Squab pie
Encyclopedia
Squab pie is a traditional dish from South West England
, with early records showing it was associated with Cornwall
, Devon
and Gloucestershire
. Although the name suggests it contains squab
(young domestic pigeon
), in fact it contains mutton and apples. The pie was eaten around the world in the 1900s, though outside South West England it generally did contain pigeon. In his journal, Charles Dickens
colourfully described the dish as being unsocial, and that it would result in hatred of the entire human race. It is no longer a popular dish, with less than 3% of British teenagers surveyed having eaten it.
. There are references to it originating in Gloucestershire, Devon and Cornwall. Although it appears that squab pie did originally contain pigeons, mutton and apples have been used as a substitute since at least 1737 using a recipe that has remained in cookbooks for years afterwards. This misnaming has meant that the pie is considered to be a surprise. Squab is described as tender with a mild berry flavour, and so it is possible that the combination of mutton and apples created a similar flavour. There is also a theory that the name squab pie is short for "squabble pie", as it stems from a disagreement over whether to have a meat or apple pie.
There are many variations to the squab pie in England, although it traditionally includes mutton, it has come to mean a pie with many ingredients or a "scraps pie". Squab pie in Devon can be served with clotted cream
, though this does not appear to be to many people's tastes. Alternatively, in America, it is cooked with squab, and is synonymous with pigeon pie
.
lid. It should be made with at least one layer of onions, followed by alternating layers of sliced apples and mutton chops. The mixture should be covered with water, though less than in some pies, covered with pastry and baked in the oven for about two hours.
produced a variant which included hard-boiled eggs and another recipe took the concept of serving with clotted cream and adds cream to thicken.
Outside of England, the concept of squab pie does exist, but in a more literal form actually containing squab. Known as Picconi All'Inglese, one Italian chef explains that he is aware that the recipe does not match the traditional English version, but he "[does] not care a fig". In America, squab pie still uses squab. It was included in a "Cooking for profit" book in San Francisco, to make a pie using 18 squabs in a gravy.
' journal All the Year Round
:
Using its many ingredients definition, squab pie was used by Gallynipper as an analogy for New York City
. This is a positive comparison, explaining that New York does "not smell bad... nor look uninviting" and that it is "a wonder and a success".
uses verse to tell of the captain of a ship in Plymouth
who forgot to get meat for his trip. A boy on the ship goes into town to claim a large squab pie from the bakery for a penny, though it was not meant to be his. Set on a Sunday, the family who had commissioned the pie from the baker so that they would not have to cook, try to find it, but to no avail. Taylor explains the moral is that if you believe it is a sin to cook on a Sunday, you should not be still having a big meal by getting a baker to cook for you.
The ingredients are given in verse by a Cornishman from Bodmin
, during William Sandys' 1846 tour around Cornwall. Sandys also includes a story of Christmas-time in Cornwall which includes the pie served with mashed potatoes and pilchards. In "Verses Occasioned by Ben Tyrrell's Mutton Pies", published in 1772, Thomas Warton
also confirmed that the squab pie was mutton based and came from Cornwall. The Devon author, William Crossing
, writing in 1911, discusses a short folk rhyme about squab pie: "Mutton, onions, apples and dough, Make a good pie as any I know." He does not say, however, from where he heard it.
never came to Cornwall.
In his book Popular romances of the west of England; or, The drolls, traditions, and superstitions of old Cornwall, a collection of Cornish traditions, Robert Hunt
explains that the Devil crossed the River Tamar
to Torpoint
. The chapter, entitled "The Devil's Coits, etc", reasons that the Devil discovered the Cornish would put anything in a pie and decided to leave before they took a fancy to a "devilly" pie, returning to Devon
.
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, with early records showing it was associated with Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. Although the name suggests it contains squab
Squab (food)
In culinary terminology, squab is a young domestic pigeon or its meat. The meat is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word skvabb means "loose, fat flesh". It formerly applied to all dove and pigeon species, such as the Wood...
(young domestic pigeon
Domestic Pigeon
The Domestic Pigeon was derived from the Rock Pigeon. The Rock Pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics.Research suggests that domestication of pigeons was as early as...
), in fact it contains mutton and apples. The pie was eaten around the world in the 1900s, though outside South West England it generally did contain pigeon. In his journal, Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
colourfully described the dish as being unsocial, and that it would result in hatred of the entire human race. It is no longer a popular dish, with less than 3% of British teenagers surveyed having eaten it.
Origins
Although it is not known exactly where squab pie was first made, it is clear that it was somewhere in South West EnglandSouth West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
. There are references to it originating in Gloucestershire, Devon and Cornwall. Although it appears that squab pie did originally contain pigeons, mutton and apples have been used as a substitute since at least 1737 using a recipe that has remained in cookbooks for years afterwards. This misnaming has meant that the pie is considered to be a surprise. Squab is described as tender with a mild berry flavour, and so it is possible that the combination of mutton and apples created a similar flavour. There is also a theory that the name squab pie is short for "squabble pie", as it stems from a disagreement over whether to have a meat or apple pie.
