The name Carlin is synonymous with pies for many Beijingers, so we were delighted to have an opportunity to sample his wares for this week’s Shunyi Family Foodie.

“I’ve been a chef and restaurant owner, originally in Melbourne, for 36 years,” Chris Carlin told us. “I came to Beijing just over three years ago, and started a restaurant serving western food, in Changying, east Beijing. We kept trying to find things that worked with Chinese clients, and finally found the pie niche. We started selling them to expats, now we also send our pies to Shanghai, Wuxi, Shandong, and lots of other areas in China, to expats and to Chinese customers.”

Chris Carlin is as handy with a pool cue as he is with a pie crust

My family all picked a pie to try. Joseph (age 9) went for the Chunky Beef and Cheese, while older brother Noah (12) braved the Mexican Chili. My wife opted for Italian Saged Lamb, and I decided I had to road test the classic Aussie Meat Pie. I also couldn’t resist finding out what a Bacon & Egg Pie might be, and finally we couldn’t miss out on his hugely popular Ham & Cheese Pasty.

Beef and cheese pie with mash and veg

I had hoped to serve them with chips; not french fries, but proper English chips, big, fat, and seasoned with salt and vinegar. As is so often the case though, the potatoes from our local supermarket weren’t up to chipping, so we went for the traditional mash instead, with stir-fried leeks, beans, and asparagus. An Aussie wine seemed the only appropriate choice, so we plumped for a Merlot, not wanting to overwhelm the more subtle flavor of lamb.

The lamb was indeed flavorsome, the chunks tender and the herbs well judged. Noah pronounced the Mexican Chili not too hot – I tried a bit, and the spices were warming rather than mouth-numbing. Joseph scoffed his beef and cheese pie with great enthusiasm.

Joseph enjoys his pie

The meat pie, meanwhile, gave me a Proustian moment, where I flashed back to the pies of my childhood. The pastry is firmer than that of 2 Guys and a Pie, crumbly rather than soft; which style you prefer is a matter of taste. It was the filling though, rich and utterly satisfying, which brought a nostalgic mist to my eyes.

The Bacon and Egg Pie turned out to be nothing more exotic than a quiche Lorraine – which at least explained the comment on the menu that “real men would eat this.” It was certainly a robust and manly take on the recipe. And it was easy to see why kids would wolf down the Ham and Cheese Pasties, which deliver their favorite flavors in a handy package without all the additives a shop-bought equivalent would contain.

A bacon and egg pie – or quiche, if you’re fancy – and ham and cheese pasty

To sample Carlin’s tasty, affordable teatime treats, scan the QR code below.

Photos: Karen Killeen

The word “pie” has different meanings in different cultures. If you’re from North America, you probably picture a sweet fruit pie, or perhaps even a pizza. If you’re Chinese, the filling is wrapped in something like a bun and fried.

But to Brits and Australians alike, a pie is pastry filled with meat in gravy and baked. For me, it’s comfort food for a cold winter’s night at a football match. And for Matthew Wong and Andrew Papas, aka Two Guys and a Pie, it’s an exciting business venture.

Matthew Wong

The two Australians met through work in 2011.

“We were both talking about how it was impossible to find an Australian-style pie in Beijing,” Wong told us, “and that was the number one thing we both craved from home. Then we thought as Australians it would be a great idea (and our duty) to introduce this parcel of enjoyment to Chinese and expats.”

Neither had a culinary background, so the process of producing the pies emerged through trial and error.

“After a few months of mucking around in the kitchen, we decided to see what the public thought about it and did a pop up at the xiao mai bu at the corner of Dirty Bar Street. People seemed to enjoy them and no one said they tasted terrible so we considered that a success!”

Our sister publication played a part in their story too.

“Shortly after,” Wong said, “someone posted on The Beijinger asking where to get pies and so we responded and sent them some samples. The poster then put up a glowing review and the expat mags soon featured us. From there we wanted to open the first pie shop in Beijing and what better place than in Sanlitun, strategically located across from Heaven Supermarket’s original location? Serving punters hot pies with mash, mushy peas, and gravy whilst blasting Aussie tunes at 4 am was a blast!

“We did this for a couple more years but with the gentrification of Sanlitun, tighter regulations and family commitments, we made the decision to close the store and focus on events, wholesale and frozen delivery.”

