Christmas the Shoreditch Way ( Part 3 ) – A Gold Shop

You might think it’s sad for me to admit, I think I’ve fallen in love with A Gold Shop. But really, it’s not sad at all because it’s much more than a shop! I shall fill you in on my reasoning. Philip, one of the two owners, describes it as a nostalgic British food shop. They buy all their meat from Smithfield Market, stock all sorts of products from small suppliers around Ireland and Britain as well as make their own scotch eggs every blinking day.

To all of you thinking; “get to the Christmas food bit, we can’t eat scotch eggs for our Christmas Dinner”, well you could definitely eat them on Christmas eve, or boxing day, but there’s also a dozen other tasty treats I’m going to tell you about.

Have you ever had homemade marshmallow? Imagine it on top of your hot chocolate on Christmas eve, pyjamas on and watching a Royle Family Christmas Special (they better bloody do it )… divine. A Gold Shop stocks a homemade marshmallow by Patchettt’s Confectionary. It’s made using fresh ingredients and is light and oh so fluffy.

I asked Philip what was his favourite thing in the shop; ‘My favourite products include the jams made by Lillie from London Borough of jam – she combines really interesting and unusual ingredients like pepper and plum, blueberry and bay, peach and fennel. They are stunning.’ Blueberry and Bay? Bonne Maman, you‘ve been wiped right out of the running. They work hard to find products we wouldn’t come across in Sainsbury’s or the like, with delights like London Borough of Jam which you could get as a supplement to your pastries for Christmas Breakfast, or frankly, as a present for anyone before tying a nice bow on top.

Now you’ve got some jam, some marshmallow, how about some piccalilli? Yes, that fine English food stuff which is completely bizarre but, like mustard, works WONDERS on your meats and (in my case) your cheeses. It’s delicious, unique and a brilliant staple to add to your dinner table. Philip said the Mrs Bennett’s Piccalilli stocked in A Gold Shop is hands down the best he’s ever tasted, and I believe him with all my fingers and toes.

Before I close the book on A Gold Shop I want to cram in that they sell gin, that drink which nearly everyone likes and is so very English. This one, Little Bird Gin, is a gem and made in Hackney. It would give your guests/friends/mother a stimulating, refreshing kick after a day of presents and food eating. You have a non-drinker at your party? Entertaining some small children and unsure if they can drink gin? Get a handful of Mr Fitzpatrick’s cordials, there’s Blood Tonic, Blackcurrant and Liquorice, Cream Soda and Black Beer and Raisin. To be honest, I’d forgo getting plain tonic for the gin and mix it in with one of these daring beauties instead. Give the children water from the tap.

If you like the sound of all of that then go have a look, Philip says they make hampers for anyone, filled to the brim with the above, or worked to a certain price you have in mind.

 http://www.agoldshop.com/

42 Brushfield Street
London
E1 6AG

Support your local shops and have a very Merry Xmas.