Is Stargazy Pie real?
Stargazy pie is a pastry-based fish pie which, by tradition, is filled with whole pilchards. Critically, the pilchards must retain their heads, which then poke through the pastry top, appearing to gaze at the stars.
Why is it called Stargazy pie?
It is said to have been created in Mousehole, Cornwall (pronounced mow-zul) in honour of a brave fisherman called Tom Bawcock. Legend has it that Tom sailed out into a violent stormy sea to fish when the village was facing starvation.
Do you eat the fish in Stargazy pie?
You don’t eat the heads or tails of the fish in the pie; you just pick them out and discard them. Some versions of the pie decorate the top of the pie with piecrust stars as well. Occasionally, the top crust may be mashed potato instead of a pastry crust.
Is The Mousehole Cat a true story?
It’s based on a Cornish legend about a C16th fisherman called Tom Bawcock who is still celebrated in Mousehole. The beautiful illustrations are great for children, but anyone who is interested in Cornish folklore, fishing or cats would surely love this story.
Who made Stargazy pie?
Jack Guard
Jack Guard is a 95-year-old Mousehole man who’s lived in the port for decades. While he sits in his cottage and updates his Facebook (really), I speak to him about his now-deceased wife who, he says, actually invented the Stargazy Pie back in the ’60s.
What fish is a pilchard?
sardine
pilchard, a species of sardine (q.v.) found in Europe. It is the local name in Great Britain and elsewhere. Pilchards, or European sardines (Sardina, or Clupea, pilchardus).
Who invented Stargazy pie?
Jack Guard is a 95-year-old Mousehole man who’s lived in the port for decades. While he sits in his cottage and updates his Facebook (really), I speak to him about his now-deceased wife who, he says, actually invented the Stargazy Pie back in the ’60s.
What is the key ingredient in Stargazy pie?
Stargazy pie (sometimes called starrey gazey pie, stargazey pie and other variants) is a Cornish dish made of baked pilchards (or sardines), along with eggs and potatoes, covered with a pastry crust.
What’s the key ingredient in Stargazy pie?
What is inside the unusual British dish Stargazy pie?
It’s said to be born of famine. Stargazy Pie is an odd-looking invention: The heads and tails of pilchards poke out of a shortcrust lid. Their bodies, meanwhile, are tucked under the pastry; a white sauce envelopes them. Salty and formidably traditional, it’s seasoned with coarse pepper and parsley.
How did Mousehole get its name?
The origins of its modern name ‘Mousehole’ are unknown, although it is suggested that it was derived from the Cornish word Moeshayle, meaning “young woman’s brook”, while others maintain it as simply being a reference to the original tiny harbour, or to a nearby sea cave, which resembled a mouse hole.
Where Is The Mousehole Cat set?
Mousehole Cornwall
This is the stunningly illustrated story of the seaside village of Mousehole Cornwall, where Mowzer the cat lives happily with old fisherman Tom – Tom who rocks the rocking chair just right, and catches fresh fish for dinner every night.
What is stargazy pie?
Although there are a few variations using other types of fish, the unique feature of stargazy pie is fish heads (and sometimes tails) protruding through the crust, so that they appear to be gazing to the stars.
How many types of fish are in a stargazy pie?
According to the modern festival, which is combined with the Mousehole village illuminations, the entire catch was baked into a huge stargazy pie, encompassing seven types of fish and saving the village from starvation. The story of Bawcock was popularised by Antonia Barber ‘s children’s book The Mousehole Cat, which featured the stargazy pie.
What can I substitute for fish in a stargazy pie?
Other alternatives to the main fish can be crayfish and rabbit or mutton. The stargazy pie is always topped with a pastry lid, generally shortcrust but sometimes puff pastry, through which the fish heads and sometimes tails protrude.