The Reid wrote:
> I recently Googled "Shepherds pie" and was dismayed to find the
> first few recipes were made from beef. Now I know food words vary
> across the Atlantic more than most other things, but a shepherds
> pie with beef is absurd. Thats cottage pie. Cottage pie is
> anything covered in mash, well, not fish obviously.
>
> Shepherd > sheep > shepherds' pie.
> Cowherd > beef > cottage pie.
>
> No, no one knows why its "cottage", should have been
> "cowherd/cowboy pie". Perhaps the mash looks like thatch?
>
> I have even created a page to try and help put things right:-
> "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/londonfood3.htm"
>
> Please help me in my quest to stamp out this evil, evil habit by
> putting people right when you come across it. Shed blood if you
> have to, its a noble cause.
>
> If you have been, thanks for listening.
> --
> Mike Reid
> Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
> Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
> Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk
Call it anything you like , just don't call me late for supper.

Stranger is the French Canadien name for it (it is Shepard's Pie to the
English Canadians) - Pate Chinois ... Chinese Pie. Just what is Chinese
about it I could never figure out. The ingredients certainly aren't and
even the concpet of a large pie is does not seem ery "Chinese" to me.

As to the shepard - why eat your sheep when you can get one of those
dumb ol' cows to mince into a pie ???? :-)
All chopped up and covered in taties, the cowherd wil be none the wiser.