Pie has come a long way; the Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the word “pie” to 1303, and they were well-known and popular by 1362.

The crust of the medieval pie formed a baking dish and continues in practice for hundreds of years. Thus the meaning of “Baked in a Pie.” Almost everything was served in a pie, meats, fruit, vegetables and even live birds. Some were raised high, called coffins and some were small fold-over hand pies.

Looking for receipts for my CHEWIT AND HAND PIE WORKSHOP next month, I found many from the 15^th century and they had strange names like Daryoles, meaning small, sweet pies and Chawetty, that later became the word Chewits, and could be stuffed with a savory or sweet filling. Many of the larger coffin and smaller chewits were served as banquet fare. Hand pies were great for travelers or laborers who took them for a nourishing mid-day meal.

We are making both savory and sweet chewits and hand pies to take home for dinner.

Come and join us at the hearth for a trip back to the 15^th and 18^th century, and have some 21^st century “Take –Out” There are only two spaces left in this workshop on February 22^nd .

Sandie

“One morning, as I went to the freezer door, I asked my wife, ‘What should I take out for dinner?’ Without a moment’s hesitation, she replied, ‘Me.'” anonymous

Send her instead to the workshop!