# Shepherd's Pie, Cottage Pie, ??? Pie... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 21, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004 "2015-12-21T15:31:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/1 "2015-12-21T15:31:09Z")
One of those slightly silly questions: Consider the dish Shepherd’s Pie: traditionally made with lamb. If made with beef it is often called Cottage Pie. If it’s made with turkey it’s called… what? Is there a separate name for that variation? If not, feel free to make one up! Ditto for made with fish or venison or textured soy protein or whatever you want to throw into the mix. (In other words, go ahead and have some fun with it) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/2 "2015-12-21T15:37:45Z")
Turkey pot pie. With chicken, it’s chicken pot pie. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/3 "2015-12-21T15:40:45Z")
Nahhhhh…pot pie has a pastry crust. The whole point of Shepherd/Cottage Pie is the mashed potato layer. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/4 "2015-12-21T15:41:12Z")
Pot Pie is a whole different “animal”. I’m going with Gobbler Pie for turkey. Gansehirt Pie for goosemeat. (goosekeeper in German and something like my last name 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/5 "2015-12-21T15:44:23Z")
I have to go with **Ukelele Ike** - the Pot Pie family has the pastry crust. Shepherd’s/Cottage/etc. don’t have the crusty bits, they live in a casserole pan and have a potato topping. And I like Gobbler Pie. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/6 "2015-12-21T15:52:58Z")
Cottage pie can be made with any meat (including lamb), or none at all. Shepherd’s pie is one specific kind of cottage pie. Not all kinds of cottage pie have specific names. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/7 "2015-12-21T15:54:34Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Nahhhhh…pot pie has a pastry crust. The whole point of Shepherd/Cottage Pie is the mashed potato layer. I agree with you, but apparently Martha Stewart disagrees, because she has a [recipe for “Turkey and Mashed Potato Potpies.”](http://www.marthastewart.com/864371/turkey-and-mashed-potato-potpies) On the other hand, here’s a [Turkey Shepherd’s Pie](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/individual-turkey-shepherds-pie-recipe.html) recipe from the Food Network. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/8 "2015-12-21T15:54:59Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Nahhhhh…pot pie has a pastry crust. The whole point of Shepherd/Cottage Pie is the mashed potato layer. My mistake. No coffee yet. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/9 "2015-12-21T15:57:44Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Cottage pie can be made with any meat (including lamb), or none at all. Shepherd’s pie is one specific kind of cottage pie. Not all kinds of cottage pie have specific names. Not sure about that. Google search for “Turkey Cottage Pie” (with quotes) returns 2180 results, vs. 55,300 results for “Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.” ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/10 "2015-12-21T16:08:36Z")
My wife grew up calling the ground beef variety “Farmer’s Delight”. So that’s what I call it too. I never had it growing up until I started dating her. Never had the turkey version, but I’d probably call it the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/11 "2015-12-21T16:34:27Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > (In other words, go ahead and have some fun with it) Veal - Schnitzel Pie Venison - Bambi Pie ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/12 "2015-12-21T17:00:12Z")
Whatever you call it, if it’s covered in mashed potatoes it’s Shepherd’s Pie. Why, I hear you cry? The mashed potatoes resemble the fluffy wool on sheep. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/13 "2015-12-21T17:03:18Z")
Pilgrim pie ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/14 "2015-12-21T17:15:32Z")
Shepherd’s Pie. Add ‘made-with-chicken-or turkey-or lamb’, as required. I am working on making a version with all or part breakfast sausage, or possibly hamburger with those sausage spices. ---
**Author:** ![Torontonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/45deac/32.png) [@Torontonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torontonian)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/15 "2015-12-21T17:21:42Z")
I have eaten many shepard pies and they never looked the same. Technically, shepard pie is not a pie, you can’t take it out of ovenware. Therefore I think what you mentioned is all shepard pie doesn’t matter what ingredients you put in one ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/16 "2015-12-21T17:24:51Z")
I would just call it “turkey cottage pie” or “turkey shepherd’s pie.” The cottage pie vs shepherd’s pie distinction is pretty much meaningless (in my experience) these days, and even older definitions don’t all agree that shepherd’s pie is lamb/mutton and cottage pie is beef. Some older cookbooks (1800s to early 1900s) I consulted long ago when I was trying to figure this out had the difference as cottage pie was made with shingles of potatoes on top (resembling the top of a cottage), while shepherd’s had it as mashed potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/17 "2015-12-21T17:43:32Z")
> [@quiltguy](#): > > Whatever you call it, if it’s covered in mashed potatoes it’s Shepherd’s Pie. Why, I hear you cry? The mashed potatoes resemble the fluffy wool on sheep. No. No, it isn’t. British friends have argued against that for decades, and I’m not going to have that argument again. Nope. Shepherd’s pie is called such because sheep (lamb) are the meat a shepherd would have closest to hand. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/18 "2015-12-21T18:05:55Z")
Not to speak for the OP, but it isn’t a factual question. It’s a game! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/19 "2015-12-21T18:27:37Z")
Now I’m imagining some poor peasant boy with a crook watching over his herd of Turkey. ---
**Author:** ![littleAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@littleAl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/littleAl)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004/20 "2015-12-21T22:34:54Z")
Well, we do a vegetarian version with lentils and root vegetables, which I think I’ve read some people call gardeners pie, so what is the person in charge of turkeys called? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shepherds-pie-cottage-pie-pie/741004.md?page=2)