Great Canal Journeys

[MrsM]

3 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

I've just looked it up.

https://www.brownspieshop.co.uk/

As I suspected, this is not a Pie&Mash shop!  It's a restaurant which specialises in pies.  Totally different thing.  I shan't ask if they make their own liquor.  I doubt they even know what it is, or if you do.

I have no idea what pie liquor is and was surprised to see it was green on GCJ last night! ? Not proper East End pies and no jellied eels on the menu either but very nice pie and mash nonetheless (not bad for the North East eh Alan?! ??).

Ps shall check my cook books for liquor so I can have a go. Just found this Hairy Bikers recipe on BBC good food, looks like the liquor is a type of parsley jus

  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/traditional_pie_n_mash_76469/amp

Edited November 16, 2020 by MrsM
Found a recipe

[Sea Dog]

41 minutes ago, MrsM said:

looks like the liquor is a type of parsley jus

I think any self respecting pie and mash shop regular would think you'd stopped typing in mid sentence...!  

[Jerra]

49 minutes ago, MrsM said:

Just found this Hairy Bikers recipe on BBC good food, looks like the liquor is a type of parsley jus

  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/traditional_pie_n_mash_76469/amp

I have never tasted it but reading about it it is parsley based and looks in photos like a badly made sauce.    I certainly wouldn't want that amount of liquid with any pie or mash I was eating.

[Chagall]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

I think any self respecting pie and mash shop regular would think you'd stopped typing in mid sentence...!  

- 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Chagall
reason

[blackrose]

19 hours ago, Ex Brummie said:

Let's face it, no one is going to watch it for canal content, that looks like any other London waterway with lots of moored boats. The insight it gives into life around the waterway was interesting; loved the Chas & Dave bit, and must get down one day for pie &mash & eels (aren't they protected now?)

Not sure about the eels being protected, but perhaps any remaining pie & mash shops should be. They've more or less died out along with the cockneys. Last time I was in Newham about 5 years ago it seemed mainly muslim.

 

http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/last-whites-cockney-london/index.html

14 minutes ago, Jerra said:

I have never tasted it but reading about it it is parsley based and looks in photos like a badly made sauce.    I certainly wouldn't want that amount of liquid with any pie or mash I was eating.

I'm amazed people have never tried it? I guess it was a London thing.

[Jerra]

3 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Not sure about the eels being protected,

Yes they are now protected as there has been a massive decline in numbers.

3 minutes ago, blackrose said:

I'm amazed people have never tried it? I guess it was a London thing.

I avoid London like the plague so not likely to come across London Pie and Mash.    I however just do not like any food which has masses of Gravy/Jus/Liquor (call it what you will) sloshing around.   A "normal" amount yes but any pictures I have seen show a very watery "sauce" in great quantities.

[Athy]

1 hour ago, MrsM said:

I have no idea what pie liquor is and was surprised to see it was green on GCJ last night!

I was told two versions, both by Londoners and both with absolute conviction: that it was the liquid in which the eels had been cooked, and that it was the water in which peas had been cooked, with added seasoning.

[starman]

I went to a traditional pie, mash & liquor place in Woolwich nearly 50 years ago. Never repeated the experience - thankfully. 

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

I was told two versions, both by Londoners and both with absolute conviction: that it was the liquid in which the eels had been cooked, and that it was the water in which peas had been cooked, with added seasoning.

And yet the French still fail to recognise English culinary prowess...

[doratheexplorer]

15 hours ago, blackrose said:

Not sure about the eels being protected, but perhaps any remaining pie & mash shops should be. They've more or less died out along with the cockneys. Last time I was in Newham about 5 years ago it seemed mainly muslim.

 

http://s.telegraph.co.uk/graphics/projects/last-whites-cockney-london/index.html

I'm amazed people have never tried it? I guess it was a London thing.

There are still loads of pie & mash shops in London.

