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Former Conservative minister Richard Holden is main a marketing campaign to safe protected status for conventional pie and mash as a celebration of the “original fast food”.
Mr Holden and producers have made representations to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) about an utility for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status for the dish.
The former Tory celebration chairman, who was parachuted into the Conservative secure seat of Basildon and Billericay, will lead a parliamentary debate in Westminster Hall on Tuesday to additional press the case for the “cracking” merchandise to get the “recognition they deserve”.
He was hand-picked by Rishi Sunak to be positioned on a shortlist of 1 on the basic election after his North West Durham seat ceased to exist following the boundary evaluation.
Mr Holden beforehand declared he was “bloody loyal to the North East”, regardless of selecting not to stand in any of the native constituencies that might substitute his seat.
Now, he’s combating to give the normal Cockney delicacy protected status from the federal government.
TSG is a high quality scheme that protects the names of meals and agricultural merchandise which are made utilizing conventional strategies or elements. Bramley Apple pie filling and Cornish pasties are among the meals protected beneath the scheme.
Traditional pie and mash could also be given TSG status if there may be settlement between producers on the recipe that would wish to be observe to use the title in future, Defra stated.
The recipe entails a minced beef pie served with mashed potatoes and a parsley sauce often known as liquor.
Mr Holden stated he has written to greater than 40 MPs who’ve a pie and mash store of their constituency. He is assured TSG status shall be granted, including: “I don’t start campaigns I can’t win.”
As Tory chairman, Mr Holden was immediately accountable for the celebration’s 2024 basic election marketing campaign, which noticed the Conservatives undergo their worst defeat in historical past.
“It’s part of a campaign to celebrate and really promote pie and mash, which has spread out from its beginnings in central and east London, down the Thames Gateway and out into the world,” he stated.
“I’ve been to these pie and mash shops, they make them on site, every day, they’re the original fast food, pies made in advance and they are made by artisans, it’s a nice thing and I think it’s something that’s been a bit underappreciated.”
He stated talks are already occurring with Defra and he’s “hopeful that over time that will move further in the right direction”.
Asked about his experiences of consuming pie and mash, Mr Holden replied: “Cracking. Original pie and mash was an eel pie but when the Thames was polluted during the industrial revolution basically eels were no longer there so they switched to having mince in it.
“The crucial thing is they kept the liquor from the original eel pie, which is why you’ve got the parsley sauce because traditionally parsley liquor would always have gone with a fish dish.
“Personally I prefer mine also with vinegar, some people have chilli vinegar – it’s not for me. It’s not malted vinegar, it’s a specific sort of vinegar that they have with it.”
Environment minister Daniel Zeichner, replying to a written query from Mr Holden, stated: “Defra officials have already discussed the application process for Traditional Speciality Guaranteed status with a representative of the producers.
“They are clear that an application for TSG status requires agreement on the recipe that producers would need to follow to use the name in future.
“They also understand that all those wishing to use the name would need periodic verification of their practices.
“Once a formal application is submitted, a full assessment of the case can be made.”
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