A British lawmaker is advocating for the iconic dish pie and mash to receive the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed label, a designation that highlights culturally significant foods. Richard Holden, a Conservative MP, initiated the discussion in Parliament's Westminster Hall Tuesday, emphasizing the dish's roots and expansion from East London to broader regions. He praised pie and mash as "the original fast food," reflecting its deep-rooted heritage among working-class Londoners known as Cockneys.
Traditionally, the dish features a ground beef pie with mashed potatoes, topped with a parsley sauce called liquor, often accompanied by stewed or jellied eels in homage to its original recipe, which often included eel. Once prevalent across London, traditional pie shops have dwindled as the city diversified its culinary offerings. The label Holden seeks would protect this heritage dish, ensuring only those made using specific recipes and methods could be marketed as authentic Cockney "pie 'n' mash."
According to Environment Minister Daniel Zeichner, achieving protected status necessitates consensus on precisely which recipes or methods qualify. Both Britain and the EU maintain similar programs for protecting culinary heritage, with examples like Gloucestershire Old Spots pork and Bramley apple pie already enjoying such recognition. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will evaluate the case after an official application is filed, potentially adding pie and mash to the list of British delicacies with safeguarded status. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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