52 replies to this topic

[Jake]

Last week I must have had 3 or 4 of these delights. Now my wife coming from NSW made a comment as we sat in Warwick and me tucking into a beautiful pie with peas that you wont get that down south.

What, says I? Is this really a Qld thing? Im not talking about pie floaters, other states may just about call it their signature dish, and they are a different beast altogether.

No, Im talking about a meat pie, with the top sliced open at time of purchase, and a healthy big dollop of fresh peas from a saucepan spooned inside and the lid closed back down on top. This is very common in Qld and if the pie vendor/baker doesnt have peas then it is almost a crime!
(Can't find a pic on Google unfortunately)

So whats the go down south? Can you get this in SA, Vic, NSW? Whats the consensus?


Cheers,
Jake

[Keith_W]

Only pies with peas I have seen are chicken pies. Beef pies - no. And this is in WA and Vic.

[4heckssake]

Jake,
People tell me I've eaten too many pies...i love 'em....but afraid to tell ya the only peas you will get in SA are in the soup of a floater. No such thing like what you decribe as far as I know.
Rod.

[4heckssake]

by the way...where does the sauce go...on top of the peas?

[Jake]

Sauce? Qld pies dont need sauce. :popcorn

[4heckssake]

Sauce? Qld pies dont need sauce. :popcorn

what?
that's like saying chips don't need salt...fish don't need lemon....spag bog doesn't need parmi...:popcorn

[emesbee]

I've never seen this in SA, but then we have the pie floater, so why would we bother?

By the way, I reckon the best pies I've ever had were from the Stone Hut Bakery (at Stone Hut, in the mid north of SA). Well worth a visit if you are on your way to/from the Flinders Ranges. (Don't know if they do pie floaters though.)

[emesbee]

what?
that's like saying chips don't need salt...fish don't need lemon....spag bog doesn't need parmi...:popcorn

Chips don't need salt. They do need vinegar!

[4heckssake]

By the way, I reckon the best pies I've ever had were from the Stone Hut Bakery (at Stone Hut, in the mid north of SA). Well worth a visit if you are on your way to/from the Flinders Ranges. (Don't know if they do pie floaters though.)

oh yeah, i've been there too Mike but I don't think this should turn into a 'who makes the best pie' thread cos we will be here for years.

[emesbee]

oh yeah, i've been there too Mike but I don't think this should turn into a 'who makes the best pie' thread cos we will be here for years.

Oops, sorry.

[Jake]

I've never seen this in SA, but then we have the pie floater, so why would we bother?

Why would you bother? Can you grab a pie floater and eat it with one hand while you drive down the highway? :popcorn

[4heckssake]

Why would you bother? Can you grab a pie floater and eat it with one hand while you drive down the highway? :popcorn

with some difficulty yes but the pie floater is best consumed while standing up at the pie cart on Vic Square and observing all the other drunk idiots.

[4heckssake]

mmmmmm, pies. i like pies. time for an early lunch perhaps?

[emesbee]

Why would you bother? Can you grab a pie floater and eat it with one hand while you drive down the highway? :popcorn

Well, I could try.
Problem is that pie floaters are usually only eaten very late in the evening after one has consumed a considerable quantity of alcohol. This is obviously not compatible with driving.

[Jake]

Ahh well, in Qld pie vans are on most corners, and the humble pie has long been a staple lunch for those on the move. Even with the advent of the ubiquitous fast food chains, up here pie vans are still to be found everywhere.

Last week in Rocky I passed 3 within 1km, but being on the way to a bicycle race could not indulge. And I can guarantee all of them would offer peas with the pies.

I'll get one soon (not today) and take a pic and come back and post it.

Cheers,
Jake

[emesbee]

Actually, although we tend to make a bit of a song and dance about the pie floater here in SA, it seems to be becoming rather scarce. There were only ever a few pie-carts (outside the railway station on North Tce, the post office in Victoria Square, and on the Parade at Norwood). I'm not even sure if any of these are still operating these days. (My days of wandering the streets late in the evening in search of sustenance after an evening on the turps are long gone.)

