Fish and chips

Fish and chips
Fish and chips in Norfolk, England
Alternative names	Fish supper
Course	Main dish
Place of origin	England
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredients	Battered and fried fish with deep-fried chips
Cookbook:Fish and chips  Fish and chips

Fish and chips is a hot dish of English origin,^[1] consisting of battered fish, commonly Atlantic cod or haddock, and deep-fried chips. It is a common take-away food.

History

Fish and chips became a stock meal among the working classes in England as a consequence of the rapid development of trawl fishing in the North Sea, and the development of railways which connected the ports to major industrial cities during the second half of the 19th century, which meant that fresh fish could be rapidly transported to the heavily populated areas.^[2] Deep-fried fish was first introduced into Britain during the 16th century by Jewish refugees from Portugal and Spain,^[3][4] and is derived from pescado frito. In 1860, the first fish and chip shop was opened in London by Joseph Malin.^[5]

Deep-fried chips (slices or pieces of potato) as a dish may have first appeared in Britain in about the same period: the Oxford English Dictionary notes as its earliest usage of "chips" in this sense the mention in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities (published in 1859): "Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil".

The modern fish-and-chip shop ("chippy" or "chipper" in modern British slang^[6][7]) originated in the United Kingdom, although outlets selling fried food occurred commonly throughout Europe. Early fish-and-chip shops had only very basic facilities. Usually these consisted principally of a large cauldron of cooking fat, heated by a coal fire. During World War II fish and chips remained one of the few foods in the United Kingdom not subject to rationing.^[8]

In the United Kingdom the Fish Labelling Regulations 2003^[9] and in Ireland the European Communities (Labelling of Fishery and Aquaculture Products) Regulations 2003 ^[10] respectively enact directive 2065/2001/EC, and generally mean that "fish" must be sold with the particular commercial name or species named; so "cod and chips" now appears on menus rather than the more vague "fish and chips". In the United Kingdom the Food Standards Agency guidance excludes caterers from this;^[11] but several local Trading Standards authorities and others do say it cannot be sold merely as "fish and chips".^[12][13][14]

England

The dish became popular in wider circles in London and South East England in the middle of the 19th century. (Charles Dickens mentions a "fried fish warehouse" in Oliver Twist, first published in 1838), while in the north of England a trade in deep-fried chipped potatoes developed. The first chip shop stood on the present site of Oldham's Tommyfield Market.^[15] It remains unclear exactly when and where these two trades combined to become the fish-and-chip shop industry we know. A Jewish immigrant, Joseph Malin opened the first recorded combined fish-and-chip shop in London in 1860 or in 1865; a Mr Lees pioneered the concept in the North of England, in Mossley, in 1863.^[16]

The concept of a fish restaurant was introduced by Samuel Isaacs (born 1856 in Whitechapel, London; died 1939 in Brighton, Sussex) who ran a thriving wholesale and retail fish business throughout London and the South of England in the latter part of the 19th century. Isaacs' first restaurant opened in London in 1896 serving fish and chips, bread and butter, and tea for nine pence,^[17] and its popularity ensured a rapid expansion of the chain.

The restaurants were carpeted, had waited service, tablecloths, flowers, china and cutlery, and made the trappings of upmarket dining affordable to the working classes for the first time. They were located in Tottenham Court Road, St Pancras, The Strand, Hoxton, Shoreditch, Brixton and other London districts, as well as Clacton, Brighton, Ramsgate, Margate and other seaside resorts in southern England. Menus were expanded in the early 20th century to include meat dishes and other variations as their popularity grew to a total of thirty restaurants. Sam Isaacs' trademark was the phrase "This is the Plaice" combined with a picture of the punned-upon fish in question. A glimpse of the old Brighton restaurant at No.1 Marine Parade can be seen in the background of Norman Wisdom's 1955 film One Good Turn just as Norman/Pitkin runs onto the seafront; this is now the site of a Harry Ramsden's fish and chips restaurant. A blue plaque at Oldham's Tommyfield Market marks the first chips fried in Britain in 1860, and the origin of the fish and chip shop and fast food industries in Britain.^[18]

Scotland

Dundee City Council claims that "… in the 1870s, that glory of British gastronomy—the chip—was first sold by Belgian immigrant Edward De Gernier in the city's Greenmarket."^[19]

In Edinburgh, a combination of Gold Star brown sauce and water or malt vinegar, known as "sauce", or more specifically as "chippy sauce", has great popularity.^[20]

