Member Article

Eric’s Pie Wings Its Way To Victory

Yorkshire –born Eric Richmond believed his greatest triumph was being the youngest-ever Lancaster Bomber pilot in World War 2. But two years after his death a pork pie recipe he devised 70 years ago has won a top award. Eric was only 19 when he volunteered to fight for his country. He joined the RAF 100 Squadron stationed in Lincolnshire and flew on many successful missions.

When he left the RAF in 1945 he followed in his father’s footsteps and became a respected butcher and had a factory in Ossett and seven shops in Yorkshire, mainly around the Wakefield area. He reared his own cattle and pigs and was so respected in the industry went on to judge at the Royal Smithfield Show, an accolade granted to very few. One of the first products his Eric Richmond company made was a small pork pie made to Eric’s secret recipe . The pie is still made at the Dale Street, Ossett factory using locally sourced pork and more than 6,000 of them are sold every week.

The pie has won the Small Pork Pie class at the Great Yorkshire Pork Pie, Sausage and Black Pudding Competition held at the Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate. It was also won the Willis Hall trophy donated by a famous Yorkshireman and pie lover. One of the judges was celebrity chef, Brian Turner , who hails from West Yorkshire.

The event, in its 27th year, is organised by The Confederation of Yorkshire Butchers Councils. This year for the first time it was thrown open to butchers and individuals across the country and attracted almost 300 entries.

Tom and Anne-Marie Martin, who bought the business last year said today the award was a fitting tribute to Eric especially in the 70th anniversary year. “We are thrilled to win this award because it is the first competition we have entered since taking over last August . It proves how Eric wasn’t just a brave pilot who risked his life for his country but was also a great pie maker . He will now go down in history for both,” said Tom.

Tom, who has always had a passion for good food, worked in the IT industry until last year when he took redundancy and used the money to buy the Eric Richmond factory from Eric ‘s son Robin who retired. Another son, Michael runs his own butchers shop in Barnsley Road, Wakefield and is one of Tom and Anne-Marie’s best customers.

The couple work with 15 staff and make over 100 different pies and more than 10 varieties of sausage. They supply around 40 independent small shops in Yorkshire. They include butchers, delis and market stalls. Pontefract market has two stalls that sell the award winning pork pie and it is on offer at the moment for 99p.

Tom is in talks with a Super League Rugby Club at the moment to supply pies and he and Anne-Marie are working on attracting more new business over the next 12 months. “ We are absolutely loving it. It is a pleasure to get up in a morning and come to work, and we feel winning this award is a step in the right direction. The competition was tough and standards high.“

So what makes their pie a winner? According to Tom it is using locally sourced pork, a secret seasoning mix and making their own hot water pastry. “It’s down to the balance. Fans always comment on how crumbly and delicious the pastry is and the flavour of the meat and jelly.”

He is thrilled to see that baking is back in fashion and more and more men and women are making their own pies at home and using fillings such as rabbit, pheasant and partridge, like in the company’s famous Christmas Game Pies.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Caprice O'Sullivan .