wealth of knowledge and years of tradition have been used throughout the cooking process to ensure the final taste is pure perfection with the unmistakeable taste of GUINNESS^® beer.  This pie really is made of more!

 

This foodie craftsmanship is a first-class treat; its recyclable-box packaging also features handy cooking instructions on the front, and what’s more the pie can be microwaved in 4 minutes from fresh.  Available in Tesco stores from April 28^th, priced at £2.00 RRP.  Enjoy the new Holland’s & GUINNESS^tm  pie now!"

From our recent tasting session we think you will not be disappointed by this tasty offering. It is easy to eat !!

Creamy Peppered Steak Slice, Morrisons

Creamy Peppered Steak Slice, Morrisons

Whilst in training for forthcoming charity walk, pies have been low in consumption. However an opportunity presented it self as we drove through Caernafon and we were unable to resist a Creamy Peppered Steak Slice from Morrisons oven fresh offerings.

 

Not bad at 85p with a hefty pepper kick. Not for the first time Morrisons have done well.....7.5/10

Jekyll Vs Hyde FC

Hyde FC, bottom of the conference table. Not just bottom but adrift by 23 points from the next team and 36 away from Chester, were unlucky not to get something from this game. Much to the dismay of the Chester fans the referee, who was slightly older than my last haircut, didn't help matters with a truly woeful performance.

Chester with 25 mins or so to play were 3-0 to the good. Granted some of the goals were slightly fortuitous (the second was just so funny), but 3-0 up and to be then hanging on desperately and so badly was scary, like watching a horror movie from behind a cushion.

Bodies all over the pitch, the referee losing control and stopping the game. We think because he wasn't sure what to do! The red card was going to come and of course it didn't help matters and encouraged the Hyde team to keep trying. They scored from two free kicks taken virtually from the same spot.

However all in all it was certainly entertaining but I've never enjoyed Horror as genre and although comedy does have its place I'd prefer it not to be on the pitch. Four games to play and nightmares all the way.......

More importantly on a crisp sunny, threatening rain, day the Stadia version of Holland's Peppered Steak was the pie of choice and didn't let us down. Premiership taste and style unlike the football !

Pies with the Black Stuff: Holland's & Guinness®

Holland's Steak & Guinness® Top Crust Pie

Armed with baggy trousers and an empty belly we headed for The Albert Square Chop House in Manchester  for pie sampling courtesy of Holland's Pies. It was introduced and guided by the knowledgeable pie maker, author and chef Mr Tom Bridges. As ever his insight was informative and interesting. Our previous encounter with Mr Bridges inspired us to make our own !!

Mr Tom Bridges -  Chef, Author and Pie Master

The original invite, we presumed, was with some belated reference to St Patricks day but no, this was to do with the new collaboration with the manufacturers of the black stuff itself, Guinness® !!! The black stuff being in the Pie, most excellent.

Six varieties were provided and tasted, the stand out of which for me was the Holland's Steak and Guinness® Pudding. I mention this as puddings of this type have not been a big favourite before. This is not to say that the others weren't nice, they were, as many comments below will testify to, but this surprised and changed my taste buds.

Holland's Steak & Guinness® Pudding

In full we tasted Hollands Steak and Guiness® Pie. Not yet available but absolutely delicious with deep dark tasty gravy and beef to melt in your mouth. 

 
Hollands Steak & Guinness® Pudding - Another from the new collaboration with Guinness® and perhaps for me a surprising favourite on the night. I have not been previously a great fan of Puddings but this was gorgeous with a moist pastry that suited the contents perfectly. 

Steak and Guinness® Top Crust Pie. A meal in itself with carrots mushroom and beef soaked in Guinness ..... 

The Limited Edition Heroes Pie was next and this has been produced in  recognition of the start of the great war and in doing so harks back to ingredients and the style of the day. I found it bordering on the spicy
 and very eatable !!

Another surprise for me was the Pub Classics Chicken and Ham Pie. Not my favourite meat to have in a pie but this with its creamy sauce and encrusted Thyme made for a taste bud tremor.
 

