Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop wins British Pie Awards

The pie, from Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop in the upper Teesdale village, faced tough competition from almost 900 pies to become the overall winner of the coveted title in the British Pie Awards. 

The ingredients of the winning Minted Wensleydale Lamb and Potato Pie came from the Swaledale flock on the the family farm of Lydia Sunter and her brother David Amsden, near Hawes in Wensleydale.

Lydia said: "We are delighted. We’ve been making our pies for over ten years now and although we know the locals love them, it’s nice to get recognition from a national awards for the quality of what we produce."

Judges' comments included "this is a come eat me pie", that the "pastry is a poem, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully flaky" and that the "filling is very well balanced, meat is beautifully tender and the mint is coming through well".

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association said:  “"We had the pleasure of tasting some delicious pies, and Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop stood out against the competition to triumph in the lamb pie category, and then to go on to be crowned Supreme Champion, which is no easy feat.”

The British Pie Awards now in its 16th year brings in entries from across the country and from bakers, butchers, pubs, sports clubs, and Fish & Chip shops amongst other pie makers - judged by a team of 140 judges.

The contest comprises 24 different classes or types of pie including traditional favourites, newcomers such as Vegan and Gluten Free Pies and this year a new Fusion Pie Class.

Meat-based pie entries dominated the top four classes with beef and alcohol topping the entry rankings.

Neither Lydia nor David had run a catering business before, but as farmers they were used to hard graft and loved home-cooked quality food. The business has grown from strength to strength and is well supported by locals and visitors alike.

One accolade was to make pies on the premises, using lamb and beef from the family farm.

Lydia said:  “ Mum taught me how to make a rich short crust pastry’ and I developed a range of pies, including lamb with potatoes and mint’ it is our best seller”.

Two years ago, everything changed for when their father died. David had to return to Wensleydale to run the farm and Lydia stayed in Teesdale to run the Fish and Chip Shop.

A difficult time for the siblings who always supported each other, both were to become solo owners of businesses.

Add small children to the mix (David has two girls aged 5 and 2, whilst Lydia’s girl is 6 and Baby Andrew arrived 7 months ago) juggling life is not an understatement.

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Good staff are the backbone of any business and Middleton in Teesdale fish and chip shop has an "excellent team".

Meanwhile, David ploughs a lone furrow alongside his wife Sam (and a little intervention from Mum). 

Their Limousin cattle graze high-lying limestone pastures alongside a flock of hardy Swaledale sheep. It is the latter who provide succulent lamb for the homemade pies.

They also make three beef pies - steak and potato (which got a bronze in the same contest), steak mince and onion and Cornish with steak and vegetables, as well as a chicken pie - producing a total of between 60 and 100 a week.

the limestone grazing, rich in herbs and flowers coupled with the wild purple heather on the moorlands surrounding the Dales, certainly gives the meat a distinctive, special flavour.