h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I just thought it might get your attention, I can give suggestions with pie's in Gosport, Hampshire.! So tell me more about yourself!!

Natalie, I'm afraid London is (or at least "was" when I was living there about 15 years ago) a pretty grim place where decent chip suppers are concerned. Up here in Aberdeen, one of my favourite dishes is a "White Pudding Supper", which is basically spiced oatmeal, lard and onions cooked in a skin like a large sausage, served with a portion of chips. (Trust me, it tastes a *lot* better than it sounds!)

I asked for a White Pudding Supper in an East End chip shop. They asked me to repeat my order - twice - once to figure out my accent, once so they were sure they'd heard me right. They returned with a portion of chips and a cold, uncooked steak-and-kidney pudding on top...

I found shops which sold nice fish, and shops with good chips (mostly run by Chinese families; they do the chips in the same machine used for deep-frying spring rolls etc., and so use much hotter oil...) but failed to find a single shop which did both well... You're on your own, I'm afraid. Good luck...

Oh, and welcome to the Guide!

The only decent place to get Pies south of the lake district is a shop called Sweeny Tods in Reading. Okay, so it isn't London, but it's not far.

You also wouldn't believe the range they sell.

I'm intrigued by this 'unbelievable' range, Pastey! What on earth do they put in their pies?!

Last time I was there I has Wild Boar and Pheasant, and very nice it was too.

I thought everyone ate pies in London? Admittedly accompanied by mash, but even so...

No, EV, you're thinking about jellied eels...

I'm trying very hard *not* to think about jellied eels.

I thought it was pies and mushy peas actually.

(why don't we ave a bowler hatted smiley?)

People do eat pies in London, but they tend to be pastry-heavy. Can't beat pie and mash mind - I have heard some gruesome tales about what the 'liquor' is though! Does anyone have a definitive answer?

Natalie (saving up for great pie-buying excursion to Reading).

What liquor?

It's what bakers call the stock used to make the gravy in the pies...

And it's a weird greenish colour for some reason...

I can't wait for the forthcoming pie smiley.

The forthcoming pie is a weird green colour?

Maybe it's a Pecan pie...

I assume it was a normal brown-ish coloured pie when it was consumed, and is now green as it's forthcoming again... oh dear... 'scuse me...

Perhaps it's just been in the 'fridge a tad too long...

I just popped in to reassure everyone that my pie smiley is freshly baked and isn't green.

Amy the Ant

i dont know about everyone else but i find eating pie makes me sleepy

I want to reassure everyone that Amy's pie smiley isn't at all green! Additionally, it's absolutely superb and looks spookily edible!

(The greenish thing I was referring to was the 'liquor' they put on your plate in pie and mash shops...)