What's The Difference Between Shepherd's And Cottage Pie?
NEWS
By BUFFY NAILLON
The difference between shepherd's pie or cottage pie depends on the meat — cottage pie uses beef, while shepherd's pie uses lamb. Otherwise, they are essentially the same.
The original recipe, which used beef, was called cottage pie. It is usually attributed to the English who were in a better position to eat beef, financially, than the Irish.
Recipes for cottage pie started cropping up in cookbooks in the 1700s. Frugal home cooks loved it because it gave them a delicious and inexpensive way to use up leftovers.
Created in the 1800s, shepherd's pie drew its naming inspiration from the Irish or Scottish shepherds who took care of the sheep and lambs.
The meat from these lambs was eventually incorporated into shepherd's pie, the dish that became associated with the Irish.
