Victorian London meets Idahoan Potatoes in London’s oldest Pie and Mash shop. Peter Morrell gets a taste

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My wife and I recently went along to an event at M Manze in Tower Bridge Road, it’s London’s oldest Pie and Mash Shop. In this Victorian gem I would be tasting the latest evolution of the humble mashed potato.

America’s ‘Potato State’ Idaho is the source of the Idahoan Potato products, instant mash in packets and pots. The range has a number of flavours that takes this staple food up to an entirely different level.

We ordered at the marble topped counter, my wife and I chose a chicken pie with three different flavours of mash, buttery, Cheddar cheese, and roasted garlic, with a good helping of peas and gravy.

This combination was the ultimate comfort food, and all the flavours of mash were good. It was very reminiscent of hearty home-cooked food we had eaten as children.

Preparing perfect mashed potato can be quite tricky, a ricer turns potatoes into a puree and a masher can leave lumps. Idahoan Potato creates a texture that is just right.

Update – On day one of Storm Babet even London got a soaking. I arrived home drenched and craved a warming hearty meal. I put together fish pie topped with Idahoan Cheddar cheese potato in 10 minutes, which included 1 minute for the mashed potato, it’s the ultimate convenience food. See photo above.

Idahoan comes in six flavours – Classic, Buttery, Cheddar Cheese, Butter & Herb, Bacon & Cheese, Roasted Garlic – and is available with an RRP of £1.50 in all major supermarkets – Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Ocado.

And in pots – Bubble & Squeak, Bacon & Cheese – are available in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Ocado for an RRP £1.50.