Enjoying ‘the life of pie’
Before it was used as a word for pastry, “pie” was once the word for magpie. It comes from the Latin word for the bird, Pica, which eventually morphed into “pie” in Old French. Many phrases about pie, that magical dish, have worked themselves into our daily lexicon: “easy as pie”, “pie in the sky”, “pie hole”, “eat humble pie”, etc.
Regardless, what we all know about pie is its fundamental homey comfort. Only minimal ingredients are needed: flour, fat, a bit of sugar and a bit of water to become – when baked – something transformative. Its light, flaky and delicious composition is commonly associated with dessert, encasing fruit, often seasonal – what would we do without pumpkin pie in the fall?
Just Pies on the West Bench do a bang-up job of fruit pies and there are vendors at the Penticton Farmers’ Market that do pie justice for dessert. But what about savoury fillings?
A slice of warm cinnamon-y apple pie is, as they say, the cat’s meow, but I’ll pass in favor of a chicken potpie on the menu, or steak and kidney in a rich luscious gravy.
It seems I’m not alone. False Bay Savoury Pies opened their doors in Penticton on Jan. 31 and – strictly by word of mouth – sold out of approximately 500 pies in 1½ hours their first day. With regular early sell-out days and lineups out the door at their White Street location, owners and budding pie royalty Anita and Kevin Best are working tirelessly to keep up with the overwhelming demand.
Everything is made by hand, on site, from their repertoire of 20 different savoury pies. They can make 150 to 200 pies per day – it’s strictly take out – with a selection of 12 different kinds daily, with the freezer stocking any surplus.
The couple – so pleased with the response here – perfected their pastry and their product in Gibsons, B.C. where they started their business under the name Loki’s (named after their cat).
The pies were made mostly for wholesale orders and could be found in many Vancouver-area grocery stores.
But the margins were low for the entrepreneurs, who love to cook, and they wanted more creative freedom – and a fresh start.
Not to be confused with Loki’s Garage in Penticton, the couple settled on the name False Bay, a nod to Kevin’s Cape Town roots. The pastry is Anita’s domain, an all-butter recipe that produces flaky, flavourful and beautifully coloured results.
That pastry holds generously portioned ingredients, with all the meats slow-roasted, and made into 5 and 9-inch pies. Some of their best-sellers include: Irish beef and Guinness, steak and kidney, vegetable, chicken potpie, coconut chicken curry, tourtiere, lamb, peppercorn steak, and pork with bacon-onion jam.
The 5-inch pies are called a single serve, but with their ample ingredients and rich pastry, I find they are great for two people to share. I love the pies’ homemade appearance, and you can tell there is a lot of heart and soul that goes into each one.
All the pies come in a foil pie plate for ease in heating up in the oven. (And remember, you can recycle those foil plates in your curbside recycling.)
The couple’s new creative freedom has them trying new fillings such as brisket mac n cheese – which just might be another top seller – and a fish pie with cod and prawns.
In the freezer, you’ll also find Boerewors sausage, a South African specialty and proprietary Best recipe.
A type of farmer’s sausage, shaped into a coil, Boerewors is made with a mixture of meats, usually coarsely ground, with distinct spicing such as black pepper, nutmeg, clove, allspice and coriander. Fire up the barbecue!
And two fruit pies – apple and peach – satisfy any sweet cravings.
Pie fans can try their luck by just showing up when the doors open at 11 a.m., but to guarantee pie satisfaction, the Bests recommend either emailing or placing an order online, especially if you’re ordering in multiples.
“We’re not saying we’re the best,” says Kevin very modestly, “but we do the best we can.”
False Bay Savoury Pies, 98 White Avenue, lokis.ca, Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or until sold out.
With fork and pen in hand, and a passion for culinary adventure, Shelora Sheldan, writer, cook and curious traveller, goes in search of the delectable.