Ireland

In Ireland, the first fish and chips were sold by an Italian immigrant, Giuseppe Cervi, who mistakenly stepped off an America-bound ship at Cobh (then called Queenstown) in County Cork in the 1880s and walked all the way to Dublin.^[21] He started by selling fish and chips outside Dublin pubs from a handcart. He then found a permanent spot in Great Brunswick Street (now Pearse Street). His wife Palma would ask customers "Uno di questa, uno di quella?" This phrase (meaning "one of this, one of the other") entered the vernacular in Dublin as "one and one", which is still a way of referring to fish and chips in the city.^[7]

India

The National Federation of fish Friers believes that the first fish and chip shop was set up in 1860. In India, the dish is usually based on Pomfret fish, and uses more chili paste and pepper than would be used in the UK. The dish is more of a niche market delicacy in India than a mass market dish.^[22]

United States

In the United States, the dish is most commonly sold as "fish and chips," except in Wisconsin and other parts of the Upper Midwest, where this meal would be called a fish fry. The name "fish and chips" remains despite the fact that the word "chips" in the US generally refers to what are called "crisps" in the UK. (Americans typically refer to fried, sliced potatoes as fries).

Composition

Cooking

Traditional frying uses beef dripping or lard; however, vegetable oils, such as peanut oil (used because of its relatively high smoke point) now predominate. A minority of vendors in the north of England and Scotland and the majority of vendors in Northern Ireland still use dripping or lard, as it imparts a different flavour to the dish, but it has the side effect of making the fried chips unsuitable for vegetarians and for adherents of certain faiths. Lard is used in some living industrial history museums, such as the Black Country Living Museum.

Thickness

British chips are usually thicker than American-style French fries sold by major multinational fast food chains, resulting in a lower fat content per portion. In their homes or in non-chain restaurants, people in or from the United States may eat a thick type of chip, more similar to the British variant, sometimes referred to as steak fries.^[23][24]

How much cooking fat soaks into the potato depends on the surface area and how long they are cooked. Chips have a smaller surface area per unit weight than French fries, which means absorbing less oil in a given time. On the other hand, chips, being thicker, take longer to cook than fries.

Batter

UK fish and chip shops traditionally use a simple water and flour batter, adding a little sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and a little vinegar to create lightness, as they create bubbles in the batter. Other recipes may use beer or milk batter, where these liquids are often substitutes for water. The carbon dioxide in the beer lends a lighter texture to the batter. Beer also results in an orange-brown colour. A simple beer batter might consist of a 2:3 ratio of flour to beer by volume. The type of beer makes the batter taste different: some prefer lager^[25][26] whereas others use stout or bitter.

Choice of fish

In Britain and Ireland, cod and haddock appear most commonly as the fish used for fish and chips,^[27] but vendors also sell many other kinds of fish, especially other white fish, such as pollock or coley, plaice, skate, and ray (particularly popular in Ireland); and huss or rock salmon (a term covering several species of dogfish and similar fish). In Northern Ireland, cod, plaice or whiting appear most commonly in 'fish suppers'—'supper' being Scottish & Northern Irish chip-shop slang for a food item accompanied by chips. Suppliers in Devon and Cornwall regularly offer pollock and coley as cheap alternatives to haddock due to their regular availability in a common catch.

In Australia, reef cod and rock cod (a different variety from that used in the United Kingdom), barramundi an expensive option or flake (a type of shark meat), or snapper—both cheaper options—are commonly used. From the early 21st century, farmed basa imported from Vietnam and hoki have become common in Australian fish and chip shops. Other types of fish are also used based on regional availability.

In New Zealand, snapper was originally the preferred species for battered fillets in the North Island. As catches for this fish declined, it was replaced by hoki, shark (particularly rig) – marketed as lemon fish – and tarakihi. Bluefin gurnard and blue cod predominate in South Island fish and chips.

In the United States, the type of fish used depends on availability in a given region. Some common types are cod, halibut, flounder, tilapia or, in New England, Atlantic cod or haddock. Salmon is growing common on the West Coast, while freshwater catfish is most commonly used in the Southeast.

