Pie and Mash is quite simply the most
traditional food that London has to offer. Forget your chip shops and
burger bars, "Eel Pie and Mash Houses" have been around since the 18th
century - the first ones opening in pre-Dickensian and Victorian London.
Our hand made Pie and Mash consists of:
- 100% minced beef Pie
- Mashed Potato
- Hand made and freshly prepared
pastry
- Traditional Liquor
(a special sauce made to a secret family recipe)
At Goddard's, we offer a variety of other pies to suit all tastes, click
here
to see what else we offer.
One of the major
influences over the food traditions in London was the river Thames. It provided
fish, both fresh and salt water, meat, vegetables and fruit were transported
from around Britain, and spices and exotic foods from all over the world. The
importance of the trading ships and the great markets like Billingsgate,
Spitalfield and Smithfield can be seen in the names of roads in the East End,
such as Bread Street, Milk Street and Fish Street.
Perhaps the most famous
London dish is the Cockney speciality, jellied eels, caught locally and further
out in the Thames Estuary. Made by boiling the eels with plenty of herbs and
allowing small pieces to cool and form their own jelly (or by adding a helping
portion of using gelatine). The taste is similar to that of pickled herring, but
the softer texture can put people off.
The other great working
class tradition is pie and mash. Historically, the pies were made from scraps of
beef and vegetables, leftovers or from the local markets, under a pastry crust.
The mashed potatoes were liberally covered in parsley gravy or
"liquor". There has been a great revival in these dishes and quite a
number of Pie ‘n’ Mash restaurants can now be found across London.
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