Neil is quite right about cottage and shepherds pie, even if he is being a bit schoolmasterish about it. When it comes to the cheese thing though he is wrong. Cumberland Pie is basically a cottage pie with breadcrumbs, and yes, CHEESE sprinkled on top of the potato and baked in the oven. Mums all over Britain make these pies everyday and there is no set recipe as leftovers are usually used and anything that has a mashed potato topping is usually called shepherds pie. Neil, your recipe is good but it was invented by working class mothers not Escoffier. From a fellow Brit.....

The recipe sounds delicious. Unfortunately, the author exudes those few unflattering British qualities that lead us to fight (and win) the revolution. Luckily, we won, now count Great Britain as an ally, and can choose freely whether or not to make this person's recipe. I plan to try it, and while eating it, I am going to send my best thoughts to the author and hope he has a wonderful day!

I am British/American and I love any type of meat pie especially with HP sauce. You can order or buy English products in lots of grocery stores and markets nowadays. Bisto gravy and Bird's custard are wonderful products that my mother and I have used for over 40 years that we have lived in America. Try not to be snobbish but English ingredients in English recipes make sense.

My god! Can't we all just get along.... Food is for the soul. Thanks for this great recipe!

Thanks for the laugh Neil... I will definitely be trying your recipe, and I have to agree with you. Americans are obsessed with cheese on everything and I am not a big cheese fan.

The recipe sounds great, but still... no need to be cheeky!

DON'T forget the cheese! :) Just a little sprinkled on the potatoes! YUM!!!

I am sure this is a lovely recipe, but using Bisto is cheating Neil - something you should know since you are a "Brit".

yay - go Neil!!!

C'mon Clara and friends...Have some appreciation for other people's ways of expression! ...and not-for-nuth'in but we Americans DO put cheese on anything that will stand still long enough!

Good on you Neil, nice to see a Brit speak out and get to the point! Great Shepherds pie, so love Lamb... Yum!!

17 pages of comments. Wonderful recipe. Loved the all the comments. If you feel strongly about your recipe, say so!! Thank you, neil.

I just got n to look at recipes. I personally have not made shepherds pie ever and I think each and every way I have been told to prepare it sounds fantastic. I think if someone posts a recipe to share they should simply say traditional or modified version of whatever the dish may be. As a mother I consider myself to be a cook since experience has been my best teacher. I modify each and every recipe that I come across to me and my familys liking. A good cook isn't afraid to experiment and explore. Who knows maybe it will be recipes of ours that we have modified that will be the traditional ones when our great great grand children grow up. With that being said I wish the best of luck to all of you whom cook and have an open mind to trying new things.

Great recipe! I will say though, I used beef AND added cheese......just cause I could.

Gee, I have never seen an entire country of people insulted and looked down upon in a RECIPE. It was insulting until I read through the whole thing and then it was hilarious. Gee, Neil. We couldnt tell you were British. Thank you for signing this recipe "Neil-a Brit". Maybe next time you can sign it "Neil - a Brit and a Snob". I think I will make this recipe with about a pound of cheese. I cant help it, I am obsessed with cheese!!!!