Tag: potatoes

FISH ‘N CHIPS

Leave a comment

Probably the most identifiable dish in all of Great Britain is ‘fish ‘n chips’.  There are “fish shops” or “chippies” on every corner in every village, city and town.  Originally, just a ‘take away’ dish, the “National Association of Fish Friers” says there are now over 10,000 fish shops around the U.K.  Imagine, though, that at the height of their popularity, there were over 35,000.  And whether you go to the “chippie” or you go out for “cod ‘n chips”, you’ll probably get some of the best fried fish you’ve ever had.  Cod, of course, is the most popular, with haddock running a close second.

Always served with a shower of salt and a generous splash of malt vinegar, fish ‘n chips is usually accompanied by mushy peas, and a variety of sauces.  I must say ‘mushy peas” has always left me a bit wanting … and wondering why they exist.  But, let’s put that on hold for the moment.


How and why did fried fish served with fried potatoes get to be Britain’s national comfort food?  Well, it seems that this staple of the working class may have come from Portuguese Jews living in Spain and Portugal in the 16th century.   As with many other foods, coating their fish in flour and then frying it in oil was something they did quite regularly.  But when the religious environment for these people became too hostile, they fled Portugal and Spain and emigrated to the U.K. … where they continued to ‘fry their fish’.

This style of preparing and serving fish became an instant hit.  President Thomas Jefferson, after a visit to London in the late 1700s, wrote about eating “fried fish in the Jewish fashion”.  And in 1837, Charles Dickens refers to a “fried fish warehouse” in his novel Oliver Twist.  Alex Soyer in his 1845 cookbook, “A Shilling Cookery for the People”, includes a recipe for “Fried fish, Jewish fashion”.

Original Recipe from Soyer’s Book 1845

Ok, but what about the ‘chips’?  Well, in the 1860’s in the East End of London lived the Malin family, Jewish rug weavers by trade, who barely eked out a living.  Their young son, Joseph, convinced his family to sell fried potatoes as a way of augmenting their income.  Potatoes were commonplace by that time, having been introduced to Europe from South America.  (This anti-famine crop actually became a catalyst for famine when blight struck Ireland in the mid-1800s.)

As people realized the nutritional value of potatoes and the ease with which to grow them, potatoes quickly became the food for the workers of the Industrial Revolution.  A valuable source of protein, fiber, iron and vitamins, It is said that fish and chips actually kept the working class from starvation.  Again, Charles Dickens, a reporter at heart, who always included the current social environment in his novels, mentions “husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil” in his 1859 book, A Tale of Two Cities.

So it seems that ‘fried fish’ and ‘fried potatoes’ were introduced into the British diet separately, but at about the same time.  Joseph eventually convinced his family to include fried fish along with their fried potatoes, opening the very first fish and chip shop in 1860, where it continued for over a century. The success of this family-run business was passed down from Joseph to Albert, who worked there until he was close to 100 years old, and then to Dennis.  Sadly, Malin’s closed in the 70’s, but their legacy lives on.

July 1952 crowds flocked to celebrate the 21st birthday of the original Harry Ramsden’s.

Harry Ramsden opened his first fish ‘n chip shop in 1928 in West Yorkshire.  In 1952, Harry’s shop earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records by serving over 10,000 portions of fish and chips in one day!

During the First and Second World Wars, fish and chips was one of the few foods in the U.K. not rationed by the British Government.  The Territorial Army prepared for battle by eating fish and chips provided for them at training camps in the 1930’s.  Winston Churchill called fish and chips “good companions” and claimed that this dish actually helped the British defeat the Nazis during WWII.

Now, of course, there is the The National Fish & Chip Award which selects the best fish ‘n chip shop in Great Britain through a very thorough checklist for quality, authenticity, menu development, and staff training, as well as a sustainable sourcing policy.  This highly coveted annual award is announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards’ ceremony in London each January.  Who knew there was such formality around fish ‘n chips?

How do you eat fish ‘n chips?  Up until recently, fish ‘n chips would be served to you wrapped in newspaper or butcher paper, maybe with a simple wooden fork, and you were expected to sit outside, perhaps on a park bench, or while you were walking along, enjoying this salty, satisfying meal.


Now, fish and chips is also served in the most upscale, sit-down, trendy restaurants, and at exorbitant prices.  Celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, charges as much as £19.50 for a ‘take-away’ version of this classic dish (which, I must admit, I’d pay.)

Fish and chips is now known and served all over the world.  You’d be hard pressed not to see this dish on every pub restaurant menu in the U.S. from Boston to San Francisco.  As simple a dish as it is, would I ever attempt to make this British classic at home?  Not a chance!  But if you are in Britain and you are feeling a bit ‘peckish’, be sure to pop in to the nearest chippie.  But if you see soul-satisfying, take-away dish served with a wedge of lemon and a side salad, walk away!  I’m not sure where you are, or how you ended up where you did, but this is NOT a traditional chippie or fish shop!  Salt, malt vinegar and mushy peas … full stop!

