Gluten-Free "Fake and Kidney" Pie Claims Stunning Win in British Pie Awards

Celiac.com 03/28/2022 - A gluten-free, meat-free "Fake & Kidney Pie" delivers a knock-out blow to win Supreme Champion for first time at annual British Pie awards.

Anyone who knows pies, or the British, knows that Brits take their pies very seriously. And we don't mean the fruity kind of pies. We mean the rich, meaty savory pies with those flaky, delicious pastry crusts that win legions of fans and anchor numerous favorite pubs across the nation.

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Well, that world woke up with a bit of a hangover this morning, with the news that, for the first time ever, the Supreme Champion at the annual British Pie Awards is not only meatless, but is also gluten-free!

Created by Bristol-based Pieminister, the winning "Mooless Pie" is made with vegetable jackfruit “steak,” gluten-free craft ale, and black pepper in a gluten-free pastry crust. The pie emerged from among 975 candidates as the prestigious British Pie Awards' clear winner.

Unhappy Competitors
However, the results did not leave everyone pleased. A number of contestants felt that the decision to name the Mooless Pie as the winner was a mistake. Simon Bell, who owns a butcher’s in Bermondsey, South East London, said " It's outrageous that a traditional meat-based pie didn’t win. It feels like the competition organizers are trying too hard to be "woke." There’s such a wide and varied choice of meat pies they could have gone for instead of this one.

Michelle James, owner of Raymond’s Pie and Mash Shop in Eltham, South East London, said: “If I put it in my shop, nobody would eat it.”

Accolades for the "Mooless Pie"
Others, though had nothing but good words for the winner. Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, called it "a superb pie, it looked good and had a nice even golden bake. The pastry was crunchy, complemented by the moist filling, which had bite, and the balance of flavors in the pie was just right. Up to now, gluten-free pies were always compared unfavorably with other pies."

And maybe that's the rub for some of these folks. The idea that a gluten-free pie can compete against a wheat-flour based crust, or that a vegetarian pie can compete against a meat pie is a new and challenging concept for some, it seems.

Well, one thing's for sure: The gluten-free world will be plenty excited for the win. As O’Callaghan put it: "With this pie, gluten-free pies are now equal to any other pie.”
 
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