‘Pie and Mash’ is a traditional meal popular in London’s East End.
There are still a few traditional Pie & Mash Shops around, but they are struggling in the face of the global fast food chains, they tend to be wonderful tiled places, very Victorian.
The Pie itself is usually filled with minced beef, although some shops offer other fillings (including vegetarian) and is served with mashed potatoes (Mash) and a green ‘liquor’ – which is actually a white sauce flavoured and coloured with parsley.
The preferred condiment with Pie & Mash is malt vinegar, which usually has some pickled chilli to add piquancy.
Pie & Mash shops often sell ‘Jellied Eels’ which are, as the name suggests, are discs of freshwater eel that are boiled in a fish stock which is then allowed to cool and solidify into a jelly. I confess to never having tried Jellied Eels – I just couldn’t face them, but Pie & Mash? Bring it on!