Pie and Mash is Still a Favourite Fare
Pie and mash has been a staple of the Londoner’s diet since the 1800s. This delicious and comforting food is still served in shops in Southeast England, particularly in the Eastend, in spite of the fast-food burger bars and other takeaway restaurants that have popped up all over London. Modern restaurants offer this historic dish but the best pie and mash is usually found in family owned and operated shops.
Pie and mash is a unpretentious meal of mashed potatoes, meat, and spices, all contained in a flaky crust. The meat is usually beef or mutton with a side of stewed or jellied eels. Serving this dish with eels may seem odd until one realises it has its roots in the eel trade of the 18th century. Eels were fished from the Thames river and offered throughout the streets of London via vendors who sold them alone or as eel pies. As the Thames became more and more polluted, the safety of these street pies became questionable, at best, and soon the only safe place to buy eel or an eel pie was in a shop (it is why some shops are called eel and pie shops). To add bulk and taste to these pies, shops began adding mashed potatoes to them and as the availability of eel became less and less, the pies turned to using other meats as filling.
Our modern society is filled with fast-food burger bars and eateries that serve all sorts of cultural fare, yet pie and mash continues to be a popular and customary meal for Londoners. The number of pie, mash, and eel shops has declined over the years but some are still faithfully serving their own recipes with those who appreciate a traditional, home-cooked dish. Contemporary culture is full of much to do with little time to do it but one thing that has stood the test of time is the long-established and time-honored London pie and mash.
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