‘To be sure, garlic is not for ladies’ palates, nor those who court them, farther than to permit a light touch on the dish’ John Evelyn
FOODIES’ LONDON – PIE CRUST TO UPPER CRUST
Short read:Culinary Destinations – Afoot, Fooding & Feasting in The Strand & Covent Garden.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING
Don’t just take it from us…
Long read: Take a walk along the Strand. 140 years ago the lower classes bought ham sandwiches in the street here, while the upper classes were eating the magnificent delights prepared for them at the Savoy Hotel by the king of chefs and chef of kings, Auguste Escoffier. You’ve eaten the peach Melba he created – Ann will give you some more of his glamorous peach recipes to run up at home.
Julia Child read: “People who love to eat are always the best people.”
This walk covers London’s foodie history in and around the Covent Garden district, best known nowadays for shopping and eating, but for centuries the biggest market in the country for fruit and veg. The first tv chef, the best-selling cookery author of all time, the muffin man of Drury Lane all make an appearance, as does that iconic English dish roast beef. We’ll avoid the crowd by taking some of the peaceful back streets and alleyways, and if we’re lucky we may end with a real cup of English tea.
PIE CRUST TO UPPER CRUST – THE PRACTICALS
The meeting point for the Pie Crust to Upper Crust Foodies walk is just outside the Villiers Street exit of Embankment Tube.
N.B. The walk takes about two hours and ends at Twinings, the legendary old tea dealer across the street from the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand (and a three-minute walk from Temple Tube).
RSVP
And for a second helping, here are the links to the other Foodies London Walks Ann does. Any of Ann’s Foodies London Walks can of course be booked privately.
If you can’t make one of the regularly scheduled, just-turn-up, Foodies' London – Pie Crust to Upper Crust it can always be booked as a private tour. If you go private you can have the Foodies' London – Pie Crust to Upper Crust walk – or any other London Walk – on a day and at a time that suits your convenience. We’ll tailor it to your requirements. Ring Fiona or Mary on 020 7624 3978 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up and make it happen for you. A private London Walk – they’re good value for an individual or couple and sensational value for a group – makes an ideal group or educational or birthday party or office (team-building) or club outing.
GIVE THE GIFT OF LONDON WALKS
A private London Walk makes a fab gift – be it a birthday or anniversary or Christmas present or whatever. Merchandise schmerchandise (gift wrapped or not) – but giving someone an experience, now that’s special. Memories make us rich.
10 reviews for Foodies’ London – Pie Crust to Upper Crust
Rated 5 out of 5
Karen D –
On a cold January morning, Ann led us through a delightful history of culinary London. We had the pleasure of taking another walk with Ann years ago and it was nice to see that she is as well informed and entertaining on this walk as she was on the earlier walk. She clearly enjoys her subject and is able to speak from experience of making some of the dishes she talked about. We thoroughly enjoyed this walk and look forward to future walks with Ann – a truly wonderful guide.
Rated 5 out of 5
Paul –
This was this was a wonderful, wide-ranging tour, from roast beef to ice cream, Escoffier to — surprise! — Leonard Cohen. Ann is a delightful, witty, erudite guide. She also provided a number of recipe tips and restaurant recommendations, one of which, for gelato, we tried, and loved, right after the tour.
Rated 5 out of 5
Laurence –
Anne delivers a really interesting and informative tour, combining world-famous venues with relatively unknown sites, all within a short distance of each other. Delivered at a comfortable pace (both the walking and talking) with opportunities for questions. This tour delivers a delicioius introduction to some of the culinary history of Central London. Well worth attending and we will definitely be joining the other tours on offer.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jo Lloyd –
Fantastic walk with Ann. We learned so much about the food history of London and discovered lots of hidden gems. Thank you Ann, thank you London Walks – the gift that really does keep giving.
Rated 5 out of 5
Kate –
An entertaining way to see London in a new light with history and receipes from Peach Melba to Workhouse gruel. Ann was very engaging and knowledgeable and pitched the stories to suit all ages.
