Topping's Family Pork Pie

A potentially very interesting pork pie this week: Topping's Family Pork Pie - "Finest Yorkshire pork encased in a traditional shortcrust pastry". Interesting, as after I had purchased the two pies in ASDA, I spotted beneath the price ticket "contains 50% Beef and 20% Chicken"! The store assistant was as baffled as I and could not offer any explanation. The ASDA Service Team has confirmed this to be an error that has now been rectified. Before we could sample Yorkshire’s finest pork (or Beef and Chicken) we had six miles to yomp. The Walk Master took us to Morton to enjoy a stroll along the coast towards Stiffkey. This was no stroll for the Pie Master and his mawther as Sabre, who joined us on the 10th May, was in our care! We headed inland and crossed the very pleasant Cockthorpe Common and into the village. We headed for All Saints church, where we ate lunch and Sabre exercised his vocal chords, encouraging all other dogs in the vicinity to do likewise! Lunch consumed and no scratch dials found, we headed back through the village and then towards the coast along the perimeter track of a disused airfield. After pausing to take in the great panoramic views and the dots on Blakeney Point that were seals, we headed east along Love Lane. While walking this track we observed a roe deer hoss across the field to the north, heading for the Common. We followed the track north, spotting a pair of Marsh Harriers hunting, as we turned. We then took a track east, that would lead to Binham Lane, that should have taken us to the pub, but it was now closed. We continued on to Langham Road and an unscheduled visit to All Saints church, Morston. Finding no scratch dials, we headed for the Anchor Inn. Here we had a good scheme of splitting the round into cars: Ricky went in to order and Josie went in to see what beer was available and said to Ricky they have Winter’s Golden, Green King IPA & Speckled Hen and exited to inform me. The over eager barmaid took this to be an order, producing a pint of Winter’s Golden and a pint of Green King IPA. Further confusion and the two rounds merged into one, the barmaid not hearing the repeated requests for shandys to be made with Winter’s Golden and using IPA – obviously on commission from Green King. Most of us enjoyed the Winter’s Golden while Ricky had to make do with a pint of IPA. We then made our way to the cars parked at the National Trust car park. First the Canapé: Oat cake and carrot sticks to dip into lemon & coriander Houmous, sour cream with chives, Guacamole and Vine ripened tomato salsa! Next Topping's Family Pies: slicing revealed a nice pink filling, rather lacking texture, with a good helping of jelly. A faint fresh aroma could be detected if one got in close. The pie disappointed, the pie crust being soft and the filling being very salty. This pie was judged to score 6.15 out of 10 with a standard deviation of 0.91439. To complete the feast, rather warm, dark chocolate & ginger Florentines to supplement the Shortbread. So a normalised 6 for Topping’s pies.

Sultana Fingerellas

No pies again today, due to a potential lack of pie munchers, with the Führer and King Canape attending respective family gatherings and the Walk Master holidaying in France. However, despite this, seven pie punchers, one non-muncher and a dog set off on a walk led by the Pie Master. Starting from the picnic area by the Lynford Stag, we headed north through the forest towards Lynford Hall, pausing to look round the exterior of the 1878 church of Our Lady and St Stephen, Lynford, after about a mile. We continued to the lakes, then turned left, to walk around the bottom lake, black with wriggling tadpoles at the edge. Sabre took the opportunity for a swim and we all managed to avoid the inherent risk of a soaking that follows! We then headed back along the avenue of giant Red Woods towards the hall. Here we noted a tree with both red and white blossom as the result of a grafting. We turned left and onto Lynford Road, following it eastwards to the arboretum, through which we eventually walked, once Don, Paul & José had read most of the labels on the trees! Pausing by the remains of the water tower that supplied the Hall’s peach house and other glass houses, we regrouped to walk to the bottom of the arboretum and cross a small stream that supplied the top lake. We followed the south bank of this lake to the bridge that crosses the joining water of the top and bottom lakes. We again walked past the red & white tree onto Lynford Road, following it eastwards, retracing our steps to picnic area on left at 3.75 miles. Here we had lunch and observed an elderly dog being taken for a walk in a buggy. We walked along the track by the gravel pit lakes and then along the road into Mundford and the lovely old (1652) Crown Hotel for a tasty pint of Ruddles County. We headed back across the A1065 and into the forest along a path heading east then, turning left at house in the woods and south back to the cars after 6.85 miles. Liz provided tea and Don the Sultana Fingerellas, the shortbread were also present this week.