This isn't just any pie blog...

This is a lubbly jubbly, knees up Mother Brown, cor blimey Guvnor kinda pie blog. For National Pie week, I celebrate the creme de menthe, the pie of all pies, the mighty Pie and Mash.


Had it? Enjoyed it? Never tried it? You haven't lived. I like a steak and kidney pud, a chicken, leek and mushroom pie, my fancy schmancy braised lamb and redcurrant creation as much as the next woman but for the Goodes', a pie craving can only really be fulfilled with a double helping of the good stuff. Here you go Reader, something to drool over

A 'Single'

Started off in the East End, as all good things tend to, as an economical, portable lunch brought from a cart, before the shops popped up. And thank god they did. Where would Lou and I be without our Saturday fix? It was my first solid meal as a baby, and I'm pleased to say that this tradition has been continued, and dare I say, improved upon. Aged nine, he's not content with just a single pie/single mash...devours a double helping, no sweat.


My childhood was filled with Saturday's at these marble-tabled palaces. A beef pie, 'hold the eels', a portion of mash, scraped onto the slide of the plate, liberally covered with liquor. Liquor as in a heavenly mix of eel stock and parsley.  The rush for the table before it got cold. The grabbing of the spoon and fork. Never a knife. We laughed at those with a knife. So unaware of the traditions...


Visits to the now-closed shop at Ridley Road Market with my beloved grandparents are a memory never to disappear. The Bond's did not dine out regularly; for them, nothing could beat a family meal at home; a portion of Ridley Road's finest almost lived up to their scrutiny.  It was dissected and discussed with a fervour not known to many, before or since. How's the pastry, Emma? Liquor ok? Mince minced adequately?


This was accompanied by a running commentary of one or another convos: "How pies used to be in the good old days" and "Our Friday night dinner". "So, we'd have the soup, then the chopped liver, then the chicken, then a pudding, then cakes if we were peckish". No wonder I am the way I am!


Tearing myself away from nostalgia, and back to 2012, am pleased to report the Pie and Mash shops are still going strong in the heartlands of Essex and the East End.  For a full list and ratings, visit http://www.pie-and-mash.com/index.shtml and start planning those visits now. If you can't wait that long, get your order in at http://www.pieshop.co.uk/


Seems us easties just can't get enough of it. Lou and I jumped for joy at seeing the lovely Phil Thompson snazz it up for Great British Menu. He woz robbed. Loved seeing this blushing bride's wedding reception too http://www.london24.com/news/dagenham_couple_turn_to_pie_and_mash_after_tying_the_knot_1_1219618 and of course, not forgetting the Towie peeps' Pie and Mash pool party, god bless them.  Just take a butchers at those bad boys!

A 'Double'

Don't let the bed bugs bite...

My poor little man has been in the wars this week. And as usual with us, there's a story to be told.
He hadn't been right all half-term. Bit snotty, bit flu-ey. A bit off-colour as your mum would say. Couldn't finish his football training on Saturday - an early substitution had to be made.  Went off to his dad's, with this mummy fretting for the weekend.  Sometimes they just want their mum's, don't they...
He came back Sunday evening. It was an OMG moment. Absolutely covered in bites. Bedbug bites. Now I know I'm no clean freak but I can assure you, Reader, that his room had been cleaned that month. Turns out he'd slept on a mattress without a sheet at his grandparents and ye gods, the bugs had got him alright. So bad, I'm worried they'll scar and he thinks he's turned into 'Scaramanga'.
No school on Monday. And so the whole 'childcare' issue raises its head. Anyone else have this problem? Both parents working full-time. My schedule's busier than your schedule...blah, blah blah. Normally it would fall to me to be at home, but this mummy had to be at work on Monday so Husband took up the reins. The guilt really set in when Louis relunctantly said goodbye with a "Don't go. Don't leave me." Oh the guilt. The SMS* mode had been switched on...
Visit to the doctors confirmed a virus and so for the next couple of days, my little boy took up position on the sofa. He just about mustered the energy to put in his orders. I was deluged with a fairly constant stream of "Drink". "Apple"."Remote". Typical male really. Got me thinking about all the different roles us women have in our households. Cook, cleaner, dry-cleaner,teacher, banker. A 21st-century version of butcher, baker and candle-stick maker. Dammit, almost forgot the sex goddess role. 
And no-one asks if we're ok... As my friends and I were discussing recently, we can't afford to be "off-colour". The wheels of England would fall off. Our day doesn't finish until the kids are in bed. And then we get to do something for us. Usually the tidying up, washing up and tackling the Mount Everest of ironing.
I'll stop moaning now. Back to Louis. Day 4 saw him getting a little better. His food intake now included all four of the main food groups. Chocolate, ice-cream, sweets and crisps. He was on the mend. Getting a little cheeky again. He knows the way to this mummy's heart. "Mummy, if you don't have anything on your schedule, could you get me a biscuit". Started trying to tell me that the doctor had advised him that he only needed medicine twice a day, and not the prescribed four. Bless his cottons... 
And funnily enough, X-Box was on the approved list from the doctor. As he bravely made his way up to the games room, this mummy restored her control. "Don't exert yourself too much, Louis. You've got school tomorrow."
That perked him up no end...


*shitty mum syndrome

Most of us have it on Monday....apparently

Nope, not sex. A nice bowl of Spag Bol. 

Recent research carried out by an energy company reveals that Monday's the night for the 'average' family to indulge in this family-friendly stalwart. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/258024


So, how do you like yours? A lovingly-simmered ragu or a jar of Ragu?  Seems we all have our favourite way, from the tried and tested routine, to the riskier numbers.

Put your hands up if your first experience was with Mr Henry Heinz. He launched the tinned variety in England in 1966 - I can imagine our mums' excitement at this cosmopolitan addition to the larder.  A quick and easy route to the piazzas of Roma.  


As bistro fever took over, we moved a little closer to the traditional version. Something that Italians might nearly recognise. A pork and beef mix, chicken livers, red wine, simmered, al dente pasta and Parmesan.


My childhood version was slightly removed from this. Always a packet mix and always with chips. A 'N Chips' dinner. Al Dente spaghetti? "Al Dente? Never heard of him" said Mum. Bless her xxx


Cheddar reigned supreme. Had to have a conversation before we moved onto the Napolina tub of Parmesan.


Our familial roots inspire tweaks too. In the Montgomery-Gibbs household, I can just imagine the wonderful Garth unveiling his bobotie-inspired creation. Not sure how it was received, but I bet he was proud of it.


A Germanic twist for colleague Marc includes pork, lamb and peppers. My idea of comfort food heaven replaces tagliatelle with lokshen. Instant memories of Nanny whose simmered Spag Bol soothed fractious nerves on many a Saturday night.


G, living in the East Midlands, takes advantage of his fantastic local produce and serves up a venison ragu.  Ooh la la....


The hubby's version very much depends on the kind of day he's had. A bad day, and we've got a heady mix of lea & perrins, red wine with a scant offering of mince.


I make mine in the crockpot. Start it off in the morning, and walk through the door to a lovely aroma. Guaranteed to put a smile on the face of a nine-year old. I don't ask for much more than that.


So no matter how we all do it, it seems that we just can't get enough of it. Especially on a Monday night (:)