Rated 5 out of 5
Mary K-H –
I have done several of the London Walks and this one was my favourite….combining my favourite pastimes: visiting central London, learning history and talking about food. Ann was excellent in her delivery and very knowledgeable on her subject. I also appreciated the fact that she knew the area so well that she could take us a little off the beaten track to give us chats and we could all actually hear her. There was something for everyone on the walk ..I definitey will be signing up for her remaining walks on food history. It was a real delight to take part in this walk…what a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
Rated 5 out of 5
Sabrina + Peter –
Ann´s descriptions were great. We walked some hidden streats and got to know how to prepare and present a dinner like in the Savoy hotel. Highly recommended.
Rated 5 out of 5
Monica –
We really enjoyed Anne’s tour. Finding hidden culinary gems around Covent Garden and getting some great cooking tips.
Rated 5 out of 5
Hannah S. –
Had a lovely walk with Ann where is she told our group about the history of food in different parts of London! I enjoyed the store and would recommend it. I would like to attend another tour with Ann.
Rated 5 out of 5
Aileen & Mark Bush –
Despite the dreadful weather, Ann kept us absorbed and entertained for a couple of hours talking about food, the chefs who cooked it, the establishments it was served in as well as the people who wrote about it. We really enjoyed ourselves, learned a lot and discovered a few hidden gems. We’ll definitely do other London walks – especially if Ann is the guide. Really recommended.
Karen D –
On a cold January morning, Ann led us through a delightful history of culinary London. We had the pleasure of taking another walk with Ann years ago and it was nice to see that she is as well informed and entertaining on this walk as she was on the earlier walk. She clearly enjoys her subject and is able to speak from experience of making some of the dishes she talked about. We thoroughly enjoyed this walk and look forward to future walks with Ann – a truly wonderful guide.
Paul –
This was this was a wonderful, wide-ranging tour, from roast beef to ice cream, Escoffier to — surprise! — Leonard Cohen. Ann is a delightful, witty, erudite guide. She also provided a number of recipe tips and restaurant recommendations, one of which, for gelato, we tried, and loved, right after the tour.
Laurence –
Anne delivers a really interesting and informative tour, combining world-famous venues with relatively unknown sites, all within a short distance of each other. Delivered at a comfortable pace (both the walking and talking) with opportunities for questions. This tour delivers a delicioius introduction to some of the culinary history of Central London. Well worth attending and we will definitely be joining the other tours on offer.
Jo Lloyd –
Fantastic walk with Ann. We learned so much about the food history of London and discovered lots of hidden gems. Thank you Ann, thank you London Walks – the gift that really does keep giving.
Kate –
An entertaining way to see London in a new light with history and receipes from Peach Melba to Workhouse gruel. Ann was very engaging and knowledgeable and pitched the stories to suit all ages.
Mary K-H –
I have done several of the London Walks and this one was my favourite….combining my favourite pastimes: visiting central London, learning history and talking about food. Ann was excellent in her delivery and very knowledgeable on her subject. I also appreciated the fact that she knew the area so well that she could take us a little off the beaten track to give us chats and we could all actually hear her. There was something for everyone on the walk ..I definitey will be signing up for her remaining walks on food history. It was a real delight to take part in this walk…what a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
Sabrina + Peter –
Ann´s descriptions were great. We walked some hidden streats and got to know how to prepare and present a dinner like in the Savoy hotel. Highly recommended.
Monica –
We really enjoyed Anne’s tour. Finding hidden culinary gems around Covent Garden and getting some great cooking tips.
Hannah S. –
Had a lovely walk with Ann where is she told our group about the history of food in different parts of London! I enjoyed the store and would recommend it. I would like to attend another tour with Ann.
Aileen & Mark Bush –
Despite the dreadful weather, Ann kept us absorbed and entertained for a couple of hours talking about food, the chefs who cooked it, the establishments it was served in as well as the people who wrote about it. We really enjoyed ourselves, learned a lot and discovered a few hidden gems. We’ll definitely do other London walks – especially if Ann is the guide. Really recommended.