The best pork pies

After reading this article about a butcher's in North Yorkshire, we decided we must go out there one day to sample some of these delicious-sounding pies. So yesterday we had a trip to Brompton specially to go to Glaves Butchers and try one of the pies for ourselves (and also to stock up on some meat and sausages).

We bought a couple of Barnsley chops (not often seen around here) and some pork and red onion marmalade sausages, but the highlight was the pork pie! We bought one pie each, initially to take home and have with mustard for tea, but, as they were still hot, we decided we would eat them outside the shop. A good decision!

This was the first time I'd eaten hot pork pie, I usually have them cold from the supermarket, with their rubbery, gristly fillings! But this was something else! Lovely, golden perfect pastry encasing delicious, hot pink chunks of pork and oozing liquid jelly. I have never tasted a pork pie as good as this!

This is one shop we will definitely visit again!

Birthday at Byland

Byland Abbey in North Yorkshire

It was my birthday on Thursday (16th April) and so we decided to have a day out somewhere. I had always liked the look of Byland Abbey and so, once we found out that we could catch a bus there, decided to have a visit.

We caught the bus to Helmsley, a wonderful market town which has better shops than Scarborough (as the North Yorkshire market towns always do!) and had dinner in a small cafe which specialised in hot chocolate (the chocolate here is very good!) but today we had smoked salmon panini, with a salad and cracked black pepper crisps accompaniment.

We then caught the bus to Byland Abbey, a 20 minute ride from Helmsley through very nice countryside and got out first sight of the Howardian Hills. It was the first time we had been that way through Ampleforth and Wass and onto Byland Abbey.

Byland Abbey is a very distinctive monument, and once had a huge rose window at the front. In my opinion it is the most beautiful monument in North Yorkshire, if not in England. It belongs to English Heritage.

It was a cold, windy day, and this did spoil the visit somewhat, but I still managed to take 56 photos at Byland! Opposite the Abbey is the Abbey Inn, which has a lovely-sounding menu but we did not eat here. I would like to head out that way again and eat at the Abbey Inn.