The Meat Pie Gang welcomed 2009 with a trailblazing trip to the fabled Maureen's of Poplar. The operation was enabled with an advanced reconnaissance by our new found chums Jason Sharp and Anthony 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow' Ruello, who scoped the Chrisp Street compound two days before. Both have accepted work postings to E14 in order to step up their p-n-m sorties.

Mister Sharp is seen in the further pic gleefully slicing and dicing his way to a comfortable points advantage over his absent pie pal.

We had the privilege of meeting with Ron Cox esq., correspondent of the club and denizen of Chatham. You might like to know that as an infant Ron cut his teeth on the mighty Cooke's-of-Dalston pie crusts. (This was a few years ago.) He has furnished me with several excellent pie shop profiles from his manor, and we were honoured that he'd made the trip into town.

One's heart was gladdened to see the working man welcome in this establishment, and to note the 'Baker's Dozen Offer' (13 pies for the price of 12). It's a bit like adding on another two miles to the end of a marathon — could you go the extra pie?

Cakeholes were cheerfully stuffed with Maureen's tasty pastry — this was no mean space-filler nor paltry points-earner, but genuinely goluptious grub of the highest order.

I couldn't resist a peek into the control room where the marvellous transformation of base materials was taking place.

Tile features: a medieval pie hostel, I daresay. I searched the premises but could find no trace of the oaken barrels of mead depicted here.

A fellow diner and enthusiast — and driver of the Poplar Omnibus, I believe — related to us a short history of Maureen's. It was originally located around the corner on East India Dock Road — now the site of Balkwill's 'Traditional'. The 'Maureen's' family sold up and retired to the Isle of Wight, but missed Poplar life so much they moved back into town and set up a new shop at the current premises in Chrisp Street Market. In order to avoid a conflict of business interests with 'Traditional', eels have remained off-menu ever since. Despite this crucial missing ingredient, Maureen's is a top-notch pie shop — and their salt beef dinner looks sensational.

Here is Mister Maureen's (aka Jason) at the Pie Face, about to serve up another triumphal trayful. Pie-try in Motion if you'll indulge me, and surely a candidate for the Pi[e]relli 2009 calendar.

Over the counter items: Note the cutlery arrayed handles-upwards — it doth tick my (lunch) box.

Here is Jason Sharp ready for the outdoors — and looking pretty sharp with it. The heat transfer from the pie furnace will keep him warm — and happy — for hours.

For the well 'rugged-up' there were further food options to be had from Chrisp Street's concourse parisenne. Savaloys are also available from this hut.

It was quite a 'chrisp' day.

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