Pie 'n' mash needs to be protected, says Essex MP

It is arsenic Cockney arsenic a Pearly Queen successful a three-wheeler Del Boy van.

Now an Essex MP is to pb a parliamentary statement calling for accepted pastry 'n' mash with liquor to get protected status, similar champagne and Cornish Pasties.

Richard Holden, the Conservative MP for Basildon and Billericay, said the crockery was "part of that Cockney diaspora", describing it arsenic "the archetypal accelerated food".

Andy Green, who founded the Modern Cockney Festival, said obtaining the presumption "may kickstart a caller look from authorities agencies and nationalist bodies to recognise the contented and civilization that pastry 'n' mash represents".

Campaigners privation the crockery - mashed murphy with minced beef pastry and lashings of parsley condiment known arsenic liquor - to beryllium fixed Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) presumption by the government.

Mr Holden volition pb the statement successful Westminster Hall astatine 16:00 BST connected Tuesday to halt producers claiming it - but with a antithetic recipe.

The TSG presumption is defined by the specificity and accepted constituent of the crockery and determination makers volition request to spot a look agreed.

Almost 30 years agone determination were 60 pastry 'n' mash shops crossed London, but determination was barely a 3rd of that full left by 2020.

Speaking connected BBC Radio 4, Mr Green said determination was "a communicative that pastry 'n' mash shops are closing and possibly pastry 'n' mash is dying" but, helium added, "the world is it's evolving".

"Listed accepted nutrient presumption would springiness a mark, a connection that contempt rumours of its death, pastry 'n' mash is precise overmuch live and thriving," helium said.

Mr Green said its Cockney individuality had dispersed further than the accepted areas of eastbound and southbound London, marked by the dispersed of pastry 'n' and mash shops, from Bishop's Stortford successful Hertfordshire to Tunbridge Wells successful Kent.

He said immoderate shops were "evolving" with the times by offering vegetarian options and transportation services.

The iconic crockery which has go synonymous with Cockney civilization is thought to day backmost to the 1840s.

Traditionally, it consisted of a savoury pastry filled with minced beef, served with mashed potatoes and a parsley liquor.

But for anyone feeling adventurous, pastry 'n' mash tin besides beryllium served with stewed jellied eels - different Cockney favourite.

Those who emotion it, similar the Cockney Modern Festival organisers, accidental it is an artisan nutrient with recipes handed down passim generations "like precious household heirlooms".

Mr Holden said helium has written to much than 40 MPs who person a pastry 'n' mash store successful their constituency, adding: "It's portion of a run to observe and truly beforehand pastry and mash, which has dispersed retired from its beginnings successful cardinal and eastbound London, down the Thames Gateway and retired into the world."

He told PA Media: "We're wanting to observe it and I've got a mates of pastry and mash shops successful my portion of the Basildon caller town.

"I've got Stacey's Pie and Mash and Robins Pie and Mash. Robins is portion of a tiny concatenation tally by a household close crossed Essex and eastbound London."

Famous fans of the hearty repast see David Beckham, histrion Danny Dyer, and comedians Arthur Smith and Rob Beckett.

The crockery has besides been immortalised successful EastEnders, with Beale's Eels Pie & Mash House.

Mr Holden said the crockery had been enjoyed by families for astir 200 years.

He said: "It's portion of that Cockney diaspora - peculiarly for places similar Basildon, wherever you've seen each that caller physique town... radical moving retired determination from the East End and taking immoderate of those traditions with them.

"It's large to beforehand a precocious prime product... it's the archetypal accelerated food."

Daniel Zeichner, Labour's situation minister, said officials astatine the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had been progressive successful discussions.

"They are wide that an exertion for TSG presumption requires statement connected the look that producers would request to travel to usage the sanction successful future," helium said.

"They besides recognize that each those wishing to usage the sanction would request periodic verification of their practices."

He said erstwhile a ceremonial exertion had been submitted, a afloat appraisal could past beryllium made.