My family sampled a range of their pies, which we served with buttered beans and asparagus, raw carrot sticks and mashed potatoes. (My tip for extra creamy mash- break an egg into the potatoes as you mash them. If the potatoes are still hot the egg will cook, so there’s no concerns about food safety, and it enriches the texture.) And of course we added onion gravy.

The pastry for the pies is a satisfying shortcrust, nicely balanced with the filling. Take care when heating them; as you can see from the pictures, I set the oven to too high a temperature for the first batch, and burned them slightly. I’d recommend about 20-25 minutes at 320 Fahrenheit (160 Celsius).

Our favorite was the beef and cheese, which we were fighting over, though all the flavors went down well. The fillings were a mixture of the traditional and the locally influenced: Guinness and mushroom was a rich taste of home, while the Thai chicken curry was not too spicy for my offspring, who wolfed it down.

Finally, as a treat for dessert, we had warm apple pie, because even for Aussies and Brits, pie can be sweet and fruity too. We added a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And the kids’ verdict?

“Scrumptious to the last morsel,” said Noah, who’s getting the hang of this.

Photos: Andrew Killeen, courtesy of Matthew Wong

If you have your own secret recipe for Thanksgiving then here is a list of places where you can get a hold of the fowl and pies for your homemade dinner.

Schindler’s Food Center
This German food store or more like a butcher has a wide selection of meats including ham, German sausages, bread, cheeses, and snacks. They will have frozen turkey available that starts at RMB 60-70kg. This favorite go-to place  is usually sold out therefore it’s best to call and put in your order sooner. Email schindler.gfc@163.com or call 6591 9370.

Foreign Supermarkets
April Gourmet, Jenny Lou’s, Jenny Wangs, and DDs (Near Beijing Riviera and Pinnacle Avenue in Shunyi) will all have frozen turkey available at their various branches. The starting rate for most of these are RMB 65/kg at any of the stores. You will get most of the things you will need to make a complete homemade dinner such as pumpkin spice, cranberries, gravy, and stuffing ingredients.

Sanyuanli Market
The meats section will have a wide ranging of turkey available and if you have a contact it’s best to have them delivery at your house. Price will change dramatic from store to store but most will start from RMB 50/kg. The stores on your way to the meat section, one can get a hold of the basic ingredients such as gravy, breaded stuffing, cranberries (canned or not), pumpkins, pumpkin spice.

Boucherie Michel
This French artisanal is one of Beijing’s long standing butcheries that provides families with the bigger sized Turkeys such as a 22kg. The prices usually starts at RMB 70/kg. You can buy quality beef, veal, lamb, cheese, sausages, and much more at their Xingfucun location. Best to place your order by emailing boucheriemichel@hotmail.com or call 6417 0489.

Pies, Pies, Pies…
Thanksgiving can’t be Thanksgiving with the sweet side available. Here are four options to try and get your ready made or made to order pumpkin pie:

Pantry’s Best
This bakery shop has two stores, one near Ditan Park and the other at Indigo Mall. People can purchase using their online store or Taobao. They have an assortment of desserts and have a 6 people Pumpkin Pie at RMB 199. Order at least 24 hours before to ensure you get your hands on this holiday favorite. Note: The website and Taobao are in Chinese only.

Two Guys and a Pie
This savory pies local favorite does tend to give the sweet tooth lovers a Pumpkin pie family size at RMB 120 that’s available during the holidays. Order at least 24-48 hours in advance.

Rager Pie
Well with the name Chunky Punkin’ and the description, “fresh baked Japanese pumpkins add a sweetness to this fall treat,’ the brains behind Rager Pie would like to make this sweet pie a must have. A 2 inch is going for RMB 25 while the 9 inch is RMB 99. The 9 inch serves up to 5-6 people. Orders have to be made 24 hours in advance. This hutong favorite will be a go-to for many living  in the area, therefore get your orders in way ahead of the crowd!

Kempi Deli
This German pastry delight will offer made-to-order pies during the week of Thanksgiving. They have pumpkin, pecan, white chocolate pecan pie to order from for RMB 198. The pies can serve up to 6people. Orders have to be made at least 24 hours before.

Photo: onsugar.com