Bath Chaps may have been Bath’s best-known dish back in the days of Prince Bladud, but a pub is now aiming to update the city’s place on the culinary map.
The Assembly Inn, a pub owned by Baths only brewery Abbey Ales, has created The Bath Pie in conjunction with new local pie makers Lovett Pies, which they believe will give the city a new speciality dish with an appeal to locals and visitors alike.
The inspiration came to Assembly Inn licensee Caroline Walcot and pub Chef Alex Coxall when they set out to serve up a local dish on the pub’s menu. “We came up with a blank,” says Caroline. “With so much interest in local food these days, We decided we had better create our own regional dish. After all, we are part of Bath’s only brewery.”
The concept was put to Lovett Pie chefs Christopher Parry and Phil Roseblade who developed the pie. “Using a classic combination the three key ingredients are Bellringer Ale brewed in the heart of Bath, local beef from Marshfield and ‘Bath Blue’ Cheese which are all locally sourced from no further than 5 miles from Bath and work together perfectly to create a wonderful dish,” said Phil. “We hope other pubs will take it up, as well as restaurants, schools, canteens and hotels within the county,” said Chris. “In years to come we could reach the dizzy heights of Lancashire hotpot, Devon cream teas, and Cornish Pasties!
The pie went on the menu at the Assembly at the start of December, and already accounts for a large percentage of food sales at the Abbey Ales pub. “The response to a Bath pie has been incredible,” said Caroline.
“Tradition has to start sometime, so why not now?”
Caroline Walcot 01225 333639
Alan Morgan 07711 118441