Guest Author - Samantha Askwith
Fish and chips (often written as Fish n Chips) are a great English traditional food, Thought of by many as the Nation’s national dish. Fish and Chips celebrated their 150th birthday in 2009. Shops that serve them are known as Chippys or a Chip Shop.
Fish and Chips are simply deep fried battered fish with deep fried chips (slices of potato). Salt and vinegar are often sprinkled on fish and chips and they are served with mushy peas. Mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas that are left to soak overnight. Then sugar and salt are added and they are lightly simmered to create a mushy mixture. Scraps are also an option in some shops, these are just the scraps of batter they have. Many shops give scraps away free but a few do charge for them. Tartar sauce is also popular with fish and chips.
Until the 1980s when new laws came in fish and chips were served wrapped in newspaper. They are now served wrapped in greaseproof paper as it was deemed unsafe to let the ink from the newspaper touch the food.
How they are actually made depends largely on which part of the England you are in. In the south most shops uses vegetable fat whilst in the north the majority will use beef dripping. Haddock and cod are the two most popular fishes used. Although a variety of white fish can be used. Cod is more popular in fishing areas whilst haddock is popular inland. Coastal areas are also more likely to serve the fish with the skin on where others area will skin it.
The price of fish and chips can vary from £1 to £7 or even to £24 in a top celebrity chef restaurant. The quality can vary considerably depending on the type of cooking range used so price does often matter.
There is debate as to who opened the first fish and chip shop in England. Except to say it was around 1860 in either London or Lancashire.
It is often seen as a comfort food for the working classes, because of this it was one of the few foods not rationed during World War II. In modern days there has been concerns about the fish stocks dwindling.
Despite being deep fried fish and chips are healthier then many other takeaways available as they contain less fat and fewer calories. Fish and chips are also a good source of protein, fibre, iron and vitamins.
