Few Brits can resist the wonderfully mouthwatering combination of moist and succulent fresh white fish deep fried in a crispy golden batter, served with a large side portion of piping hot fluffy chips liberally sprinkled with salt and malt vinegar.
A favourite of the Royal Family, it is claimed Sir Winston Churchill once described them as a “good companion”, whilst John Lennon covered his in a generous helping of tomato ketchup. Apparently Michael Jackson liked his with mushy peas and it is said that even Lady Gaga is partial to this great British dish.
Fish and chips have helped to sustain the morale of a nation during the bad times, and fuelled celebrations during the good times. For generations, the great British fare of traditional fish and chips have fed millions.
Best eaten with greasy fingers on a summer holiday at the seaside, a Friday treat at the end of a busy week or a late night supper after staggering home from the pub a little worse for wear.
Of course, everyone has their own favourite way of enjoying fish and chips. Will it be cod or haddock? Salt and vinegar? A few extra scraps? Curry sauce? Gravy? (no chance in London). What about a chip butty? Or should that be a barm cake? Or even a chip muffin?
Regardless of your fish and chip eccentricities, there is no getting away from the fact that fish and chips are one of gastronomy’s greatest double acts.
Alf Tupper: The tough of the track
Those old enough will fondly recall Alf Tupper, the ‘tough of the track’, who beat all the ‘toffs’ at cross country running fuelled purely on a diet of cups of tea and fish and chips. Alf Tupper was a fictional, working class, ‘hard as nails’ runner, whose adventures appeared first in the ‘Rover’ & then the ‘Victor’ British boys comics, over a near 40 year period. Alf’s legendary love of Fish & Chips is not perhaps the kind of diet enjoyed by today’s professional athletes, but an Alf Tupper story seldom finished without him dashing in to his local chippy.
Fish and chips: The North South Divide
As for the origins of fish and chips, well that’s still up for debate. It is said that chips were brought over to Britain in the 17th Century from either Belgium or France, whilst deep fried fish is thought to have come from Portugal around the same time.
However, as for who first had the bright idea to put fried fish with a portion of chips remains a mystery and no one really knows for sure, other than that it occurred somewhere in England. Some credit John Lees, a market trader from Mossley, an industrial town in the northern county of Lancashire, with selling the first fish and chips from his market stall in 1863. Other people claim that Joseph Malin, a Jewish migrant opened the first fish and chip shop in East London in 1861.
For whosoever we are to be eternally thankful for pairing fish with chips, this marriage made in heaven quickly caught on and soon became an important part of the Victorian diet for the working class population.
Originally, fish and chips were served wrapped in newspaper, as a way of keeping prices down, a tradition which remained in place until the early 1990’s when the fun ruining Health and Safety police ruled the practice to be unsafe.
During the Second World War, fish and chips were one of the few foods that wasn’t subject to rationing, with the government of the day ensuring that supplies of fish and chips were safeguarded as a priority.
Today, over 250 million portions of fish and chips are sold in the UK each year, from almost 11,000 fish and chip shops. Despite not being the king of the takeaway due to the rise in competition from burger chains, pizza outlets and Indian and Chinese restaurants, fish and chips remain a perennial favourite, with its place firmly cemented in the nation’s heart.
Here is where you’ll find some of the UK’s best fish and chips:
The Crispy Cod, Tonyrefail, South Wales
Welsh fish and chip shop of the year for 2011, 2012 and 2013, The Crispy Cod is owned by Matthew Williams, an award winning chef who has worked at some of Wales’ finest hotels and and restaurants. Customers travel from miles around to sample his award winning chunky cod. Visit the Crispy Cod website here.
Hanbury’s, Torquay
Hanbury’s Famous Fish and Chips of Babbacombe has been serving fantastic fish and chips for 3 decades. Well-loved locally, people will travel some distance for a plate of Hanbury’s fish and chips. The takeaway is a stone’s throw from the beautiful Babbacombe Downs where you can sit on a bench and eat your fish and chips looking out across the spectacular Lyme Bay. Visit Hanbury’s here.
Kerbisher & Malt, London
With restaurants located in Brook Green and Ealing, Kerbisher & Malt is a modern take on a traditional London chippy. With a host of celebrity endorsements and 5 star reviews, you can eat in or takeaway as you enjoy a popular K&M chip butty, some fried calamari or choose from an extensive fish selection which includes haddock, cod, plaice and coley. Find out more here.
Richardsons Fish Bar, Fleetwood
The Richardson family has been involved in the fishing industry in Fleetwood, since the 1920s, with the family Fish Bar first opening its doors over a decade ago. Today, the Richardson family serves fresh fish and chips from their new location inside Fleetwood’s oldest building. Recently voted the North West’s best fish and chip shop for 2013, you can get haddock, chips and mushy peas for a very reasonable £5.99. Find out more here.
Henleys of Wivenhoe
Henleys fish and chip shop in Wivenhoe was recently crowned the best fish and chip shop in London and the South East of England. Owner David Henley has been frying fish and chips since the age of 14 and has appeared on a number of national TV and radio shows in the UK talking about his great fish and chips. Visit the Henleys website for more information.
The watch: The William from Harold Pinchbeck
As English and traditional as fish and chips, the Pinchbeck name has been involved in watchmaking in the UK since the 18th Century. Today, the brand celebrates nearly 300 years of making watches with its classically styled William collection. The watch is made from stainless steel and measures 35mm in diameter. It includes a Rhonda quartz movement, mineral glass and luminous hands and hour markers. The watch also comes in a magnificent wooden presentation case. From £299.00