15 hours ago, Jerra said:

I however just do not like any food which has masses of Gravy/Jus/Liquor (call it what you will) sloshing around.   A "normal" amount yes but any pictures I have seen show a very watery "sauce" in great quantities.

You can ask for less.  They don't force it on you.

[doratheexplorer]

15 hours ago, Athy said:

I was told two versions, both by Londoners and both with absolute conviction: that it was the liquid in which the eels had been cooked, and that it was the water in which peas had been cooked, with added seasoning.

Neither are really true.  The first is half true in that traditionally the liquid from stewing the eels was used as a base for the sauce.  The pea thing is not true at all.  It's just a parsley sauce folks.  That's why it's green.

 

From a BBC recipe, this is probably not far off:

[dor]

I lived in East London in the '70s - tub of Tubby Issac's mussels to eat on the way home from the Union bar ...

The liquor most definitely was made from the water the eels were cooked in before being mixed with the jelly.

I only had jellied eels once when  friend took me to the dogs.  The eels were not too bad, but the bones were the thing that frightened me, that's why they always came with bread to swallow when a bone got stuck.  Eels still available, but now come from Netherlands/Belgium.

[Mad Harold]

10 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Neither are really true.  The first is half true in that traditionally the liquid from stewing the eels was used as a base for the sauce.  The pea thing is not true at all.  It's just a parsley sauce folks.  That's why it's green.

 

From a BBC recipe, this is probably not far off:

Sounds revolting!

I'll stick to my cruising diet of corned beef,chips,and beans.

And of course,copious quantities of beer.

[canalboat]

Having hung around the kitchen of the Dalston one many decades ago, I witnessed  that the green part of the liquer could be parsley but any green-leafed vegetable would also do. The liquid was made in a huge couldron by melting beef dripping, mixing in flour, then adding stock made in another huge pot from the beef bones that had provided the meat for the pie. They didn;t do jellied eels but I understood that all of the liquid that the eels were cooked in was reduced down and left to set as the jelly so is it is unlikely there was any left to also make large pots of liquer. Of course - each shop had their own way of doing things. The only essential ingredient for any proper Pie and Mash Shop is the beautiful dark green wall tiles.

[doratheexplorer]

1 minute ago, canalboat said:

Having hung around the kitchen of the Dalston one many decades ago, I witnessed  that the green part of the liquer could be parsley but any green-leafed vegetable would also do. The liquid was made in a huge couldron by melting beef dripping, mixing in flour, then adding stock made in another huge pot from the beef bones that had provided the meat for the pie. They didn;t do jellied eels but I understood that all of the liquid that the eels were cooked in was reduced down and left to set as the jelly so is it is unlikely there was any left to also make large pots of liquer. Of course - each shop had their own way of doing things. The only essential ingredient for any proper Pie and Mash Shop is the beautiful dark green wall tiles.

Wall tiles yes.  Colours may vary.

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, canalboat said:

Having hung around the kitchen of the Dalston one many decades ago, I witnessed  that the green part of the liquer could be parsley but any green-leafed vegetable would also do. The liquid was made in a huge couldron by melting beef dripping, mixing in flour, then adding stock made in another huge pot from the beef bones that had provided the meat for the pie. They didn;t do jellied eels but I understood that all of the liquid that the eels were cooked in was reduced down and left to set as the jelly so is it is unlikely there was any left to also make large pots of liquer. Of course - each shop had their own way of doing things. The only essential ingredient for any proper Pie and Mash Shop is the beautiful dark green wall tiles.

Very similar to Cornish Pasties (down here) that are all supposed to follow a traditional recipe yet end up being very individual!

[Heartland]

From the comments about part 2, which I missed, there is little apart from Parsley Sauce to talk about, or am I wrong?

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

From the comments about part 2, which I missed, there is little apart from Parsley Sauce to talk about, or am I wrong?