[Grumpy]

Sauce? Qld pies dont need sauce. :popcorn

That's un-Australian:popcorn
No Sauce, how can you have a pie "if you don't eat your meat" -with sauce
Even the SA floater has sauce on top with salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar if one pleases.
You won't be getting any poncie pie with fancy peas inside it down here young fella especially with out some 'dead horse'

[Grumpy]

mmmmmm, pies. i like pies. time for an early lunch perhaps?

Now you've done it - pie for lunch today, thanks Rod.

[JohnA]

why ruin a good unhealthy pie?

[Grumpy]

Actually, although we tend to make a bit of a song and dance about the pie floater here in SA, it seems to be becoming rather scarce. There were only ever a few pie-carts (outside the railway station on North Tce, the post office in Victoria Square, and on the Parade at Norwood). I'm not even sure if any of these are still operating these days. (My days of wandering the streets late in the evening in search of sustenance after an evening on the turps are long gone.)

Hey we had one down at the Port for years too -near the Black Diamond Corner. The Admiral hotel on that corner took over as the best pie floater around and was a hugely popular lunch time attraction, even for the police who were stationed across the road and some very big eating Port adelaide footballers -sometimes on match day; how could they play after a lunch of floater and beer?

[Mick35]

I'm with you Jake. A pie and peas whilst driving, the best FAST FOOD you can eat on the go And an ICE COLD COKE to wash it all down.

[emesbee]

Hey we had one down at the Port for years too -near the Black Diamond Corner. The Admiral hotel on that corner took over as the best pie floater around and was a hugely popular lunch time attraction, even for the police who were stationed across the road and some very big eating Port adelaide footballers -sometimes on match day; how could they play after a lunch of floater and beer?

Sorry I missed the Port, Grumpy. I didn't know there was a pie cart there.

[2sheds]

Sydney style from the landmark Harry's Cafe de Wheels at Woolloomoloo (since 1938)....





cheers
2sheds

[comfortablynumb]

By the way, I reckon the best pies I've ever had were from the Stone Hut Bakery (at Stone Hut, in the mid north of SA).

My God!!! Someone who knows where Stone Hut is! Well bugger me.
Spent alot of time there as a youngster when staying at cousins farm just out of town.

[emesbee]

My God!!! Someone who knows where Stone Hut is! Well bugger me.
Spent alot of time there as a youngster when staying at cousins farm just out of town.

I've driven from Adelaide to the Flinders Ranges and back many times, and often passed through Stone Hut along the way.

[emesbee]

Sydney style from the landmark Harry's Cafe de Wheels at Woolloomoloo (since 1938)....





cheers
2sheds

Turn it up the other way, add a dollop of tomato sauce, and voila! Pie floater!

[Jake]

Ive had the Harry's pies, they are ok, but not as good as a proper Qld roadside pie n peas.

[Nigel]

There is a pie shop in Kangaroo Valley NSW(1.5 hrs south of The Greatest City in the World) called the World's Best Pie Shop (or something like that). I wnet in expecting normal pies and was very pleasantly surprised. Not your normal smooth circular base with a flat top, but a gnarly lumpy pastry with all sorts of gourmet fillings. I will stop by there next time I go through K.V. Not cheap and the queue was about 8 long on a Sunday midday.

[comfortablynumb]

Sauce? Qld pies dont need sauce. :popcorn

I'm with you Jake.NO SAUCE on my pie thankyou.Having said that it MUST be a decent pie.I do put sauce on mass produced supermarket type pies(so they have some taste!!!)

So what makes a good pie?Hmmmm

Nice flaky pastry(no foil bases pastry all soggy)
Real meat (not scalps and bums)
NO microwaving (yuk)
Gravy not too runny or stodgy
Correct temp (ie not cold or scalding)


Anyone have other additions?

