|
 |
PETCH'S vs NEWBOULDS PORK PIE CHALLENGE
This just had to be done. After months of endless debate about which firm had the right to be called Teesside's number one pork pie maker, it was time to stop the chatter and let the pies do the talking. Petch's V Newboulds. A challenge match that would have serious commentators simply drooling at the thought.
Newboulds is known as the Premier butchers in Teesside and as you are probably aware, it has been there for years now. It is obviously hugely successful because the butchery is now in a separate shop to the delicatessen. You just can't go wrong with a Newboulds. They are as reliable as a Stewey Downing and as memorable as a Bolo Zenden left foot smash against Lazio.
Petch's is situated in Great Ayton, a mere four or five miles from Middlesbrough and has a reputation for upholding the quality that it has come to be known for. So on the way back to London, we popped into Newbould's in The Cleveland Centre and armed ourselves with a few of Newbould's finest PP's and then made our way out to Captain Cook's birthplace.
Because of Petch's reputation, I expected to find a large shop with all of the paraphernalia associated with a well known and successful retailer, so I was shocked to find a very small shop with hand written signs, an antique looking cash register and a slaughterhouse out the back. Now I know where Emerson disappeared to.
The queue stretching half way down Great Ayton 'High Street' was there for a good reason. The locals would probably not go anywhere else even if there was competition in this tiny little village and nobody begrudged the waiting time.
Finally, we got hold of our pies and unbelievably, they were still warm. I took one bite and despite receiving third degree burns from the boiling jelly that ran down my hand, I have to say that this pie was looking and tasting like a champion all the way.
It wasn't your regular pork pie at all, as the meat was not the compressed/ processed variety that you usually find. This was more, shall we say, 'minced'. It was very red as well and the taste was simply exquisite.
On to London and I couldn't help thinking that Newboulds were right up against it here, so I decided to try to help them along a bit. I didn't want to heat up the pie as I suspected that I may get food poisoning from it if I microwaved it, so I bought a tin of mushy peas and heated that up instead.
Newboulds make a really great pie but like Lazio on Thursday, it was simply no match for less distinguished opposition. I enjoyed it but in reality, it was not a patch on Petch's and I will be stocking up on my next visit to the North East.
All hail Petch's of Great Ayton- Pork Pie Champions of Teesside and possibly even the world.
BACK TO PARMO INDEX
 |
|
|
|
