Easy as pie as Middleton-in-Teesdale chip shop cooks up award for second year running

A POPULAR chippy has won a fistful of medals for the second year running with their handcrafted meat pies.
All four pastry creations entered by Middleton-in-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop achieved podium places at the 2017 National Pie Awards.
Brother and sister team David Amsden and Lydia Sunter were thrilled with the haul. Mr Amsden said: “To get a prize out of every one we sent is great and we’ve done better than last year.
“Everything we are doing is to keep that standard level up there. It’s nice to get a bit of feedback to tell you you’re doing okay – the customers are pretty quick to tell you if you’re not anyway.”
Two bronze medals were dished out for the shop's minted lamb and potato pie and its steak and potato pie.
A classic steak and kidney and their new chicken curry creation both claimed silver.
Ms Sunter, 28, paid tribute to the shop’s team and said the wait for news was no less nerve wracking than last year.
“Because I knew how it works this year, if anything, I was a bit more on edge,” she added.
“The chicken curry one is new and seems to be proving quite popular. We thought we would send it on and just try it.”
The sibling owners have slowly built a loyal following since moving into the upper dale in 2012.
Their fish and chips were hailed among the top 50 in the country in 2015 and they took the eye at last year’s pie award ceremony with a double award win.
“Even throughout the dale we get regulars from Evenwood and Cockfield,” added Mr Amsden. 
“Over the summer we get a man from Kirkby Stephen come over the tops once or twice a week for his dinner.
“He drives past three fish and chip shops in Kirkby Stephen and one in Brough to get here.”
Farm produce from their Wensleydale roots, hand-rolled pastry and slow cooked meat have all played their part in a winning formula for the shop.  Recipes remain trade secrets for now but new flavours are on the horizon.
Ms Sunter added: “We’ve thought about doing another beef one and calling it the Middleton miners’ pie – I think we’ll do it later this year.
“It’s good having a bit of competition – it keeps you on your toes and you don’t become complacent but it’s nice being the only ones in the village for the moment.”