Our friends at Yorkshire Handmade Pies have made an extra special one and it features our Buffalo Blue - the reviews are in and it's absolutely delicious - Belted Galloway & Buffalo Blue Pie
I met James over a year ago now and we resonated on so many topics and our approach to the food chain, human health, community and sustainable farming, so it's been great to create something together ...
Hear directly from James below in his own words, shared with support from their own blog ...
"It goes without saying that we are passionate about making pies and giving you a great eating experience every time you order from us. And we know you expect nothing less!
But we’re equally passionate about the ingredients that go into our pies and the amazing people we work with who provide us with the outstanding quality produce that goes into them.
The last few years have seen our food system come under pressure in the UK with continued price rises and even empty shelves. There are many reasons for this but one of the biggest is that our food system in recent times has been dominated by big businesses who care more about short term profit than about long-term investment. British farmers have been undervalued by big business for decades, highlighted brilliantly by the Amazon series ‘Clarkson’s farm.’
We’re on a mission to change things for the better, to be part of the solution not the problem and to start a new way to get great food onto your plate in a way that is healthier, more sustainable and supports the best of British farming.
We also believe that when you buy something, it should be exactly what you’ve been sold and not packaged as something it isn’t. We want to guarantee that what we offer our customers has complete integrity and full traceability.
How are we looking to do this?
Firstly, by forming personal relationships with local farmers, working with those who use farming practises that enhance the landscape, work to the highest welfare standards and are committed to the highest quality. By buying directly from farms in this way, we can shorten the supply chain and offer true ‘field to fork’ eating which gets great food onto your plate in a way that is quicker, fresher and uses less transport.
We believe not only in supporting British farming, but the BEST of British farming!
One of the biggest areas we are always working on is our meat supply. Imported meat is often cheaper, but this comes at a cost in many other ways. It is often produced in parts of the world where welfare standards are poor, food safety standards are low and vast amounts of grain have to be grown to feed animals who are kept in high intensity systems that are not good for animal health, human health or the environment. Not to mention the distance it has to travel to get here!
We are incredibly lucky to have some of the best grassland in the country here in Yorkshire. For our beef, we purchase Native breed cattle, which are slower growing and produce better quality meat than Continental breeds, which are often fed on grain heavy diets.
We pay our partner farmers a great price for their produce and in return ask them to provide us with the best they can offer. It’s a relationship that adds value from both sides and guarantees meat that is of the highest quality, farmed as sustainably as possible and with full knowledge of exactly where it has come from.
Most importantly, it guarantees YOU consistent quality and food that you can be proud of eating.
Our production methods then look to reduce the impact further. By producing in bulk and freezing down in large batches, we operate with virtually zero waste. Frozen food is proven to waste nearly 50% less in the supply chain than fresh, reducing its overall carbon footprint and other emissions. It also happens to be better for you, retaining more of its nutrient content than food that has been sat on shelves for days on end.
All this isn’t easy to achieve. We are after all a small business without the resources of the food giants who control much of our food supply. But we care deeply about food and UK farming, believing that there’s a better way to buy our food which is fairer for our farmers, consumers and the environment.
What can you do to support British farmers and help secure a brighter food future for us all?
One of the biggest things is supporting smaller artisan food businesses. Sometimes it may even cost a little more than the supermarket, but you’re buying from businesses that care, look after their suppliers, don’t cut corners and want to do the right thing for you.
It doesn’t have to be us that you choose, but we’d love to have you on the journey, helping us build a more sustainable food future in the UK.
Tell us more about the pie ....
"This Belted Galloway & Buffalo Blue Pie is a celebration of some fantastic Yorkshire producers, featuring some of our favourite local ingredients that we're sure you'll love.
Our local partner farmer Sam Webster supplies the outstanding quality grass fed, 28 day dry-aged, Belted Galloway beef for this pie, which is a native breed of cattle that grazes outdoors for most of the year. 'Beltie' beef is famous for its marbling and tenderness, typically maturing at a slower rate than more commercial breeds and developing more flavour.
What better partner for this delicious beef than the amazing Buffalo Blue cheese made by our friends at Shepherds Purse cheeses, just a few miles away from our bakery. Shepherds Purse are a proud independent cheesemaker who have been producing award winning cheese from their farm near Thirsk in North Yorkshire for over 30 years. This cheese packs a huge punch and is made using the highest quality milk from a single herd of Italian water buffalo.
These two delicious ingredients are cooked with local Black Sheep 'Riggwelter' ale, mushrooms, onions, fresh herbs, beef stock and a healthy splash of spicy Henderson's relish. All encased in light shortcrust pastry and topped with a crispy puff pastry lid.
A true taste of Yorkshire!"
Learn more and buy direct from Yorkshire Handmade Pies here ... Belted Galloway & Buffalo Blue Pie