I've never tried them but feel I should as being from East London stock. Have a pie and mash shop down the road that sells them. Are they flippin gorgeous or should I avoid?
The culinary equivalent of supporting Charlton - lul you into a false sense of security by being alright for a brief period but before you know it you're sick to the stomach and left regretting it.
I thought they were actually European eels that only come to London waters to mate but stopped coming a few years back when things became a little trickier and the waters not so inviting.
My Dad and my older brother used to go to Tubby Isaacs every chance they had. Took me along as a young kid, looked revolting, never tasted them, think I would have rather chewed on my own bollocks quite frankly ! My Bruv will still eat them when he can but difficult to get now. Cooking back in the 60's at our flat was cheap meat, boiled pigs head, trotters and tounge... hated it all tbh.
Only mockney Spanners and Hammers from Southend and Margate eat that pie and mash, jellied eel shit.
Real Londoners have more taste.
Pie and mash is fine, although I'd give the liquor a miss to be honest. I can't remember what jellied eels taste like, as the combination of slimy and chewy at the same time was enough to put me off after the first bite.
My dad used to love them (always bought a tub from Woolwich Market) personally never tried, the thought of all that jelly and that bone down the middle made me want to heave. Just think how crap the rest of the food available to poor Londoners must have been to make them savour that. I went to an East Wedding years back and they were like rabid locusts diving on the Eels and Winkles, (and Cockles/Whelks which I do like).
I remember going to Manzies in Woolwich and seeing them dispatching the poor live Eels in the window, before skinning their still wriggling headless bodies and it was like a horror show - it didn't seem to put off the patrons- absolutely disgusting- but I suppose they never had colour telly or iPads in those days, and had to make their own entertainment.
The eel is a naturally gelatinous fish, with the cooking process releasing proteins like collagen into the liquid, which solidify upon cooling to form a jelly. Collagen is good for the skin and is used by plastic surgeons. Me? I'd rather live with my baggy face than eat them.
From time to time in small quantities I really quite like them must have a dash of vinegar ,white pepper and a little dash of tabasco .Accompanied by fresh bread and butter and a glass of chablis or sancerre
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My Nan god bless her got hold of em then with a knife cut their heads off.
Pan fried then with milk... She loved them... I was sick then watching her eat em up.
Real Londoners have more taste.
I remember going to Manzies in Woolwich and seeing them dispatching the poor live Eels in the window, before skinning their still wriggling headless bodies and it was like a horror show - it didn't seem to put off the patrons- absolutely disgusting- but I suppose they never had colour telly or iPads in those days, and had to make their own entertainment.