I only saw the second half, but they went through a duckweed covered Olympic park, talked to half of Chas and Dave (not sure which, but the surviving one) and Sheila got around a tight left hander that Tim would've still been at now. Giles complimented her on her steering skills throughout (as opposed to blaming her for everything like Pru had to suffer) which built her confidence no end. They were in a narrowboat this time, which helped, but it was a big 'un. Giles cooked beans on toast. 

[Nightwatch]

2 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I only saw the second half, but they went through a duckweed covered Olympic park, talked to half of Chas and Dave (not sure which, but the surviving one) and Sheila got around a tight left hander that Tim would've still been at now. Giles complimented her on her steering skills throughout (as opposed to blaming her for everything like Pru had to suffer) which built her confidence no end. They were in a narrowboat this time, which helped, but it was a big 'un. Giles cooked beans on toast. 

That’s about it really. Looks like Giles is a none drinker, which is fine.

[doratheexplorer]

14 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I only saw the second half, but they went through a duckweed covered Olympic park, talked to half of Chas and Dave (not sure which, but the surviving one) and Sheila got around a tight left hander that Tim would've still been at now. Giles complimented her on her steering skills throughout (as opposed to blaming her for everything like Pru had to suffer) which built her confidence no end. They were in a narrowboat this time, which helped, but it was a big 'un. Giles cooked beans on toast. 

I decided to brave it and watched a bit of Ep.2 despite my opinion on Giles.  I actually quite liked it.  I think it's because Giles usually annoys because he is such a smug know-it-all, but here he readily admits that he doesn't know anything, and it's refreshing to see the woman take charge and the man assist.  I've never cruised the Lee so it was nice to see an unfamiliar waterway.  Sheila and Giles clearly are old friends and it shows too.  I was ready to slate this, but I really can't.  The bit with Dave Peacock was actually quite poignant, even though it had little to do with canals.

[Mad Harold]

5 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

I decided to brave it and watched a bit of Ep.2 despite my opinion on Giles.  I actually quite liked it.  I think it's because Giles usually annoys because he is such a smug know-it-all, but here he readily admits that he doesn't know anything, and it's refreshing to see the woman take charge and the man assist.  I've never cruised the Lee so it was nice to see an unfamiliar waterway.  Sheila and Giles clearly are old friends and it shows too.  I was ready to slate this, but I really can't.  The bit with Dave Peacock was actually quite poignant, even though it had little to do with canals.

Yes,me too.I quite enjoyed it.

It may be that Giles' plummy accent is a bit offputting,and if he spoke proper english like wot we do oop north sithee,then the programme may become more popular.

[Hudds Lad]

17 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Yes,me too.I quite enjoyed it.

It may be that Giles' plummy accent is a bit offputting,and if he spoke proper english like wot we do oop north sithee,then the programme may become more popular.

there were plans to have him overdubbed using the vocal talents of Sean Bean, but it was felt that having Giles randomly say "B*stard!" and die at the end of each episode would become confusing for the general public  

[Mad Harold]

2 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

there were plans to have him overdubbed using the vocal talents of Sean Bean, but it was felt that having Giles randomly say "B*stard!" and die at the end of each episode would become confusing for the general public  

It could be more entertaining having Giles overdubbed by Gordon Ramsay.

They would have to put a strong language warning on before each episode though.

[doratheexplorer]

15 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

It could be more entertaining having Giles overdubbed by Gordon Ramsay.

They would have to put a strong language warning on before each episode though.

It could be a different overdub every week.  Episode 3:  Samuel L Jackson.

[Sea Dog]

4 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

Yes,me too.I quite enjoyed it.

It may be that Giles' plummy accent is a bit offputting,and if he spoke proper english like wot we do oop north sithee,then the programme may become more popular.

You may be onto something there. He's quite a knowledgeable chap and he's usually seen in competitive situations where it's necessary that he draws upon that and presses it home. I guess that his accent means he can come across a bit aloof and a bit of a clever dick as opposed to simply a quite clever, but here he's particularly self-deprecating. Perhaps this programme might win him a few new friends?  Not me though - I already like him!