The Eel Pie Shop of Victorian England
A Unique Treat of the Nineteenth Century
When you want to grab a quick lunch, where do you pop off to? Chipotle? Chick-fil-A? Or do you zip over to Subway for a big, fat, two-handed sandwich? There’s no denying fast food makes for a quick way to fill your tummy during the workday. And believe it or not, the Victorians were quite keen on this idea as well…but in my opinion, their tastebuds weren’t nearly as discriminating. Case in point: eel pie shops. Eew! But back in the day, these were a thing.
Eel pie shops were the fast food of 1880’s London. They were cramped establishments with a counter running along one wall. Some actually had tanks of live eels on the premises. That would be enough to make me walk right out the door, yet lots of people thought these quite a tasty treat.
To make an eel pie, the snake-like fish was first skinned, gutted, and chopped into small pieces then stewed with spices, herbs and stock. That mixture was put into a pie shell and baked till golden. Pies were often served with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce.
Umm, yeah. I’m still a hard no on this one, as in eating an eel pie, but my aversion to this dish didn’t stop me from including one of these shops in my newest release, The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane.
Feisty heroine Kit Turner has to dash into one to evacuate the place because of a bomb threat. Who wants to blow her up? Find out by grabbing a copy of this fast-paced romantic adventure HERE or sign up to win a free copy in the contest below.