Pork pie aristocratic visitors carry lumps of pie with them on horseback". The main distinctive feature of a Melton pie is that it is made with a hand-formed crust. The uncured meat of a Melton pie is grey in colour when cooked; the meat is chopped, rather than minced. As the pies are baked free-standing, the sides bow outwards, rather than being vertical as with mould-baked pies. In light of the premium price of the Melton Mowbray pie, the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association applied for protection under European Protected designation of origin laws as a result of the increasing production of
Harby, Leicestershire Castle, to the north-east of the village. The population in 2001/2 is listed as 864 individuals, with 698 on the electoral register and 376 houses. The population increased according to the 2011 census to 931, and was estimated in 2016 to be 877. Harby is in the Rutland and Melton constituency. The current Member of Parliament is Alan Duncan. It shares its civil parish council with Long Clawson, and Hose. In local government it comes under Melton Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council. There are other villages named Harby in Nottinghamshire, Denmark (Hårby) and Sweden. Old names for the village