There’s a new pie in town—you may have seen it at the Gathering Grounds, or at the County Fair last August. Jessica and Geoffrey Cobb are making and selling “hand pies”—filled with meat, vegetables, or fruit—and their venture is catching on.
Jessica explains that she and Geoffrey “have a little bit of food addiction” and that, while traveling in Australia, they fell in love with that country’s pie shops. Unlike British pasties, which are made from a single piece of dough folded over to create a pocket for the filling, Aussie pies are mini versions of traditional pies, with savory fillings. “It was love at first sight,” Jessica says.
Their Patagonia Pies are 41/2 inches in diameter and weigh about half a pound. They make a hearty meal for one or can be shared by two. Jessica says, “We have tried to take the idea of the traditional meat pie and give it an American—and in some cases a distinctly southwestern—twist. Chile verde was our first creation, then we added chile colorado. But, wanting more variety, we have also started to make chicken and vegetarian versions of Thai curry.”
Realizing that they needed more vegetarian options, the Cobbs created a mushroom bourguignon with wild rice and goat cheese. Jessica notes that “This one instantly became a hit with our small but growing fan base. Classic chicken pot pie has also been a big hit. Another of our occasional specials is Carolina pulled pork BBQ.” All the pies are made from scratch, with minimal ingredients, and can be frozen and easily reheated for a quick supper.
Currently, Jessica and Geoffrey are selling their pies at area farmers markets. The pies are also on the menu at the Gathering Grounds, where they are served with a side salad. They now have a Facebook page and hope to reach out to small stores in the area soon. If you would like to place an order, you can contact them at 520 841-1166 or Patagoniapies@live.com. They deliver weekly.