Again from the Pub Classic range the newly released Peppered Steak. This is different from the stadia version or other versions we have tried from Hollands and although the last to taste it was a leader amongst Pies. The added pepper encrusting on the top gives that extra hit which makes this a top pie and we would give it the Hilda accolade of "I didn't know cow could taste so nice" 

A big thank you to the Hollands team, Guinness®, Tom Bridges and the Albert Square Chop House staff for an excellent evening. 

Mike Peters, Live Rooms - Chester

Eyes of the Hurricane, The Mighty Mike Peters, Live Rooms Chester

Our second visit to see the mighty Mike Peters in as many weeks on the Declaration tour. This time it was our first visit to the newly revamped and named Live Rooms. Which meant we could go to the gig, have a drink and walk home, a rare pleasure.

Our experience tonight was great. For watching bands the venue will be pretty good. Liked the upstairs balcony area for respite and a different view. Didn't like the bar prices and the quality of the liquid served. It was a tad overpriced and pretty poor quality even by plastic glass gig standards. However it is something they can improve upon and all others aspects of the revitalised venue was great. Look forward to going again soon and have bought tickets to do just that.

As it was the same tour the format and the set list were going to be pretty much the same but straight from the get go Mr Peters mixed it up a bit and by way of introduction encouraged people to shout out requests. Which they duly did and he duly responded straight away. 

This first set was different to Islington and one of the highlights for me was the version of "Deeside" which given the location was obviously well received. The lines "A little bit of love, a little bit of hope, a little bit of strength, some fuel for the fire" was particular poignant and apt tonight, for the two of us attending. 

Other songs which stood out were "Walk Forever" and "Blaze of Glory" which made us ponder on the past, the present and look forward to the future with our "Heads held up High". A great night all in all and for a variety of reasons one of the best gigs we've ever been to!!! A big thanks to MP, The MPO, Live Rooms and Jules who we chatted to at the end.

Georgio and Jules, Live Rooms Chester

The Fontenot Effect

The Fontenot Effect takes hold ........Lets Swamp and Roll

Recently had the great pleasure to combine attending the Lymestone Brewery 20/20 festival in Stone and celebrate a friends birthday. Quite apart from the vast array of interesting and delicious brews on offer we got to listen, dance, strut, boogie, stomp, holler and make merry to the best Cajun Zydeco sounds east or west of the Trent.

Musical entertainment for the night was provided by the wonderful Elvis Fontenot and the Sugar Bees. It is our second, welcome, opportunity to enjoy the energy and enthusiasm that they infect the audience with.

They basically set up on a stage amidst the huge metal vats of brewing nectar and played two sets. The first set was a great start and even saw the birthday boy trip the light fandango with a solo performance.

However the second set saw them get into their stride and seduce the audience away from the beer to work it off on the dance floor. It is difficult not to want to get up and start jigging about like a demented electrified marionette when the Fontenots get into their stride.

I didn't keep track of their set list because I was too busy enjoying the night but can vaguely recall Sweet Zydeco Music, Hot Tamale Baby, Dirty Old Dog, Dance Dance Dnace, All day Long, Whiskey or God, Bosso....amongst many others. Check out their album "Three", released April 1st last year and well worth a purchase.

Here we go one last time 

Must give special mention to Lilleys Crazy Goat cider which, after a nice Plum Porter to start the evening with, I didn't stray from. I was having such a good time I forgot to try out the PIES that were on offer.....disaster. Special mention to Lymestone Brewery staff who were excellent (before and during the event) and the friendly Fontenots, who gave a special mention to our birthday boy, when playing their superb version of the Tom Wait song " I don't wanna grow up" which was the icing on the cake. 

Capital Day

Just a shadow of the man you could be....

Last day of our trip to London saw some cracking weather and the last two standing enjoying the glorious weather with a stroll around the many sights that the capital has to offer. What a fantastic place London is, hideously expensive to us country bumpkins but great nonetheless. 

Watching the world go by and enjoying the sights, sounds, tastes with no itinerary to adhere to was just simply great. 

Wandered at our leisure where the wind and the crowds took us (usually away from the crowds after a short while!). As ever enjoyed the Soutbank and strolling up Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and all the other small side streets and gardens  discovering new places to eat and drink!

After buying a day ticket for the mole highway we actually walked everywhere finally ending up back at Euston to meet up with some visiting Warrington Wolves fans for a libation before heading home tired and very happy. Happy birthday Baggers a fantastic weekend, can't wait to do it again!!