Weird food: Pie floater
RUPERT Murdoch might balk at the thought of pies, following a certain the shaving foam pie incident in parliament last July, but he has more in common with them than you might imagine.
Because the newspaper behemoth forged his career in Adelaide, also home to the pie floater.
If you’re wondering what a pie floater is, I should begin by reassuring you that it isn’t something you’ll find in a train loo, but a meat pie, turned upside down in a slurry of pea soup and topped with a slash of ketchup.
Pie Floater
Pie carts serving pies and a variety of soups were prevalent in Adelaide in the 1870s and though no-one knows how the first pie ended up in the pea soup, I’m guessing a pie-eyed (sorry, it had to be done) passer-by dropped it in by accident, then had a ‘eureka’ moment.
Adelaideans are proud of this stodgy, carb-laden treat, a fast food dish so famous it was recognised in 2003 as a South Australian Heritage Icon by the National Trust of Australia.
To construct my masterpiece, I heat up a Sainsburys’ steak and kidney pie and a saucepan of Baxter’s pea soup. This is the Brit version, innit?
My plate looks like it’s covered in the liquidised remains of a frog and the sad truth is that the crispy pie crust (my favourite part of the pie) is a soggy mess. That said, the minty flavour of the pea soup and tangy ketchup complement the meaty pie.
So with David Cameron’s plans to tax hot pasties and sausage rolls imminent you might want to consider making your own. After soaking up the authentic Aussie atmosphere and a pint at the Redback or Walkabout, head home and construct this tasty treat!
ENDS
Have you tried a pie floater? What did you think? What other weird food combinations have you tried? Leave your comments below.
Weird Foods 