Eat Pye with Cody and Caleb

Meet Cody and Caleb, the brothers behind those savory hand pies sold Sundays at Farmers Market Bay Meadows. Locally made in San Francisco and sold throughout the Bay Area, Pye is tackling a niche missing in the local cuisine scene, a favorite treat among Australian expats, but also enjoyed in a state these brothers once called home. Been wondering which of the menu selections to try? From the Ham and Cheese with pickled mustard seed to the Butter Chicken, made of tender yogurt marinated chicken in a tomato, ginger spiced curry, it seems you cannot go wrong. The menu so far is pretty evenly split by demand. Caleb’s rec? The Mince & Cheese (slow braised minced beef, onions, gravy, and cheese), pair it up with a pickle and a beer for the perfect combo!

We caught up with Caleb to go behind the scenes and get the skinny on their delicious new creations, read the interview:

We’re noticing a lot of people compare your savory hand “Pyes” to a familiar comfort food in the “Land Down Under”.  Any roots in Australia?

No roots down under but our pies are often compared to those in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, The UK, Scottland, and the list grows. Our roots are from Michigan where there are also meat pies called Pasties. We wanted to be able to eat them whenever we want and they just weren’t available so we started making them. 

What’s the first “Pye” you ever created?

We made a mince pye about 10 years ago that I would be ashamed of today but we thought it was the best thing since sliced bread.

When asked the person they’d most like to create a savory hand Pye for, the duo responded, “our grandfather”.

It appears you use fresh, quality ingredients. Tell us a bit about any local brands that help your “Pyes” stand out:

We are still very new and trying out different sources as we tweak our recipes but I’ll say some of what we have been using consistently. For our crust, we use Strauss Organic Grass-fed Butter and Central Milling organic flour, both out of Petaluma. We use organic mushrooms from Far West Fungi for our mushroom leek pie. All of the produce that we source is organic and as close as possible based on availability. We have been trying out various ranches for our grass-fed beef and heritage pork and we have stayed consistent with Mary’s chicken from the start.

What’s your process to create new flavor combos and fresh recipes?

We usually just get inspired by a dish we have eaten somewhere and think about a way to translate it to a pye. You start small tinkering around at home and it either evolves or it doesn’t. We are working on a few ideas now but it’s hard to say what we will land on. I’d like to make something with seafood eventually.

Visit Caleb and Cody at Farmers Market Bay Meadows and grab a hand “Pye” to go, the delicious creations are the perfect bite for picnics in the park or pairings in the beer garden at Fieldwork Brewing, steps away from our Sunday Funday destination market in San Mateo.
Give them a follow in Instagram @eatpye to see what they’re cooking up next.

We asked Caleb what 3 items we’d find in his FMBM bag….
The Yellow Aji Pepper and Cashew Butter from Alma Superfoods, Shelly’s Farm Fresh eggs, Jonnie’s Local Honey, and produce from Green Oaks Creek Farm. I know that’s four but I couldn’t leave one of those out.

We understand Caleb. We really do.

There’s a new Farmers Market in town and it’s in the heart of the Bay Meadows community. Visit our seasonal market on Sundays, 9:30 to 1:30 on the corner of Delaware and Franklin Streets. The Farmers Market in our Midurban village offers nutritious California fruits and veggies, handcrafted baked goods, farm-fresh flowers, prepared artisan foods and specialty items. Guests can also enjoy live music, fitness events, entertainment for kids, craft workshops and more, all presented in the welcoming outdoors of this new neighborhood. Located adjacent to the Hillsdale Caltrain station stop and also offering ample parking. Learn more here >