Last updated at 16:58, Monday, 10 September 2012

THE secret to a good pie has been laid bare by an award-winning bakery – and it’s all in the crust.

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Thomas’s Bakery, which has stores in Ulverston and Barrow, has been recognised – for several years running – by the British Pie Awards.

This year it has scooped two golds and a bronze at the awards, with its beef and potato taking a top honour in the pub pie category, the bramley apple pie also winning gold and the chicken and ham getting a bronze.

Owner Brian O’Loughlin was happy to share his not-so-secret recipe, which he said was still the same as originally used by Mr Thomas himself.

He said: “We use the best quality ingredients because people do notice the difference and our customers appreciate a good pie.”

He also said that they used sliced potatoes in their pies to give them the right consistency.

“You need a good firm potato,” he said. “And we buy them in fresh every day.

“But the secret to a good pie is a good delicate shortcrust.”

Mr O’Loughlin has done his homework and spoken to some top chefs in his quest to make the best quality food.

And freshness, he said, is essential. The pies are made fresh each day at the company’s bakery in Dalton, in some cases going from oven to being sold in just an hour and a half.

The pies were so good that one couple, Colin Mein and Elsie Hider, came all the way from Portsmouth to sample them, describing them as “absolutely beautiful”.

And The Bay radio presenter Darren Milby, who was broadcasting live from the Ulverston store, was impressed by the rest of the food on offer too.

He said: “The cakes tasted amazing – out of the three I tried may favourite was the chocolate orange.”

First published at 16:23, Monday, 10 September 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk