Marks and Spencers

Purchased on 1st November and best before 1st November...hmmm...come on M&S we think your stock management might need some attention. Does display until the 1st mean display on the 1st or remove on the 1st? Anyway, let's talk pie.

No issues with the packaging, no air holes or tears so this pie should be in good condition.

First impresson, the pie looks okay, a good shine, no obvious fat on top, just enough roughness in shape to look 'real'.

Touching the pie. It's a bit softer than I was expecting. This might be the best before issue rearing its ugly head. I'm now wondering if the shine betrays a limp pastry.

Pass the knife. Taking a standard knife from a cutlery set I cut the pie into quarters. This pie is definitely sinking under the pressure. The edge crust should be hard against the knife, with a little crumble, but instead it is giving way too easily. It could be worse, but this is not looking good.

The cut surface of the pie meat is textured like a fine sandpaper, this could be a cleaner cut.

The pie crust is even all round, a good quality.

The gelatine is distributed very unevenly, tending to sit in one place. Now I like a good mouthful of gelatine as much as the next man, but with a pie it's nice to spread it around.

Eating the pie is a disappointing experience. The pie components seem to share a common consistency. The crust does not differentiate itself enough. The meat is understated and I'm left with the lingering saltiness of the gelatine.

Flavour balance: meat 35%, pastry 45%, gelatine 20%.

Overall score: 6/10