I was over in Shepherds Bush recently and it was sad to see the premises A. Cookes boarded up. This was of course the pie and mash shop featured in the scene in the film ‘Quadrophenia’ when Phil Daniels sits down with Ray Winstone after the wash house scene.

The sight of seeing it closed, and news of another pie and mash outlet, Manzes over in Islington also shutting its doors for the last time recently, made me realise that another slice of old London and its all important heritage was being lost.

Obviously in a capital city as big as London, change is inevitable, and with the price of properties and rates in the capital, along with the vast array of food from all over the world that is now available on every high street, places like the two named above are going to suffer and in some cases disappear.

My own personal favourite is WJ Arments over in SE17. There has been an Arments on that manor since 1914, so they must be doing something right.

The origins of the actual meal comes from the mid to late 1800s. Dutch eels baked in pastry served with mash made from cheap potatoes and topped off with a sauce made from the boiling of the eels, was a very popular and more importantly cheap meal. In the early days, the food would be served from handcarts, but gradually shops appeared all over the capital serving up the goods.

Henry Mayhew’s book from 1851 ‘London Labour and the London Poor’ describes how “The portions of eel, so cut, are then boiled, and the liquor is thickened with flour and flavoured with chopped parsley and mixed spices and vinegar”.

The pie itself is traditionally made with a suet base and puff pastry on the top.

The shops tended to have marble worktops and white glazed tiles lined the walls. Many of the originals have a Victorian feel to them, sparse, with no frills.

After World War Two, with the supply of eels falling and cheap beef being in plentiful supply from overseas, minced beef took the place of the eel.

Various members of my family have eaten at Arments for nearly as long as it has been open. For them, when money was scarce, it was the only hot meal they would often eat all day. Sometimes,when money was particularly tight, they could only afford to have a plate of mash with the liquor, which basically now consists of parsley sauce.

I supposed it has to be considered as the first ‘fast food’ available in London.

In the ever-changing world that we live in, a vegetarian pie option is now available and a fruit pie is on the menu for your ‘afters’.

Gravy is also offered for those who can’t handle the liquor. You can even order your pie and mash on-line and have it delivered to your home or party.

Well, call me old fashioned, and you wouldn’t be the first to do that, but there is only one way to eat this meal.

Simply select your shop of choice, order your meal, usually a ‘double double’ which means two pies and two servings of mash and pick up ‘fighting irons’ – cutlery to you – which for me, is a fork and spoon. Never a knife.

Sit down and then immediately flip your pie, so its crust side down. 

Open the base of the pie, which is now facing you and pour in copious amounts of malt vinegar. Chilli vinegar, also available, is first choice for some.

And then, off you go. Steam in.

This is, to me, simply the food of the Gods.

If you haven’t tried it, you must. After all, if nothing else,  in doing so you are keeping a tradition alive.

The Mumper of SE5