Greenwich Whitebait

In the seventeenth century the best whitebait in the world were caught at Greenwich in July and August. Special whitebait dinners were given in Greenwich taverns and parties of Londoners would go by water or by road to spend the day by the Thames where it widened to the estuary. They watched the ships, strolled along the river bank and in the park and ate whitebait, often preceded by Water Souchet, for which a recipe is also given.