Eliza Acton has an interesting section of her 1845 cookery book, Modern Cookery, on pies. What could be more British than a pie… pastry (of whatever sort) encasing a filling (of whatever sort)
After Eliza’s ‘introductory remarks’ she instructs the reader on how to glaze the pasty, how to make feuilletage, or fine French puff pastry,, how to make a very good light paste (pastry) and an English paste, cream crust, paté brise or French crust for hot or cold meat pies, flead crust (flead, she tells us, is the provincial name for the leaf or inside fat of a pig) common suet crust, very superior suet crust, very rich short crust for tarts, excellent short crust for sweet pasty, brioche paste and modern potato pastry.
After giving us a recipe for casserole of rice she then gives recipes for a good common English game pie, modern chicken pie and its lowly cousin, a common English pie, pigeon pie (mmm, how delicious!!) beef-steak pie, common mutton pie and a good mutton pie, and raised pies.
She goes on with a variety of vol-au-vents, tarts, tartlets and patties. Her recipes are precise and instructive, although the format is different from what we expect today and need more reading and thought.
Lois Elsden 
I think there is some inate talent or even sorcery involved in making pastry. My poor Mother followed the instructions to a tee and still it didn’t turn out the way she wanted. I still ate it though because of the magic ingredient of love that she put in. Miss her every day!
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My mum was a whizz with pastry… I’m a bit hit and miss… and I’m always disappointed with the result! And love is the best flavouring to any dish!
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