Actually Eric understates the case.

Scotch pies were part of a chapter in history that has almost disappeared from human memory - not even an episode on the history Channel - The Great Indigestible Pie Era.

It was like this.

It was after the war. Apart from fish and chips, food outside of ones home was an alien concept to most English people. However there were cafes that sold cups of tea, pies, and crisps. They hadn't really got the hang of coffee.

who can forget the Walls S & K - two tiny cubes of steak two finger nailsized off cuts of kidney, in a gravy somewhat resembling nitric acid - served in a jolly blue and red cellophane bag. if you bit into the pie - the gravy squirted out and scalded your hand.

the Steak and Onion, didn't actually contain onion, .....or steak that I can remember. there were areas of brown moisture within plaster of paris crust - but really it wasn't a good idea to enquire too closely

When Pukka Pies appeared in the late 60's with exotic flavours like Chicken and Mushroom - it was a great step forward. that's when England started to swing.

well now you know who ate all the pies!