There are many variations to the squab pie in England, although it traditionally includes mutton, it has come to mean a pie with many ingredients or a "scraps pie". Squab pie in Devon can be served with clotted cream
Clotted cream
Clotted cream is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'...
, though this does not appear to be to many people's tastes. Alternatively, in America, it is cooked with squab, and is synonymous with pigeon pie
Pigeon pie
Pigeon pie is a a traditional French savory game pie made of pigeon meat and various other ingredients. It has been eaten at least as early as 1670.In Morocco it is called Bastila....
.
Recipe
Squab pie is a mutton pie with a shortcrust pastryShortcrust pastry
Shortcrust pastry is a type of pastry often used for the base of a tart or pie. It does not puff up during baking because it usually contains no leavening agent. It is possible to make shortcrust pastry with self-raising flour, however...
lid. It should be made with at least one layer of onions, followed by alternating layers of sliced apples and mutton chops. The mixture should be covered with water, though less than in some pies, covered with pastry and baked in the oven for about two hours.
Variations
Within the UK, the most common variation is to use lamb instead of mutton. Gloucester Squab pie did not require lamb and suggests any leftover meat could be used. Other ingredients can be included, for example Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
produced a variant which included hard-boiled eggs and another recipe took the concept of serving with clotted cream and adds cream to thicken.
Outside of England, the concept of squab pie does exist, but in a more literal form actually containing squab. Known as Picconi All'Inglese, one Italian chef explains that he is aware that the recipe does not match the traditional English version, but he "[does] not care a fig". In America, squab pie still uses squab. It was included in a "Cooking for profit" book in San Francisco, to make a pie using 18 squabs in a gravy.
Reaction
Today, less than 3% of British teenagers have tried the dish and it has been listed amongst the "at risk" British Classics. It is generally considered as unpleasant by people from outside South West England. Amongst the more prominent critics of squab pie was Charles DickensCharles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' journal All the Year Round
All the Year Round
All the Year Round was a Victorian periodical, being a British weekly literary magazine founded and owned by Charles Dickens, published between 1859 and 1895 throughout the United Kingdom. Edited by Dickens, it was the direct successor to his previous publication Household Words, abandoned due to...
:
Using its many ingredients definition, squab pie was used by Gallynipper as an analogy for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This is a positive comparison, explaining that New York does "not smell bad... nor look uninviting" and that it is "a wonder and a success".
Poetry
Squab pie has been the subject of poetry. In "The Squab-Pie. A Devonshire Tale" published in 1827, John TaylorJohn Taylor (poet)
John Taylor was an English poet who dubbed himself "The Water Poet".-Biography:He was born in Gloucester, 24 August 1578....
uses verse to tell of the captain of a ship in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
who forgot to get meat for his trip. A boy on the ship goes into town to claim a large squab pie from the bakery for a penny, though it was not meant to be his. Set on a Sunday, the family who had commissioned the pie from the baker so that they would not have to cook, try to find it, but to no avail. Taylor explains the moral is that if you believe it is a sin to cook on a Sunday, you should not be still having a big meal by getting a baker to cook for you.
The ingredients are given in verse by a Cornishman from Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
, during William Sandys' 1846 tour around Cornwall. Sandys also includes a story of Christmas-time in Cornwall which includes the pie served with mashed potatoes and pilchards. In "Verses Occasioned by Ben Tyrrell's Mutton Pies", published in 1772, Thomas Warton
Thomas Warton
Thomas Warton was an English literary historian, critic, and poet. From 1785 to 1790 he was the Poet Laureate of England...
also confirmed that the squab pie was mutton based and came from Cornwall. The Devon author, William Crossing
William Crossing
William Crossing was a writer and documenter of Dartmoor and Dartmoor life. He lived successively at South Brent, Brentor and at Mary Tavy but died at Plymouth.-Early life:...
, writing in 1911, discusses a short folk rhyme about squab pie: "Mutton, onions, apples and dough, Make a good pie as any I know." He does not say, however, from where he heard it.
The Devil in Cornwall
Another legend surrounding squab pie, along with the other unusual pies of Cornwall, is that they were the reason that the DevilDevil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
never came to Cornwall.
In his book Popular romances of the west of England; or, The drolls, traditions, and superstitions of old Cornwall, a collection of Cornish traditions, Robert Hunt
Robert Hunt (scientist)
Robert Hunt , a scientist and antiquarian, was born at Devonport, Plymouth, in the United Kingdom. He was involved in statistical, mineralogical and other studies. He died in London on 17 October 1887.-Early life:...
explains that the Devil crossed the River Tamar
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
to Torpoint
Torpoint
Torpoint is a civil parish and town on the Rame Peninsula in southeast Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated opposite the city of Plymouth across the Hamoaze which is the tidal estuary of the River Tamar....
. The chapter, entitled "The Devil's Coits, etc", reasons that the Devil discovered the Cornish would put anything in a pie and decided to leave before they took a fancy to a "devilly" pie, returning to Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
Sources
- Baldock, Dorothy, Favourite Cotswold Recipes, J. Salmon Ltd. (1996), ISBN 978-1-898435-07-5