Jellied eels with lacquer???

[taliesin238]

What are jellied eels with lacquer?? What IS the lacquer stuff anyway?? What does it taste like?? Is it just served in London?? can u still buy it???

[Aprilis]

It's liquor taliesin. Liquor is a sort of parsley sauce. Jellied eels are exactly that...chopped chunks of eel in a jelly substance (don't know exactly what the jelly consists of). It is native to London and (I think) pie & mash shops, where jellied eels and liquor are to be found, are mostly an East London thing (feel free anyone to correct me if I'm wrong here). Most pie & mash shops have their own unique liquor recipe which is usually a closely guarded secret.

I had the misfortune to live nextdoor to one of those hideous places when I was a child and I can't stand the evil stuff they sell. Many people love it though and the place was always packed out to bursting on a Saturday afternoon.

[Aprilis]

I don't think that there are many old pie & mash shops left in London now though. All of the ones I knew of shut down years ago.

[cardi88]

sorry, nothing to do with the question but where does your nickname come from, are you a cardi like me?

[WoWo]

Liquor is served with the pie and mash, not with the eels.

[BillyBB]

Passed a Pie and eel shop in Maldon the other day.

[dove]

theres one in sutton high street. Its the best there is anothe one in fulham but I havent bin in that neck of the woods for about 4 years so could be wrong x

Theres a great one in Bognor in the Queensway!!

[saxy_jag]

When I had liquor with pie and mash, it was a sort of watery gravy - nothing like parsley sauce.

I suspect eel liquor may just be the cooking juices, possibly flavoured with something else.

[Aprilis]

WoWo is quite right, the liquor is usually served with the pie & mash and not the eels. That's not to say you couldn't have liquor with eels if you wanted it.

BillyBB, looks like it isn't just a London thing then.

Cardi88, who were you asking if they are a cardi like you? And I'm not sure what you mean!

I used to babysit on a Saturday afternoon for the owners of the pie & mash shop nextdoor to me, in their flat above the shop. I had to get straight in the shower when I got home afterwards as I stunk of the stuff and I never did get used to the smell. They used to pay me really well though so it was worth it! I've never understood why so many people love the stuff....eeuggh. I rarely ever heard anyone ask what was in the pies either, lol! It was minced beef and onion if anyone's wondering.

[Aprilis]

Saxy_jag that doesn't sound like liquor to me. Liquor is a kind of off white to pale greeny colour with green flecks in it.

Dove, looks like there'still demand for the nasty stuff then if you know of several p&m shops.

[cardi88]

sorry - taliesin is a small village close to me and cardi what we call people from this area!

[Dee Sa]

there are still traditional pie & mash shops in East London I can think of about 6:-.Barking, East Ham,Plaistow, Walthamstow,Heathway Dagenham, Roman Rd in Bow [2 shops] also Romford & Basildon in Essex.
some are better than others my favourites being Barking & the Roman Rd.
Everyday the pies are made fresh on the premises.
They do serve eels, mash & liquor as a dish or jellied eels depends if you want them hot or cold.
Jellied eels are served by themselves.
When I was a kid this used to be staple diet for some poor families they way McDonalds is now.