The gecko talking about pie and chips is refering to pussy and cocks. Not food.

benjamin edelman - I assume you are high on something? :-?

Kate - in Yorkshire we called the batter bits - 'scraps'

Geico - yup it's an Auto Insurance company although why they show the advertisment here in Massachussets is beyond me since they don't offer insurance in MA.

I find the commercial funny but not the slightest useful.

Dear Neil_Oz, Thank god someone had the oomph to stand up for those who can make a truly decent pie and chips. As Neil mentioned, we also make the best hamburgers in the world, but only, and this is a big but, if they have pineapple, bacon and beetroot on them. (Neil, eggs are optional they drip all over you). Yes I know it sounds like an odd combination, but you should try it sometime. But I digress, pies in Australia are a national institution, they have pie awards for gods sake. Bakeries compete each year in pie making extravaganzas - so if you want a really yummy pie and chips, head south and you wont be disappointed.

The best meat and potato pie in the whole wide world is served at Old Trafford Stadium. Really they are fantastic.

They are wasted on Surrey's Finest.

Conversely if there's anything nastier than the balti pie served at White Hart Lane I have never come across it - I had one yesterday. Trully, trully foul.

So now we know who ate all the pies....

a heart attack on a plate

quot;>

Dear David_West, clearly you are mistaken, the best meat and potato pies are from Collaroy on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Obviously worth a trip don't you think?

Worth a trip from Northwest Montana to London for GREAT fish and chips. Was there for three days and had fish and chips every evening in some great pubs.

Not useful, Alya, but I lovvvvvve that litle gecko! He's so calm and cute.

Geico is headquartered near where I live, in Maryland. I think it's owned by Warren Buffet. Now I am used to seeing a lot of Geico ads because this is their main area, but I never noticed this gecko character until recently. Their ads used to be really annoying and obnoxious, but I like the little gecko character. I think he's cute (for an ad).

I don't know where the English accent comes from, it must have just been the gimmick their ad agency came up with to make him sound different. Australians were pretty popular for a while in some ads, I don't know why, and it is true an English accent is just kind of perceived as more intellectual, or at least erudite. Maybe it's just something their ad guy liked and everybody else thought it was memorable and likeable, I could see that.

I don't have Geico but I know a couple people who do and they like the company okay. They are supposed to have really low costs due to minimal service, but I think in my case, they weren't cheapest.

I never thought a discussion about food could sound so unappetizing. But then again, we are discussing English cooking...

;-)

Meat and potato pies in Old Trafford, David??? Surely you mean Prawn Sandwiches?

Round my way they talk about the Clarks Pies of Cardiff. They are still making them in the same machine that they used in 1750 (or 1620 or 1859 or 1930 or something).
I won't buy Peter's Pies as the money goes to Cardiff Blues rugby club (!) and we now see more horses in the fields since one of the local pie companies went bust in the 1980's.

The Pie and chips you are referring to is what most people in England eat as an alternative to say a hamburger in the states. Australia being a colony of England also has this as a cultural part of our life. When we got to the football we eat a pie with sauce. It is a pastry pie filled with mince meat in a rich gravy ( meant to be nice beef if you make it at home but god knows what's in them sometimes). They are a staple part of construction workers diets. When you see them on their smoko (break at 11am) undoubtedly about 75% of workers will be eating a pie. Oh and the "chips" are like your fries on steroids. A good chip will be quite thick. You really should try it. Every bakery in Australia also has a pie warmer where you can a quick pie to go!

I think that Geico ad with the gecko started during the Australian Open (tennis), so he's talking strine (or however you spell it).

http://www.reptilekeeper.co.uk/geckopics.php

will show pics of geckos. they are a lot like lizards and are all over the place in texas. i have saved thousands from being snacks for my cats.

About 10 years ago, I had a fantastic steak,kidney and venision pie at a pub by Hadrians Wall. Pub frare at its best!

Site for the oldest Pie and Mash shop in London:
http://www.manze.co.uk/

The Geico website indicates that the lizard's accent is meant to be "English":

http://www.geico.com/about/backgroun...ordSponsor.htm

Whether it is actually closer to Cockney or colonial is a matter for specialists to debate. (For my money, it's more Michael Caine than Russell Crowe.)