I see they recently closed their doors - I've heard much about this place, but never ate there, although I imagine my Dad & Grandfather living in West Kilburn likely did on match days. Close to supper time here - would love to nosh down on a plate of this tonight! Any memories? PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR LAST DAY OF TRADING AS A. COOKE AT 48 GOLDHAWK ROAD, SHEPHERDS BUSH WILL BE SATURDAY JULY 25TH 2015. PLEASE READ THE CLOSURE NOTICE IN FULL. http://cookespieandmash.com/ Pie, Mash and Liqueur – A to Z of Things to do & Places to Visit in London Posted by William Wallace on Feb 18, 2012 in London A to Z of Things To Do | 7 comments please log in to view this image A visit to a traditional Pie and Mash shop is must do experience. I first discovered ‘A Cooke’s Pie, Mash and Eels shop’ not long after I first moved to London 3 years ago. I lived a 10 minute walk away. This shop has been open for business since 1899 and the reason why they are still in business is because the food is excellent and the customer service is spot on – this shop is real quality. There are other great Pie and Mash shops dotted around London – seek and ye shall find! On Friday afternoon I took a step back in time and once again paid a visit to Cooke’s to see if they were as good as I remembered. This is an old school shop, a real step back in time to the 1960′s. Plastic chairs, basic décor – very clean, spotless! Nice and friendly service. please log in to view this image I’m not into eels, whether they are stewed or boiled, and yes I have tried them in the past and no I don’t like them. I ordered up myself a single traditional beef pie, mash and liqueur, which is not booze but a delicious parsley sauce! A real bargain at 4 quid. I was going to go for the double but I was saving some room for the spotted dick pudding and custard, which cost 3 quid. All washed down with a couple of cups of tea. please log in to view this image And to cut a long story short, everything tasted delicious. The pie, mash and liqueur were seriously tasty. And I will tell you this, the pudding was outrageously good. By the time I had finished eating I was stuffed. Simple food cooked to perfection! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Shops like Cooke’s are disappearing all the time from the landscape of London, which is a pity. Sometimes all I want is simplicity, not fancy over priced bull **** food in a place that is as over rated as their prices! I love the homeliness, the old time feel, the quality service and best of all the delicious pie, mash and liqueur that you find in shops like Cooke’s. please log in to view this image Seemingly the council wants to demolish the row of shops where Cooke’s is located as part of the redevelopment of the area. Go check them out while you can… Not only do A Cooke’s Pie, Mash and Eel shop sell very tasty food, they also have a bit of music history associated with them. Back in the 1960′s the shop was Mod hangout and even features in the classic movie Quadrophenia. The Detours who later would change their name to The Who performed there. A quote I read in the London free rag by Pete Townsend the legendary The Who guitarist the other day said: “Cooke’s is a part of the history of Goldhawk Road. For my part, this was where The Who took flight in 1963, where we performed one of our first shows as the Detours. I realise change is inevitable, but to think of Shepherd’s Bush without Cooke’s is inconceivable.” A Cooke’s Pie, Mash and Eels shop is located on Goldhawk Road a short distance from Shepherd’s Bush Market. Definitely worth a visit… P = Pie, Mash and Liqueur shop. For more from the A to Z of Things to do & Places to Visit in London. http://londoniscool.com/pie-mash-and-liqueur-a-to-z-of-things-to-do-places-to-visit-in-London
It's a real shame to see these old and very well established places calling time on trading. Having looked at one of the pics it's clear to see the building needs a lot of TLC or a rebuild. please log in to view this image Can anyone tell me if the Pie and mash shops is something we may not see anymore within ten years or so. Sadly London is now only a place for the well off and not the working class like me so Pie and Mash shops I can see disappearing, sooner rather than later. EDIT: I would just like to add I have nothing against the well off! It's not anyones fault if they are rich!
There was a campaign a few months back to try and get the club to let them have a francise within the stadium - don't know if it came to anything, but I signed the petition that was posted by someone on here. It's been a long time since I was in the area, but I remember going into A Cookes a couple of times before match day as a kid, then later as a young adult before moving away - top nosh!!
A shame so many of these wonderfully historic shops are disappearing. I used to go to one in Brixton as a kid, 'J. Young's Eel & Pie House' in Coldharbour Lane. There used to be a preparation room which faced the back of the old Woolworth's store in which you could watch the eels being expertly sliced, gutted and chopped whilst still wriggling, there was always an audience of fascinated kids watching and the old boy doing the chopping would always offer the kids a 'live' piece, there were never any takers... http://www.urban75.org/brixton/history/426-coldharbour-lane-brixton-01.html
Staple diet for me growing up, when i reached the ripe old age of 50 my wife and kids arranged a Limo and Cookes kept the shop open late night so i could have my pie n mash, the kids thought i was poisoning them and had brown gravy on there's instead of liqueur, couldnt make the last day, but would have loved it one more time
Never ever had pie and mash like that....have I missed anything? Looks a bit yuk but it probably tastes ok!
Pie and mash I like but these... please log in to view this image Or these please log in to view this image I would not eat unless paid big money to do so!
It tastes better than it looks, my old gran used to say they leave the eyes in the spuds to see you thru the week,
My Dad often talked about those jellied eels and getting a "penny worth of stale" - a big bag of day old sticky buns & pastries at the local bakery - he said that's why he lost most of his teeth at a relatively young age - perhaps it was an army preventive maintenance requirement in WWII too - also being terrified of the dentist visits back in the 20's & 30's likely didn't help either. Living on Bradiston Road, Dad also mentioned the "Urine Lady" coming down the street pulling a small wagon with a tank to collect the pee from pubescent boys for a few pennies for dyeing in the textile industry.
We have our team outings here http://gkelly.london/history/ at Roman Road market. (I work in the City of London so only 10 mins on the tube) It's a lovely old place really original, whote tiles everywhere. I'm also a veggie and they do a veggie version! Double pie and double mash with liquor washed down with a cup of tea in glass cup and saucer - excellent! Considering the diverse ethnic make up of our team it's a bizarre outing but everyone loves it
My old grandad loved the eels, i never much fancied them especially the gellied variety, he used to send me out sunday afternoon when the fish barrow come round for a couple of pintz of winkles
I saw TF tweet something about this the other day. Someone had mentioned letting them use the stadium or take over the small club shop near the Springbok?
How about these Escargots! Love these....garlic butter and French bread.Yum! please log in to view this image
