[3], In spite of the fact that the British Food Trust describes the dish as being fun as well as amusing to children,[2] it has been listed in "Yuck! The salty bacon and mild custard balance out the fishy taste of the sardines, which cook into rich, flaky bites under the pie’s crispy crust. In this case, the pie is served to celebrate the bravery of Tom Bawcock, a local fisherman in the 16th century. [7][better source needed], On 23 December, Tom Bawcock decided to brave the storms and went out in his fishing boat. The position of the fish allows the oil that is released during cooking to drain into the pie, adding a fuller flavour and ensuring the pie is moist. Richard Stevenson, chef at The Ship Inn in Mousehole, suggests that any white fish will work for the filling, with pilchards or herring just added for the presentation. disgusting things people eat (number 9)", Stargazy pie, description, history, recipe and image, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stargazy_pie&oldid=986812822, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 November 2020, at 04:13. His description was regarding the festivities prior to 1900, though he doubted the reality of Tom Bawcock, suggesting it was in fact "Beau Coc". Nobody's certain about these things. [10] Since 1963, the festival has been run against the backdrop of the Mousehole village illuminations, where the entire harbour is lit up, along with many other displays. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 disk of dough into a 12” round. In his book Popular Romances of the West of England; or, The drolls, traditions, and superstitions of old Cornwall, a collection of Cornish traditions, Robert Hunt explains that the Devil crossed the River Tamar to Torpoint. This recipe first appeared in the tablet edition of our April 2014 issue with Mary Sue Milliken's story Forgotten Fish. Tom Bowcock with his famous Stargazy Pie. Although there are a few variations with different fish being used, the unique feature of stargazy pie is fish heads (and sometimes tails) protruding through the crust, so that they appear to be gazing skyward. The story of Bawcock was popularised by Antonia Barber's children's book The Mousehole Cat, which featured the stargazy pie. The village children will cast paper boats out from the shore. [1], Stargazy pie is a pastry-based fish pie which, by tradition, is filled with whole pilchards. I don't know exactly when, but it's a big deal in Mousehole. Get the recipe for Stargazy Pie (English Sardine Pie) », Chiquetaille de Mourue (Marinated Salt Cod), Falastin: Equal Parts Cookbook and Conversation Starter, Orange- and Herb-Roasted Spatchcock Chicken, Bokit: The Soul of Guadeloupe in a Sandwich, How a Combination Oven Will Help You Prepare an Unforgettable Holiday Feast, 1 tsp. An then us had a bet o scad Although there are a few variations with different fish being used, the unique feature of stargazy pie is fish heads (and sometimes tails) protruding through the crust, so that they appear to be gazing skyward. In this case, the pie is served to celebrate the bravery of Tom Bawcock, a local fisherman in the 16th century. Usually I am the person who shows up at a party with a six-pack of beer and a bag of chips. [16], For presentation, one suggestion is that the pilchards be arranged with their tails toward the centre of the pie and their heads poking up through the crust around the edge. Fresh sardines are easy to find at upscale fish markets like Citarella or the Lobster Place in New York (just make sure you ask your fishmonger to clean them for you).