7th March 2023.
Closing in on completion of Leicestershire’s GBG entries, a very minor pleasure, but the penultimate tick takes me to magical Melton Mowbray on market morning, which sounds an alliterative dream.
All change in Melton’s GBG entries, what happened to the brewery in the market and the bowls club ?
And what have done to deserve (yet another) traditional pub like the Half Moon in the Guide in 2023 ?
Life After Football asks which is the most common beer mat I see these days and while the answer is “I hardly ever see two the same in a month” there’s been a fair few Inch’s mats about. How have they acquired favoured cider status so quickly ?
The Half Moon opens early especially for me on market days, a lovely bonus for rickers. For dramatic effect I arrive via the back door, and admire the fittings while the charming lady pours my Bass.
A symphony in brown, as someone once said.
“Are ya local ?” she asks, probably noticing my failed attempt at surreptitious photography.
I confess I’m from Sheffield and have come especially to visit their pub, to widespread disbelief.
Having been outed I decide to stand at the bar with a trio of locals discussing (from fading memory) runner beans, and tap into their Locale knowledge of other Bass outlets (the Boat) in town.
Not that you’d need to leave the Half Moon; at 11:10 their Bass is superbly cool, clean and rich (NBSS 4). I tell them it’s great but no-one else is drinking it. There’s sometimes an inverse correlation between how many people are drinking a beer and how good it is, whatever anyone else tells you.
“What’s the best place to buy a pork pie then ?” is my second question.
They all point next door.
“But buy the one in the WHITE wrapper” someone adds, “the red ones aren’t made in Melton”.
Since getting married, I find it best to do what I’m told, even if the pie (top) is the best part of seven quid. That pie, grey meat and all, accompanied by a small portion of Stilton, was quite astonishingly good, and as part of a strict calorie controlled diet is probably quite healthy.
retiredmartin 
Pork pie porn.
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The Dickinson & Morris Pork Pie is my favourite in town, though the Ham & Chicken Pies from Derek Jones are the best pies in the world, a symphony of crunch, chew, jelly, and umami.
I’ve now gravitated to the Half Moon given that the Boat doesn’t open lunchtime market day now, which is a bit sad, but it means I’ve discovered Meltons town centre locals pub The Grapes. Earthy, Shipstones Mild, Cobs, recommended.
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Shipstones Mild ? Blimey.
The pork pie and stilton (“in the WHITE wrapper”) was gorgeous. I warm my pork pie up, so does my Dad, is that weird ?
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Yes!
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That pork pie does look tempting and I do like the pale peppery Melton Mowbray pies. Got to say the pink Yorkshire pork pies that you tried in Skipton are my favourite though. Yes and best warm from the oven with the jelly a warm fluid consistency.
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There’s an article in today’s Guardian about proper caffs which has left me yearning for fried bread and now you hit me with pork pies and Stilton! Never mind, I’m on the boat south tonight, heading for the North Riding of Yorkshire where you can eat and drink like a lord.
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Lots of Inch’s cider around because it’s made by Bulmers, wholly owned by Heineken, so rolled out in almost every Star Bars pub and their free trade. It’s sweet, fizzy apple pop.
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I tried one last week. Not great. Alcoholic Appletiser. I see no reason to try again.
I have vague recollections of an Inch’s cider back in the 80s. Don’t recall it being much cop, either.
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I’ve blogged on the half moon and it was a cracker – great to see it getting its fifteen minutes of fame…
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