Accompaniments

In chip shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland, salt and vinegar is traditionally sprinkled over fish and chips at the time it is served.^[27] Suppliers use malt vinegar, onion vinegar (used for pickling onions), or the cheaper non-brewed condiment. In Britain a portion of mushy peas is a popular side dish ^[28] as are a range of pickles that typically include gherkins, onions and eggs.^[29] In table-service restaurants and pubs, the dish is usually served with a slice of lemon for squeezing over the fish and without any sauces or condiments, with salt, vinegar and sauces available at the customer's leisure.^[30]

In Ireland, Wales and Northern England, most takeaways serve warm portions of side-sauces such as curry sauce, gravy or mushy peas. The sauces are usually poured over the chips. In some areas, this dish without fish is referred to as 'wet chips'. Other fried products include 'scraps' (also known as 'bits' in Southern England), originally a by-product of fish frying. Still popular in Northern England, they were given as treats to the children of customers. Portions prepared and sold today consist of loose blobs of batter, deep fried to a crunchy golden crisp in the cooking-fat. The very popular potato scallop or potato cake consists of slices of potato dipped in fish batter and deep fried until golden brown. These are often accompanied for dipping by the warm sauces listed above.^[31]

Vendors

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa, fish and chips usually sell through independent restaurants and take-aways known as fish and chip shops. Outlets range from small affairs to chain restaurants. Locally-owned seafood restaurants are also popular in many local markets. Mobile "chip vans" serve to cater for temporary occasions.^[32] In Canada, the outlets may be referred to as chip wagons. In the United Kingdom some shops have amusing names, such as "A Salt and Battery", "The Codfather","The Frying Scotsman", "Oh My Cod", and "Frying Nemo"^[33] In countries such as New Zealand and Australia, fish-and-chip vendors are a popular business and source of income among the Asian community, particularly Chinese migrants.^[34]

In Ireland, the majority of traditional vendors are migrants or the descendants of migrants from southern Italy. A trade organisation exists to represent this tradition.^[35]

Fish and chips is a popular lunch meal eaten by families travelling to seaside resorts for day trips who do not bring their own picnic meals.

Fish-and-chip outlets sell roughly 25% of all the white fish consumed in the United Kingdom, and 10% of all potatoes.^[36]

The existence of numerous competitions and awards for "best fish-and-chip shop"^[37] testifies to the recognised status of this type of outlet in popular culture.^[38]

Fish-and-chip shops traditionally wrapped their product in newspaper, or with an inner layer of white paper (for hygiene) and an outer layer of newspaper or blank newsprint (for insulation and to absorb grease), though the use of newspaper for wrapping has almost ceased on grounds of hygiene. Nowadays, establishments usually use food-quality wrapping paper, occasionally printed on the outside to emulate newspaper.

The British National Federation of Fish Friers was founded in 1913. It promotes fish and chips and offers training courses.

A previous world record for the "largest serving of fish and chips" was held by Gadaleto's Seafood Market in New Paltz, New York.^[39][40] This 2004 record was broken by Yorkshire pub Wensleydale Heifer in July 2011.^[41] An attempt to break this record was made by Doncaster fish and chip shop Scawsby Fisheries in August 2012, which served 33 pounds (15 kg) of battered cod alongside 64 pounds (29 kg) of chips.^[42]

Cultural impact

The long-standing Roman Catholic tradition of not eating meat on Fridays, especially during Lent, and of substituting fish for other types of meat on that day continues to influence habits even in predominantly Protestant, Anglican, semi-secular and secular societies. Friday night remains a traditional occasion for eating fish-and-chips; and many cafeterias and similar establishments, while varying their menus on other days of the week, habitually offer fish and chips every Friday.^[43]

In Australia and New Zealand, the words "fish and chips" are often used to highlight the difference in each country's short-i vowel sound [ɪ]. Australian English has a higher forward sound [i], close to the y in happy and city, while New Zealand English has a lower backward sound [ɘ], a slightly higher version of the a in about and comma. Hence many people from other dialects hear an Australian say "feesh and cheeps" and a New Zealander say "fush and chups" for fish and chips.^[44][45]

Environment

In the UK, waste oil from fish and chip shops has become a useful source of biodiesel.^[46] German biodiesel company Petrotec have outlined plans to produce biodiesel in the UK from waste oil from the British fish-and-chip industry.^[47]

See also

References

Bibliography

• Gerald Priestland (1972). Frying tonight: the saga of fish & chips. Gentry Books. ISBN 0-85614-014-7. Retrieved 11 April 2012. 
• Walton, John K (2000) Fish & Chips & the British Working Class, 1870-1940 Continuum International Publishing Group. ISBN 9780718521202.

External links

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Fish and Chips

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fish and chips.

• "Top UK dish 'hooked French first'": BBC News: Fish and chips invented in France? Retrieved 2008-05-27
• "My plaice or yours?" - article from The Guardian detailing some chippy terminology. Retrieved 2008-05-27
• Far Flung Fish and Chips - historical article
• "Fish and chips": the (UK) Sea Fish Industry Authority's views. Retrieved 2008-05-27
• BBC TWO Ching He Huang-style fish and chips
• National Federation of Fish Friers, the UK industry body for fish and chip shops.

