Ales, gins and pies, the Blacksmith and Toffeemaker is my kind of pub. Managed by two scarily young men, Matt and Marc are first-time landlords but the attention to detail in the pub belies this. It’s reassuringly old-timey with nice touches like a bit of taxidermy, old-school bar soap and a hideously cute food counter serving jelly, it should please even if you’re not an old pubhound like me.
We were invited to the pub to taste the relaunched Kamm & Sons ginseng spirit, it’s a warming drink made in the same way as gin and it really packs a punch. I tried it with bitter lemon, and also with lychee and grapefruit juice in their Adam & Eve cocktail, dangerously drinkable!
We also got to taste some of the Blacksmith and Toffeemaker’s fine pub food, perfectly cooked scotch eggs with a panko breadcrumb coating are the ideal companion for one of their ales. Their moist pork pies have got me reconsidering my no baking rule, all that cold-water crust and hot gelatin stock faffing around seems worth it when presented with a pie of that calibre.
I can’t wait to go back and sample their gin selection and obviously get a few more pies down my cakehole.
Blacksmith and Toffeemaker, 292-294 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PA
Kamm & Sons available at Selfridges