”Todays headlines, tomorrow’s fish and chips wrappings”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
References:  The Sun, Taste Atlas, Wikipedia, Jewish History, Roman Road, GBM, Foods of England, Historic UK, 

CORNED BEEF and CABBAGE?

Leave a comment

How did corned beef and cabbage become associated with the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day?  It just seems strange to me … especially considering  you’ll be hard pressed to find corned beef in Ireland.  Cabbage?  No problem.  It’s plentiful and prevalent in many dishes … along with potatoes, turnips, carrots.  Colcannon (cabbage and potatoes) being the most popular cabbage dish.  I think the dish that comes closest in Ireland to what we call Corned Beef and Cabbage is Cabbage and Bacon.

But don’t get confused.  Bacon in the U.K. is slightly different from bacon here in the U.S., we get our ‘bacon’ from the belly of the pig and it’s almost always smoked.  Most of us like our bacon cooked til crisp.  In the U.K., bacon comes from the back of the pig and usually not smoked … and definitely not fried til crisp.  U.S. bacon is available in the U.K., but it’s referred to as ‘streaky bacon’ (probably because of the streaky layers of fat).  We, on the other hand, generally refer to U.K. bacon as Canadian bacon (the fat is on the outside), not that it is, of course.  Have I confused you?

Canadian bacon left, U.S. bacon top, U.K. bacon bottom

Why am I trying to explain the difference in bacon?  Because Cabbage and Bacon is a heartier dish than we imagine, more like Cabbage and Ham, and is definitely old fashioned ‘comfort’ food in Ireland.  In fact, you’re more likely to use a ‘joint’ of ham when making Cabbage and Bacon.  But what isn’t ‘comfort’ food in Ireland is Corned Beef and Cabbage.  In fact, Corned Beef and Cabbage doesn’t even exist in Ireland.  Why then is it so endemic to celebrating St. Paddy’s Day here in the States?

Let’s start at the beginning.  Although the British had been ruling Ireland since the takeover in the 12th century, Brits did not live there, preferring to be absentee landowners.  In Ireland, cattle were beasts of burden and unless they were old and not able to plow the fields, or the cows to produce milk, they were not slaughtered.  Cattle was a sign of wealth and the only time one might be slaughtered was if there was a festival or celebration.  And, even then, it was only the wealthy English landowners who could afford to part with this valuable beast of burden.  Pigs were, and still are, the most prevalent animal raised to be eaten.

The English, however, were ‘beef eaters’ (the tag name given to the Queen’s guards).  In fact, Englishman, Robert Bakewell is credited with creating ‘selective breeding’ and was the first person to breed cattle for the beef industry, increasing their size and quality of meat.  Eventually the beef industry in Ireland grew and tens of thousands of cattle were being transported from the English-owned cattle farms in Ireland to England; but the government (as government’s always do) became involved and prohibited the transportation of live animals.  Now what to do?  Ireland had an abundance of salt and the process of salting to preserve food goes back throughout history.  Thus began the slaughtering of cattle and salting of the beef to preserve it.  The size of the salt crystals used to preserve the meat were enormous, as large as corn kernels some said … and so the name for this very salty, preserved meat soon became referred to as “corned” beef.

Pastures near Cliffs of Moher. Photo by Shaylyn Esposito

Irish ‘corned beef‘ was relatively inexpensive and, because of its ability to be stored for long periods of time, became in demand around Europe.  Although this was a huge export product for Ireland, the Irish couldn’t afford to buy or eat it.  It was the English who owned and controlled the industry.  Sadly, the Irish, who were producing this valuable export product could, at best, only afford potatoes and a bit of pork.

Detailed map showing where the Irish settled in the U.S. 1890 census.

Now fast forward to the heartbreaking potato famine which decimated Ireland beginning in 1845 and lasted seven long years.  It is estimated that well over a million Irish families escaped to America to avoid starvation.  Most landed at Ellis Island in New York City and, for lack of funds to move on, were forced to settle in the run-down tenement areas along the waterfront and in the Jewish neighborhoods.

The Jews were also new immigrants to America and were living in these same run-down, tenement areas.  The two groups formed a sort of kinship.  Both groups were discriminated against, forced from their homelands, penniless and starting their lives over.  As they started to settle in and progress financially, businesses began opening up, jobs were had and, finally, there was money for food.  The Irish began purchasing their meats from Kosher butcher shops, which sold a version of “corned beef”, much different from what they once produced.  But, it was delicious and they grew to love it.  All of which brings us back to today and Corned Beef and Cabbage!The cabbage, potatoes, turnips and carrots are traditional, but the Jewish-style brisket is definitely American born.  To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Irish Americans today (and those wanting to be Irish) will pin a shamrock on their lapel, order a green beer and enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage.  From high-end, fine dining restaurants to local mom and pop diners, on kitchen tables and celebrations across the country, we’ll all be tucking in to this homespun dish.  You still, however, won’t see it served in Ireland.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
References:  Wisegeek, Smithsonian, History Place, Irish Central, History, Wikipedia
_____________________________________________________________________________