Thanks John, cheers Tom....

Been reading John Torode's "Beef and Matters Bovine" book and decided to try and cook my favourite of all pastry encased meat in the universe, the basic Aussie 'Meat Pie'. None of your fancy 'gourmet' muck that they sometimes fiddle and faff with, adding 'look how clever I am' ingredients, just good wholesome beef mince in a shortcrust cup with a puff pastry top.

And what better to go with it than some 'posh' chips. Tom Kerridge's "Good Pub Grub" book has a simple recipe for quality home-made chips but to add a twist (I hate that expression) he cuts them round. It's a wee bit wasteful but worth a try.

A year or so ago I was down at Harry's Cafe de Wheels at Woolloomooloo by Sydney Harbour chuffing a great takeaway pie 'floater' - meat pie, mushy peas and mash, floating in gravy. Oooohhh.....

But my favourite version comes from the Caltex Filling Station just outside of Hornsby. So evil it comes in a plain brown wrapper. One bite and the gravy runs down squirts over your face onto your shirt and the ute seat. You remember the pie all the way to Gulgong!

Oh yes, and tonight's mushy peas are from the Tom Kerridge book too.