The Glorious History of Cheese in Pies

🧀🧀🧀 EVERYBODY SAY CHEESE 

We love the stuff! In veggie pies, it's often the champion ingredient and we've bunged it in several of our meaty pies as well to boost the satisfaction levels. In fact, our new limited edition American-inspired Pies are stuffed full of glorious cheese (with the exception of the Apple Pie)! We're going on a little journey of discovery to explore the wonderful history of cheese-filled pies!

If there’s one thing the British love as much as pie, it’s cheese. But what happens when you combine these two culinary titans? You get the gooey, melty magic of cheese in pies - a match made in comfort food heaven. Yet, this cheesy-pie partnership wasn’t always a smooth ride. So, join us as we navigate the bumpy history of cheese in pies, where dairy meets dough in ways you might not expect.

Back in the day, around the 12th century, pie was still in its awkward teenage phase - a bit greasy, a bit thick around the crust, and not too focused on fillings beyond the basics (meat, more meat, and occasionally fish). Cheese? Absolutely not!

In fact, the idea of using cheese INSIDE a pie might have seemed like pure witchcraft to the medieval Brits, who were busy making cheese that you needed a chisel to eat. So, instead of a cheese pie, you got... meat wrapped in a "coffyn" of hard pastry. The only cheese action here was when someone smuggled a wedge of cheddar into their doublet.

Fast forward to the 16th century, when the Tudors were running around building palaces and throwing massive feasts. This is when someone had the bright idea of introducing dairy to pies. But for Tudor chefs, it was less “cheddar in flaky crust”, more curds and custard 🤢.

In what could only be described as a questionable move, the Tudor cheese pie took the form of a weirdly sweet/ savoury mash-up. Let's just say this wasn’t exactly the cheese pie renaissance we were hoping for!

By the 18th century, cheese was having a moment. Farmers were perfecting cheddar and Stilton, and British households were having a cheese awakening! It as more than just an occasional snack... it was a lifestyle! And so, cheese finally found its way into the pie crust in the form of something actually delicious: the cheese and onion pie!!

Just like our scrumptious Homity Pie, it was a masterpiece of simplicity: flaky pastry, gooey cheese, and just enough onions to pretend we’re getting our vegetables in and enhance the flavour. The nation rejoiced! Cheese had officially entered the pie game, and this time it was here to stay.

By the time the Victorians were around inventing things like sewers and Christmas cards, the cheese pie was really leveling up. It was no longer just a humble working-class meal; it was going upmarket. Suddenly, cheese pies were turning up at lavish Victorian banquets, stuffed with all sorts of fancy ingredients - Wensleydale or Stilton, anyone?!

The Victorians, being a bit obsessed with excess, didn’t stop there. They added layers - layers of cheese, potatoes, leeks, even bacon. Cheese pies were thriving, and it was during this time that they became a staple of British comfort food, albeit with a side of upper-crust sophistication.

The 20th century was a time of change. Men were going to the moon, women were wearing miniskirts, and pies were heading to the freezer aisle. The cheese in these pies was sometimes more mystery than dairy, and no one was entirely sure what kind of cheese it was - or if it even was cheese! So let’s just say the 1970s weren’t exactly the high point of gourmet cheese pie development and move on, shall we?

Fast forward to the present day, and cheese pies are thriving once more, riding the wave of foodie culture and artisan cheese obsession. Walk into any pub or trendy café, and you’ll find all sorts of cheese pies, from the classic Steak and Stilton to goat’s cheese creations like our Butternut Squash & Goat's Cheese Pie.

Pies are now more than just dinner - they're an experience. Cheese pies have returned to their rightful place in the culinary hierarchy, and they’re more fabulous than ever.

From medieval cheese resistance to modern-day cheddar-fuelled glory, the story of cheese in pies has been one of trial, error, and ultimately, triumph. So next time you bite into that cheesy pie, take a moment to thank the brave souls who paved the way for dairy to meet dough. Because let’s face it: life without cheese in pies would be an altogether sadder affair!

 Our limited edition American-inspired concoctions all feature oodles of cheese. The wonderfully whacky Steak and Cheese Pie, Cheeseburger Pie and Mac & Cheese Pie can all be found in our American Pies Box or mixed with other classics in your own custom box.