Topic: uk chippie chips

[Razor]

Battered sausage?  It's got to be a southern thing yeah?

Pudding, chips, peas & Gravy, served on a buttered muffin mmmmmmmmm

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about...hell yeah ;D ;D ;D

[JerryM]

Axe,

fascinating stuff as always.

the dripping really does make a difference - a place in swinton used it (alas the owner retired, the dripping went and the place was never the same).

if making proper chips we often leave the skins on particularly for the american or french size of chip.

[Malc.]

Ray, now your talking! Meat Pudding, Chips, Peas 'n' Gravy, heaven on a plate. You can keep your muffin though.  ;D

You talking about it being a 'Southern' thing made me laugh. I've always known that there are differences in the menu's between North and South. But the conversation I had yesterday briefly covered this. The reason it made me laugh is that we have discussed regional variation in BIR but it had never occurred to me that regional variation might exist in a chip shop. however, during our conversation about oil etc, he explained that Chippies on the seafront in Brighton for example, would use a certain oil. I begged the question what is generally used in say London and it was his reply to this that stunned me, "it depends on what part of London you are in" he said. The emphasis was on the ethnicity of the area.

Another customer I have in North London has a very different Fish n Chip Restaurant. Quite well known and has been frequented by some very famous people. They are a Greek family and have been running the restaurant since '68. They cook in Ground Nut Oil and use Matzo Flour in the batter. The difference between the two is quite considerable. Both are really good and both are quite unique these days. If I had to choose, I would say the Matzo Flour batter, is better. But that said, the dripping cooked fish n chips has less residual oil.

Jerry, it is a simple fact of practicality that forces the decline in dripping cooked Fish n Chips. The cost is considerably higher and the management of it is also more involved. It's also healthier to use Palm Oil etc, instead of Dripping.

[Razor]

Axe,

I was in Skegness a couple of years ago, and asked for pudding and chips, and a chip muffin.  This is roughly how the conversation went;

Chippy;  Eh up Duck, what can I get ya?

Ray; Hiya, can I have pudding and chip's, and a chip muffin please?

Chippy; Eh 

Ray; Pudding and chip's and a chip muffin?

Chippy; Pudding, what kind of pudding 

Ray; Steak and Kidney pudding?

Chippy; eh? What dya mean Duck

Ray; Duck? No, steak and kidney, ya know

Chippy; No, Duck means luv, Dya mean steak and kidney pie?

Ray; No, pudding! Oh, it's ok, I'll have steak and kidney pie instead then. ;D

Chippy; We don't sell them, if you want a pie, you'll need to go to the bakery next door.

Ray; Ok, can I have fish 'n' chips and a chip muffin then please?

Chippy; eh? Muffin, dya mean like a chocolate muffin

Ray; FORGET IT, CAN OF DIET COKE PLEASE AND THAT'S IT!!!!

Regional variations are alive and well in BFnCS land for sure ;D

Ray

[Malc.]

roflmao! Had me in stitches Ray!

[Razor]

roflmao! Had me in stitches Ray!

The wife was in stiches too, she loves seeing me getting frustrated   We ended up a McD's instead ;D

Ray

[Malc.]

Oh how I laughed when I found out the recipe for the batter mix today. It was a rather odd conversation of misunderstanding but eventually the penny dropped when I said "oh, then you don't actually make your own, you buy a premix?", to which he replied simply "yes".

Of course my next question was to ask what make. The batter he uses is supplied by Kerry Foods and is branded Henry Jones. It is available in 5 varieties to suit regional taste, the manufacturer explains: http://www.kerry-foodservice.co.uk/hjones.html
Should I have been surprised to learn that colouring is used here too? Anyway, the batter he uses is the Light version and contains simply Flour, Bi-carbinate of Soda, Salt and additives to stop it separating once mixed.

I quizzed about the rice flour that he mentioned in previous conversations to which he added that they use this as the pre-batter coating on the fish. So they dip the fish in the rice flour to coat and then into the batter, before dropping in the hot oil. I haven't as yet determined as to the statement about the Matzo flour I mentioned, so am unsure if it is a pre-batter or actually used in the batter, I will try and find out.

I am a little disappointed to find that he buys it in but I guess it makes little difference. Afterall, it is all about efficiency and consistency, much the same as the reason that BIR's use pastes from Pataks and the like. The restaurant that uses the Matzo flour though, are proud to mention that they use their own recipe. I am not sure if they will be so keen to tell me, but if I get the chance I will ask all the same.

[Razor]

Axe,

I mentioned early in the thread that me and mi mate went to view a chippy not too long ago, they also had pre-mixed batter in big 25k sacks.  Didn't get the brand though but it could well have been Kerry foods, as we have a branch nearby!

Ray

[chriswg]

I used to work as a chef (not for long and a long time ago). I do remember the cod and the scampi was all freshly beer battered. It was simply a pint of draught ale, salt then plain flour to the desired consistency. It was very good!

[chriswg]

Any idea where you can buy them? My wife loves chip shop gravy, I notice they do that. I wonder if Bookers stock them. I think we still have a membership card.