A couple of responses from the punters

It's been an overwhelming response to my first posting, with letters, faxes, and emails flooding in from all over the globe. I wasn't aware that the law of unintended consequenses could actually work in a positive way: last weekend my old mate Crispy called in with a lamb and coconut curry pie from Yatala for me to review (thanks bro). If I'd known the blog would result in free stuff, I would have started one on beer, pies, cocaine and hookers years ago!

Thanks to all who responded for vindicating my opinion that the worldwide interweb was crying out for a pie blog that isn't afraid to tackle the big issues. And boy, have we got a couple for you this week!

I thought that I would share a couple of interesting responses with you that were sent to me by email during the week. The first is from Trigger, who is currently doing a tour of duty in old blighty...teaching the Poms and Safas how they should play rugby, er, cricket, er....anyway, Trigger is drinking a lot and has recently discovered a love of league that he never knew he had.

He alerted me to the Melton Mowbray pork pie. I've eaten the odd pork pie when I was 'in counrty', but was completely unaware that not only do they come from a particular region, but they have their own association: http://www.mmppa.co.uk/  Here's his email:

'I have one to add for you, its the Melton Mowbray pork pie, home of the pork pie and any other is just a plain old pork pie. Watched a program on the BBC about the making of the pork pie, this pie takes 4 days to make, all produce locally sourced in this little town in Lincolnshire, you have to google this one. Not your traditional pie as the centre pork is solid but a worthy pie contender. Anything that takes 4 days to make must be good. The only problem is its a £50 return trip from London to buy the pies (in bulk of course), actually £100 return because you have to take the misses as well, from the Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe in Melton Mowbray. I can taste it now!!!'

4 days to make: either they're doing something very right, or very wrong. Fascinating stuff - thanks Trigger.

Next was a perplexing email from Roobs (not his real name), who was responding to my earlier comments about removing the pie lid to facilitate rapid cooling:

...'if you actually eat the pie with a tea spoon after you have taken the top off, does it really matter that you have compromised the structural integrity of the pie by removing it’s lid in the first place?? Means I can get more tomato sauce in there as well. I also appreciate that I am probably a heathen and pie architecture luddite to you and should not refer to me and pies in the same sentence anymore...'

Ummm, Roobs - I'm really not sure where to start with this one mate. I just keep picturing you with a cloth napkin tucked into your shirt front with a tiny teaspoon poised over a defiled pie on a china plate...frankly, it's disturbing. You've managed to raise 3 very ugly and divisive points in one paragraph: (1) removing the lid; (2) using cutlery to eat a pie; and (3) tomato sauce. Now I understand why you're still waiting to hear from Ban Ki-Moon about your job application. Henry Kissinger, you ain't.

I hear that your lovely wife has now moved into the spare room as a result of you floating these radical ideas, and even the dog is no longer speaking to you. To be fair I think the issues need to be addressed individually, and put to the masses for a vote.

So today, I'd like to address the biggest one: Is it un-Australian to eat a pie with cutlery? Please cast your vote below.

Thanks again for all your suggestions, people - I'm compiling a hit list and will get to them all if it kills me (which it probably will).