Pie and Mash

 
 
 
 
Joe Cook runs a pie and mash shop in East London.

Vocabulary

eel	cooker	neighborhood
tub	hearty	liquor (2)
pie	cook (2)	mashed potato
mash	hang out	institution
recipe	fuel (2)	19th century
dock	fare (2)	fills you up
sauce	faithful	hardly working
kebab	essential	ingredient
thick	stock (3)	traditionally
batter	specialty	good/better/best
serve	contain	that’s it/that’s all
curry	artificial	preservative
pure	century	couple (2)
beef	remain	generation
proud	dish (2)	great-grandfather
meat	dough	ground (2)
faith	as long as	cost/cost/cost
offer	portion	senior citizen
stew	around	frequented
meal	senior	little else
lovely	east-end	hard work

 
 
 
 
 

Video

 
 
 
 

Transcript

EEvery morning Joe Cook takes a few eels from a tub behind his house.

The water he then cooks them in will later be used for the sauce that goes with his specialty. His pie and mash shop in London’s East End is an institution. It’s also a popular neighborhood hang out and has been since the 19th century.

In the old days the place was frequented by dockworkers. They wanted hearty fare to fuel their hard work.

But one ingredient has always been essential for the dish. “Traditionally you should have the stock from your eels. The stock from any fish is called the liquor. And salt and we normally thicken it with just a thin batter of flour and water and that’s it.”

Flour and water. Little else is used for the pie dough.

We asked Joe cook how many pies he makes a day.

A couple hundred.

Joe Cook’s pies don’t contain any preservatives or artificial ingredients.

Just pure British ground beef and water. “This is the most traditional meal you can have in the east-end of London: not a kebab, not a burger, not a curry. This; that’s it. My great grandfather was the first to do it. So yeah, I’m proud.”

The cooks have been making pie since 1896, and the recipe hasn’t changed in four generations.

The warm meat pie is served with traditional mashed potatoes and the green eel sauce.

A large serving costs just under 5 euros. Senior citizens are offered portions for just one euro.

Those who like it can get a side order of eel.

“Some people like stewed eels with the mash and the liquor and other people like them cold.”

“This is the best pie and mash shop around and it’s lovely. and I love pie and mash. It’s a nice meal. It fills you up for the day.”

And so long as east Londoners remain faithful for the pie and mash, Joe cook will have plenty to do.

 
 
 

Questions

1. Joe Cook buys eels from the fishmonger (in a marketplace) every morning. Is this correct or wrong?

2. How long has the pie and mash shop been in business? Do people come to Joe Cook’s pie and mash shop only to eat?

3. The original pie and mash customers were tourists. Is this right or wrong? Who were the first or original customers? Were they lazy?

4. How many pies does he make every day? What are the pies made of? What are the ingredients? Does it contain any preservatives or artificial ingredients?

5. According to Joe, which is the most popular dish in East London: kebabs, hamburgers, curry, or pies and mash?

6. Joe Cook founded the pie and mash shop in 1989. Is this correct or incorrect?

7. What do the people think about pie and mash? Do they like it?

A. Our country has pies and dumplings filled with meat or cabbage, cheese, cherries, apples. Yes or no?

B. What are some popular meals, fast foods or snacks in your city?

C. Are there new foods?

D. Food kiosks, stalls, and restaurants are very popular profitable. Is this right or wrong?

E. What may happen in the future?