AN ambitious baker is planning to sell DIY Scotch pie kits as a delicacy to sophisticated Parisiens.
Martin Burns has come up with the idea of selling empty pie cases to customers and letting them come up with a filling of their choice.
The 41-year-old reckons many pie lovers are increasingly nervous about the contents of their favourite snack – particularly after the horse meat scandal.
Martin, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, is selling packs of pie shells for £10 to £15 and says he has already had enquiries from ex-pats as far afield as Australia, Switzerland and Marbella, Spain.
But he would love to persuade famous foodies the French to fall in love with Scotch pies.
He said: “They have petit pate de pezenas in Paris, which is sort of their own smaller version of the Scotch pie.
“It’s a delicacy in France so it would be great to see people across Paris getting the shells and creating a new delicacy of their own.”
Martin, who launched his online sales business last week, said he got the idea after his sister expressed her own worries about what went in to some Scotch pies.
Horse
He said of his DIY kits: “It’s all quite transparent. You can see exactly what nutrients are in it and make an informed choice about what you are eating.
“If you want to fill it with horse and you live in Belgium, go ahead.
“If you want to put steak in it, or fajitas or even your favourite desert, then go ahead. It’s up to you.”
Martin, who was the director of a bakery in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, reckons worldwide affection for Scottish culture could help sales.
“I figured that people love Scottish nights across the world, not just Burns Night.
“The enquiries so far are really positive. It’s really exciting to think people in Switzerland and Spain can be making their own pies and starting their own home-made delicacies.
Exotic
“Scots living in these countries miss their pies and are keen to make their own – you can’t beat a proper Scotch pie after all.”
“The cases can provide a base for anything – chicken curry, macaroni cheese, quiche, you name it,” he said.
“I would love to sell the cases to different exotic places and people could take their photographs next to various landmarks. It would help share the Scottish traditional globally.
“But what would make me really happy is to see someone on Malibu Beach in California take a photo of themselves with their own US take of a Scots pie or something.”
Each kit includes a choice of shells, small or medium in size, and either a special Scotch pie seasoning or a special gravy mix.
You can add either sweet or savoury fillings to the casings to make your own unique Scottish cuisine.
Customers can chose the quantity they want from a three choices- 12 bog cases, six big and 12 small cases or 24 small cases.
Delivery in the UK is currently £3.50 2nd class, taking three days in the post.
However, Mr Burns does not supply the lids to the pies as they do not keep in transit.
He said: “It’s all to do with the water content – but we supply a recipe on our website for a simple dough that people can use for finishing off their pies.”
