But what really makes a good chippy? One man has the answer – Andrew Crook is president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, which runs the annual National Fish & Chip Awards.
Well, he must surely know his…err, onions?
For industry expert Mr Crook, there's one particular quality in top fish and chip shops that help them stand out against others.
What it’s cooked in, perhaps?
Mr Crook adds: 'The thing that makes an excellent fryer is they're always changing something. They've always got a desire to improve. They're always constantly tweaking things, and I think that's what drives the industry forward.'
No no no! We don’t want change, constant change isn’t good. When you’ve a good local chippy, like mine, you want it to stay exactly the same forever!
Where does he stand on the perpetual debate over whether you should order cod or haddock? After 27 years in the industry, the Lancashire-raised frier has developed a well-rounded take. 'I think it’s a very regional thing, there are lots of fantastic species out there but in fish and chips on the whole people want cod or haddock,' he says.
Now he’s talking - as a southerner, my usual is cod, with an occasional haddock or plaice or even cod roe for variety or maybe when I can (sadly my local doesn’t offer it) skate! Always with a wally (gherkin). But I’ve noticed the further north one travels, the less often the option of cod is available.
The chippy expert dubs Whitby, in North Yorkshire, as the 'spiritual home of fish and chips'.
Now he’s talking! The Magpie Cafe in Whitby is the best!
As for Mr Crook's go-to order? Despite being from Lancashire he sides with the 'Yorkshire way of doing fish and chips'. 'It would be haddock battered, not lightly battered just normal batter, chips, mushy peas,' he says, adding that he prefers it to be cooked in beef dripping too.
Now he’s spot on - vegetable oil in the south and beef dripping in the north, and I have to give it to the northerners on points!
Roll on dinner time!
8 comments:
You're lucky to have a good local chippy. We only have one mediocre one
Beef dripping mentioned in the Grauniad! Anxiety counsellors will be busy.
There is an annual five mile run in Withernsea where fish and chips is included in the entry fee. As you can imagine, quite a line would form outside the chippy when the finishers started coming in. Although there were other chippies nearby there were plenty of regular punters queueing up along with all the runners. This suggests that this, The Golden Haddock, was the best chippy around.
Stonyground.
Except we now need to take out a mortgage for a portion of fish and chips. The once cheap staple is now an occasional luxury at over £13 including 20% bloody VAT plus the astronomic energy costs, employment taxes, business taxes and the other government and bureaucratic shite that has hollowed out the industry.
£3 or so for a portion of chips is a bloody outrage.
Haddock because cod can be tasteless.
Yes, we are moderately well off but fish and chips has become a rare treat because it is so much more expensive. We mitigate a little, we have a local chippy that does a large fish meal and if you get that there is enough there for two. So we get that and split it.
Stonyground.
I don't like either. I prefer a nice piece of plaice, or rotisserie chicken.
A real Fish & Chip shop only has four menu items - Fish (Haddock only), Fishcake, Chips and Mushy Peas, the first three only ever cooked in mature beef dripping.
Anything else is merely a distraction or a southern affectation.
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