Seafood Fish Anchovy Billfish Carp Catfish Cod Eel Flatfish Flounder Herring Mackerel Salmon Sardine Shark Sturgeon Tilapia Trout Tuna Whitebait Shellfish Abalone Cockles Crab meat Crayfish Geoduck Krill Lobster Mussels Oysters Scallops Shrimp Sea urchins Crustaceans Molluscs Other seafood Edible seaweed Jellyfish Marine mammals Octopus Sea cucumber Squid Whale meat Sea vegetables Algae List of seafoods more... Processed seafood Caviar Dried fish Canned fish Cod liver oil Cured fish Fermented fish Fish fillet Fish head Fish oil Fish sauce Fish paste Fish steak Fish stock Lutefisk Salted fish Shark liver oil Shrimp paste Smoked fish Stockfish Surimi Roe more... Seafood dishes List of seafood dishes List of crab dishes List of fish dishes Bisque Chowder Fish and chips Fish pie Fish soup Fried fish Raw fish Seafood boil Shark fin soup Sushi more... Health hazards Ciguatera Fish diseases and parasites Mercury in fish Metagonimiasis Scombroid food poisoning Seafood allergy Shellfish poisoning Advisory services Seafood mislabelling Sustainable seafood Sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification Animal welfare Declawing of crabs Eyestalk ablation Eating live seafood Live fish trade Pain in fish Pain in crustaceans Shark finning Related topics Fish preservation Fish processing Gathering seafood by hand History of seafood History of sushi List of seafood companies Raw bar Salmon cannery Seafood restaurant Umami

English cuisine Cooks & Cookbooks Middle ages The Forme of Cury (c. 1390) Early modern Hannah Wolley (The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet 1672) John Evelyn (Acetaria a Discourse of Sallets 1699) Eighteenth century Eliza Smith (The Compleat Housewife 1727) Hannah Glasse (The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy 1747) Elizabeth Raffald (The Experienced English Housekeeper 1769) William Augustus Henderson (The Housekeeper's Instructor 1790?) Nineteenth century Mrs Rundell (A New System of Domestic Cookery 1806) Eliza Acton (Modern Cookery for Private Families 1845 - The English Bread Book 1857) Isabella Beeton (Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management 1861) Twentieth century Mary Berry Heston Blumenthal Fanny and Johnnie Cradock Elizabeth David (A Book of Mediterranean Food, 1950) Clarissa Dickson Wright Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Keith Floyd Jane Grigson Sophie Grigson Ainsley Harriott Dorothy Hartley (Food in England 1954) Fergus Henderson Robert Irvine Graham Kerr Nigella Lawson (How to Eat, 1998) Jonathan Meades Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef, 1999) Lorraine Pascale Marguerite Patten ( Everyday Cook Book in Colour, 1968) Gordon Ramsay Gary Rhodes Michel Roux, Jr. (Le Gavroche Cookbook 2001) Nigel Slater (Real Fast Food 1992) Delia Smith (How to Cheat at Cooking, 1983) Rick Stein (English Seafood Cookery, 1988) Antony Worrall Thompson Phil Vickery Marco Pierre White Dishes Savouries Bedfordshire clanger Bangers and mash Beef Wellington Black pudding Bubble and squeak Cauliflower cheese Cobbler Cornish pasty Cottage pie Cumberland sausage Devilled kidneys Faggots Fish and chips Full English breakfast Game pie Gooducken Gravy Jellied eels Kippers Lancashire hotpot Lincolnshire sausage Liver and onions Parmo Pease pudding Pie and mash Ploughman's lunch Pork pie Potted shrimps Shepherd's pie Scouse Stargazy Pie Steak and kidney pie Steak and kidney pudding Steak and oyster pie Stottie cake Suet pudding Sunday roast Roast beef Roast lamb Toad-in-the-hole Welsh Rarebit Yorkshire pudding Puddings Apple pie Bakewell tart Battenberg Cake Bread and butter pudding Christmas pudding Crumble Custard Eccles cake Eton Mess Eve's pudding Fool Gypsy tart Cornish Hevva Cake Jam Roly-Poly Knickerbocker glory Lardy cake Madeira cake Mince pie Parkin Pound cake Queen of Puddings Saffron cake Scones Spotted dick Sticky toffee pudding Summer pudding Sussex Pond Pudding Syllabub Trifle Treacle tart Victoria Sponge cake Sauces Chutney Horseradish sauce HP sauce Mint sauce Piccalilli Worcestershire sauce Cheeses Caerphilly Cheddar cheese Cottage cheese Curd cheese Double Gloucester Lancashire Red Leicester Stilton Wensleydale Yarg Preserves Marmalade