Rustry crates and Crusty plates
Last night the Pie Club of Great Britain held their Spring event - and it was my turn to organise it.
Being the owner of a very upmarket motor car, I thought I would revisit my youth and take my fellow connoisseurs of the pastry casing to one of the pubs around Berkeley square in Mayfair.
Much research went into identifying the perfect venue - including inadvertantly visiting a gay bar… I have never drunk a gin and tonic so quickly in my life…
In my early teens I would haunt the local Aston Martin showroom - drooling over the V8s and plaguing the long suffering salesmen, who probably saw me as an over privileged brat but put up with me just in case my father was a potential client.
In my later teens I discovered the delights of pubs such as the Red Lion in Waverton Street and the Coach and Horses in Bruton Street, both still little changed in fabric - but clientele now very different. In the early seventies Mayfair was still very much a residential area, and these pubs were frequented by the staff from the big houses and the trendy youngsters from the mews cottages. Now the bars are full of braying yuppies.
In the end the final choice was the Windmill in Mill Street three times awarded for the quality of their steak and kidney pies.
Even if I say so myself the evening went very well, the quality of the pies was surpassed only by the quality of the company. Although there was nearly a disaster over the booking, which resulted in us having to have two tables instead of one large one, and a very long wait for the pies, we all had A Very Good Time.
My duty now done for a year or so, I look forward to the Summer Pie event - organised by some-one else!