Fish and Chips

Fish and chips is a common British takeaway food that has been around since the 1860's and the staple of the Victorian working class famous for its interesting texture and taste -- crunchy in the outside and soft in the inside. Sprinkled with salt, vinegar and tartar sauce to perfection, you'll never go wrong with it.

Traditional frying uses beef dripping or lard; however, vegetable oils, such as peanut oil (used because of its relatively high smoke point) now predominate. 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. 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.

In Britain and Ireland, cod and haddock appear most commonly as the fish used for fish and chips, 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 chip shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland, salt and vinegar is traditionally sprinkled over fish and chips at the time it is served. 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 as are a range of pickles that typically include gherkins, onions and eggs.