London By Londoners Blog 2011 Pie & MashPie & Mash & Jellied Eels
Author: Jane Seery | 
As East End as pearly royalty, cockney rhyming slang and, well….. Eastenders, pie & mash and jellied eels are a tradition rarely found outside London. Although the dishes date back to the 1800s, there are still a large selection of establishments serving these delicacies today, particularly in the East End and South of London, and they are enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
Eels first became a popular food choice back in the early 19th century because they were all that could survive in the heavily polluted Thames. As London became industrialized and the air more polluted, prevailing winds from the Atlantic caused the resulting smog to settle in the East End. This led to it becoming the home of the working class as the more affluent upper classes flocked to the clean air of the West End.
Pies were also a popular choice of food amongst the working class as they were cheap, filling and ‘portable’. Hundreds of Piemen walked the streets
in the 1800s selling their takeaway wares and eels were the filling ‘du jour’. To destroy any trace of pollution, the eels were cooked in gelatine, hence the ‘jellied’ texture.
As the food increased in popularity, shops began to spring up to cater to the demand. The oldest and longest running is Goddards which opened in Deptford in 1890 and still operates as a business in Greenwich today making good old-fashioned, handmade pies.
So what can you expect on visiting a pie & mash shop? The pies are usually minced beef and onion covered with pastry, though some shops offer a range of alternative fillings including fruit and vegetarian options. The mashed potato that accompanies it is traditionally spread around the edge of the plate and a sauce known as ‘liquor sauce’ is then poured on top of the pie. It’s actually made from the leftover water that the eels are cooked in, which is the ‘liquor’, and also contains parsley which gives it a green hue. A rather odd tradition that still prevails in serving these dishes is that they are eaten with a fork and spoon. One story claims this is because during World War I there was a severe knife shortage so customers began stealing them. This led to their removal and if you visit a pie and mash shop today, the traditionalists will still only give you a fork and spoon. If you’re brave and want to give the eels a try, expect them chopped up and served in a bowl, either hot or cold. Cooked in a stock, often with gelatine added, gives the eels an added jelly texture. Obviously they are very much a personal taste but worth a try for the curious!
Many pie & mash shops operating today still maintain their original Victorian appearance. They were traditionally decorated with blue, green and orange tiles with wooden benches for seating and white marble tops on the tables. One of the most well-known and a fine example of the architecture standing today, is Manzes. Their first shop opened in 1902 and by 1930 were a chain of 14. Of these, sadly only three still survive in Bermondsey, Peckham and Sutton. The Peckham shop was even awarded the prestigious Blue Plaquein 2005 recognising its contribution to the city and ensuring a place in history.
Violin being used to lure punters for a pie & mash sit-down lunch - ('ave a banana...)
Tower Bridge Road Market - 1931 (where Manze's is located). Pie and mash was a staple when times were tough, since it was both cheap and filling. This is all sushi bars now (heh!). Clip - BFI on Youtube. Please check the BFI channel for other vintage film.
For the authentic Pie & Mash experience head down to the following:-
M. Manze, 87 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TW
Maureen’s Pie & Mash, 6 Market Way, Chrisp Street Market, Poplar, E14 6AQ
F. Cooke, 9 Broadway Market, London Fields, E8 4PH
Goddard's Pie Booth, Fountain Court, Greenwich Church Street, SE10 9BQ
(Jane writes a cross-platform blog covering TV, Internet and mobile)
(Photo of a plate of pie and mash, CC - courtesy of Kake Pugh on Flickr)
