Nothing flaky about these!

Denise Irvine recommends a couple of excellent local pies – one savoury, one sweet – and the bonus is that you’re raising funds for a good cause while you’re tucking into them.

A box of pies landed on my doorstep a few days ago, and they come with a nice little back-story: Hamilton’s Oxford Pies has teamed up with Stu and Camille from The Breeze radio station (for the fourth year in a row) to raise funds for Kids in Need Waikato, a charitable trust that provides support for kids in care, aged 0-17 years, gifting them special care packs put together by volunteers.

Oxford Pies, and Stu and Camille, are aiming to raise $10,000 for the trust and this is where the pies on my doorstep come in. Oxford has created two Limited Edition pies for this year’s fundraiser, and 50 cents from each pie sold will go to Kids in Need Waikato. After my pie delivery and subsequent taste test, arranged by Camille, I’m hoping the orders come in thick and fast because these are damn fine pies and it is a worthwhile local cause. It’s a bit like putting your money where your mouth is!

Wagyu Beef Mince, Red Wine & Cheese, $4.50: This is a pleasure from go to whoa, a golden pastry pie filled with Lake Ohau wagyu mince infused with red wine and dusted with grated cheese, and more cheese lavished on the pastry lid. I whacked these into a hot oven on fanbake and they came out crunchy and cheesy on the outside, tender and meaty in the middle. Served with brussels sprouts and carrots baked alongside the pies, and chopped parsley and tomato chutney as extras. Very satisfactory.

Biscoff Brownie Pie, $4.50:  a fudgy chocolate pudding pie with lovely layers of sweet flavours. The brownie base is filled with chunks of Whittakers chocolate and biscoff sauce, finished with a Whip N Ice topping and finely crushed biscoff cookies.  Gooey and gorgeous, and we served them warm with a dollop of Greek yoghurt to cut the richness.

• Limited Edition fund-raising pies are available until the end of August: get them while you can, online at oxfordpies.co.nz, or from Oxford at 142 Maui St, Pukete, Hamilton, or Oxford stockists.