WHEN the first ancient builders scraped mud into blocks and left them to harden in the sun around the city of Jericho in about 7,000BC little did they appreciate the longevity of their innovation. In colder climes the blocks would be hardened by covering them with straw and coal-burning them until solid. In the UK the process was developed to the maximum and kilns spewed forth bricks by the millions for the voracious appetite of a construction industry building countless terrace, semi-detached and detached houses for the nation’s masses. At its height the industry supported 1,500 brickworks in the UK until more modern techniques of breeze blocks, glass and steel saw demand plummet leaving today only around 40 manufacturers supplying the trade.
The results are in from the Great Wight Mince Pie Review Challenge and the winner has been named. Jacqueline Thornes s wonderful mince pies were judged to have nice short pastry with lovely chunky filling with a hint of booze . Judges, Glen Jones and Dan Wavell, co-founders of the challenge, Matrix employee Jamie and County Press editor Alan Marriott, found it hard to choose between all the contestants. Jacqueline, from Shanklin, said she would be spending Christmas bragging to her husband about her success. Second was Malcy Alder-Smith, also of Shanklin, whose pie had beautiful thin pastry and a nice almond topping .
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