Charlie Bigham's meals. Once tried, never forgotten

My wife and I had a plan for Valentine's Day, just gone.

We would have a meal at home with a bottle of wine and something tasty served with vegetables and mashed potatoes.

We chose two Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies. And we both promptly fell ill with a rather nasty flu bug that really knocked us for six. Even though we had both had the flu shot!

So the two Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies languished in the freezer until such time as we actually felt like eating a substantial meal.

The first thing that we noticed was that the pies come in nice individual ceramic ramekins. (Which Charlie wants you to donate to a charity shop as they can easily get a couple of Pounds for them.)

The second thing that we noticed is that they actually looked like real, proper pies. (Those of you who have seen some pies on sale in the local supermarket will understand that some pies on sale do not look like proper pies. At all.)

We cooked the pies in our convection oven and soon were overcome by the absolutely delicious aroma that began to waft from the oven.

When it came time to serve the pies we found the to be utterly delicious. The vegetables were just right and the meat was absolutely perfect. Melt in the mouth is the nearest description to the perfection of each piece of carefully selected beef.

And the ale gravy? This was the best ale gravy that I had tasted in, well, ever, really.

The vast majority of steak and ale pies it is not possible to notice any ale in the gravy at all.

But with Charlie Bigham's Steak and Ale Pies you can enjoy a delicious flavouring of the good, high quality ale that is used in the recipe.

And as for the pastry? My wife is an expert pastry cook and she described it as faultless and utterly delicious.

You should be able to find them in Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Ocado, Booths and Budgens.

They should cost £7.00 for two pies.