The revered and highly regarded Mad Pieman of County Durham, Ian Grainger of North Country Lass, Meadowfield, had an unexpected encounter with the Duke of Edinburgh at the Royal Windsor Horse Show where he was flogging his wares (Ian, not the Duke). Legend has it that the peckish Prince approached the pieman and asked for a pie that included ingredients from Grainger's local patch. "I've got Prince Bishops game pie, with venison, redcurrent jelly, red wine and brandy." The Prince agreed to take one - our pieman, suitably embarrassed, had to explain he had none, but sharp as the butcher's knife volunteered a Grunt Gobble and Zoom Coo pie "like the one you had at Lowther 20 years ago. Lord Lonsdale ordered it." "Well I never saw it," scoffed the Duke, "What's in it?" "Wild boar, turkey, hare, pigeon, red wine and brandy." "Right, I'll have that," agreed the Prince and the deal was done. So who did pinch the Prince's pie all those years ago... who knows? But for a perfect picnic, www.north-countrylass.co.uk should oblige.

Review taken from Living North Magazine
August 2006