When most people hear the word pie, they imagine a sweet, fruity
. However, in the United Kingdom, all kinds of meat pies are regularly eaten, including one really extraordinary version called stargazy pie. This unique pie is made with fish, but the most unusual aspect of the pie is that the fish heads actually stick out of the top of the crust! Does that sound
? Many diners would agree with you, but there are some good reasons why the pie is made the way that it is.
First, British chefs will tell you that the
position of the sardines (the fish usually used in this pie) helps the fish's oil soak downward into the pie, ensuring it is moist and flavorful. While the fish heads are
, the bottom half of the sardines have had their skin and bones removed before cooking. This allows the diner to eat the pie without getting a mouthful of
fish bones. Add in some eggs, potatoes, and salt, and this dish is ready for the
adventurers of the world to taste.
Another reason the pie is made with such an
appearance is tradition. According to an old British story, a local village was starving due to a
. One of the village's residents, a man named Tom Bawcock, wanted to help feed his fellow villagers, braving a dangerous storm and bringing in a huge
of fish. Once he returned home, the villagers celebrated his incredible
by throwing all the different kinds of fish into a giant pie, with the fish heads happily sticking out the top. The fish, they said, were
out at the stars, and so the pie was named stargazy pie. Now, every December 23, the people of that village hold a
and eat stargazy pie.