[emesbee]

Stone Hut bakery have a website:-
http://www.oldbakerystonehut.com.au/
Called in while returning from my last Flinders Ranges trip, and had one of their pies. Also took several away with me, and shared them later with my folks back in Adelaide. They were excellent.

[Nigel]

So what makes a good pie?Hmmmm

Nice flaky pastry(no foil bases pastry all soggy)
Real meat (not scalps and bums)
NO microwaving (yuk)
Gravy not too runny or stodgy
Correct temp (ie not cold or scalding)


Anyone have other additions?

Flavour. I like pies that taste fantastic. Ones with sizzling garlic prawns inside, fresh from the warmer at the 24 hour BP station.

[damohpi]

Ive had the Harry's pies, they are ok, but not as good as a proper Qld roadside pie n peas.

Must say I agree, have had Harry's a few times when we lived down that way and can't say I was overly impressed...

[Jake]

Peter Percival Patterson had a pet pig named Porky
This Pet Pig named Porky loved pie
He loved pizza pie, pumpkin pie, pineapple pie, pizza pie, mince tarts
and Peter Percival Patterson's pet pig Porky loved
Pie for breakefast, pie for lunch, pie in the afternoon and pie before he
went to bed.
Peter Percival Patterson's pet pig Porky ate soo much pie,
Do you know what he did?
He popped.

[mondie]

l love a good rat coffin complete with dead horse, but not to sure about this peas on top thing Jake

[Jake]

l love a good rat coffin complete with dead horse, but not to sure about this peas on top thing Jake

No no no! Not ON top Mondie, IN the top. There is a big difference.

[damohpi]

[Grumpy]

Next time I have a few SNA'rs over I'll make some Pie Floaters.
A good pie for these sorts of gathering are the smaller party pies you can buy frozen at the Supermarkets.

[Jake]

Next time I have a few SNA'rs over I'll make some Pie Floaters.
A good pie for these sorts of gathering are the smaller party pies you can buy frozen at the Supermarkets.

You've never been to Qld have you Grumpy.

[Grumpy]

You've never been to Qld have you Grumpy.

Umm! yes I have, but only in the outback -Why Jake?

[Jake]

Pie floaters man! Do you know Ive never had one in my life? It seems such a Mexican thing, and you would be hard pressed to find one up here in the world of banana bending anyway.

Actually, I think I have had one, a ship's cook served it up one night about 20 years ago, but he was from Sydney or somwhere down there

Anywyay Gazza, if you had ever spent much time up here, then you would understand the venerable pie n peas, a handful of heaven

[hybridfiat]

It shows how parochial West Australians are, last week I told my family and some freinds about the "pie floater" and they wouldn't believe me?!

[Jake]

It shows how parochial West Australians are, last week I told my family and some freinds about the "pie floater" and they wouldn't believe me?!

Really? I think its a pommy thing isnt it, and it seems the Mexicans have adopted it as their own.:popcorn

Im going to Rocky (pie van on every corner) tomorrow and I will try and grab a pie and peas just for a photo.

Im racing in the last race of the season and I cant eat a pie just before jumping on the bike!

[davel]

Sacrilige

Meat pie on musshy peas please


Onion gravy optional

[Jake]

While all of Mexico waffles on about pizza, I was having a piece of perfection yesterday. I happened to be going through Gin Gin on my way to Rainbow Beach in the morning and grabbed a Steak and Mushroom Pie with Peas.

Here, dear Mexicans, is how a pie should be

[ATTACH]10890[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]10891[/ATTACH]

The pie was made early that morning, then at time of sale was opened up and filled with steamy hot mushy peas. Yuummmmoooo

Good thing we are not having aa pie contest eh? :popcorn

Cheers,
Jake

[hired goon]

G'day,

Good thing we are not having aa pie contest eh? :popcorn

Yes, because that pie+peas looks like one of the foulest culinary horrors of my ken, in both aesthetics and taste. Even worse than Vegemite.

(As you can guess, peas and black paste beer byproducts are the two foodstuffs I loathe most).

--Geoff