Fish and Chips

[El Presidente]

It is my mothers favourite go out meal and I am entrusted tomorrow with taking her and dad out to lunch. 

She is a connoisseur of fish and chips .....sampling every chip for the perfect balance of crisp outside and fluffy inside.  The fish (she prefers crumbed) must be crunchy on the outside and flaky inside. Cod is her preferred go to although I am convincing her Mahi Mahi is the king fish to use. 

Potato scallops however is her passion. She goes all out Gordon Ramsay on Potato Scallops.  Unless they are perfect they are sent back and seldom politely. 

Do you have potato scallops elsewhere? I can't remember seeing them outside of OZ?

 

Wish me luck. 

 

 

[99call]

21 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Do you have potatop scallops elsewhere?

yep, you will often see them in Lancashire and Yorkshire.    For some odd reason in the UK, all the chippies on the coast are bloody awful, you have to go inland and out of the major cities to find good fish and chips. 

Haddock if the premo option for me. 

[MrBirdman]

Here in the states we have "scalloped potatoes" but that is a casserole of sliced potatoes baked in a béchamel-style sauce until golden brown. 

[El Presidente]

7 minutes ago, 99call said:

 

Haddock if the premo option for me. 

Love Haddock in the UK.  Here I substitute with Blue Eyed Cod.  Very close. 

[Islandboy]

What we Americans pass as fish and chips is a joke. I have fond childhood memories of the fish and chips wrapped in oily newspaper that I tasted throughout a visit to NZ (sorry, didn’t know Rob then or I would’ve insisted my parents take my sister and I to OZ instead).

[99call]

9 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Love Haddock in the UK.  Here I substitute with Blue Eyed Cod.  Very close. 

Yeah, I think I tried some Blue Eyed Cod in NZ,   Had pretty low expectations as I Cod in the UK is generally for idiots that don't actually like fish.  I was pretty impressed with what they called 'Blue Cod'.

The amount of times you will hear in a UK chippy.   "Is your fish.........you know!.........Fishy.........fish?

 

It's all about cooking in beef dripping,   if it's not cooked in beef dripping there is no point

[El Presidente]

6 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

What we Americans pass as fish and chips is a joke. I have fond childhood memories of the fish and chips wrapped in oily newspaper that I tasted throughout a visit to NZ (sorry, didn’t know Rob then or I would’ve insisted my parents take my sister and I to OZ instead).

yep....fish and chips needs to be wrapped in paper/newspaper and simply unwrapped with a view and a glass of wine/beer.  

the big question.....sauce or vinegar on the chips?

 

[Islandboy]

3 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

the big question.....sauce or vinegar on the chips?

I don’t remember either...I probably asked for ketchup 🤣

[Habana Mike]

Vinegar no question. Actually a few places with good fish and chips around us.

Fried is what many of the beach restaurants do best.

So potato scallop and scalloped potatoes completely different animals.

First being battered and fried potato slices the other a baked casserole of thinly sliced potatoes in a cream sauce.

[El Presidente]

Just now, Habana Mike said:

Vinegar no question

[99call]

"Sarsons malt vinegar" is the business in the UK.  The Scots mix it with HP sauce and result is actually pretty addictive

[riderpride]

Love that stuff. 

Sketchy pubs have the best- though that may be the Guinness affecting my sense of taste 

Vinegar is a must for the chips with another side of vinegar JIC.

Anyone use tartar? I usually roll with hot sauce

[Ford2112]

I'm a tartar sauce guy. Best fish and chips I had was fresh halibut done right off the boat.

[Huckleberry]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

It is my mothers favourite go out meal and I am entrusted tomorrow with taking her and dad out to lunch. 

She is a connoisseur of fish and chips .....sampling every chip for the perfect balance of crisp outside and fluffy inside.  The fish (she prefers crumbed) must be crunchy on the outside and flaky inside. Cod is her preferred go to although I am convincing her Mahi Mahi is the king fish to use. 

Potato scallops however is her passion. She goes all out Gordon Ramsay on Potato Scallops.  Unless they are perfect they are sent back and seldom politely. 

Do you have potato scallops elsewhere? I can't remember seeing them outside of OZ?

Wish me luck. 

I want whatever those potato scallops things are, they look delicious.  Recipe per chance?

The best fish and chips I have had in the States were in San Diego.  It seems to be a meal they take very seriously in the area.  I was there for 4 days and ate it everyday for lunch at a different establishment each time and it was all very good.  I don't remember the fish species but I was always happy with the experience.

[Fosgate]

I love fish and chips. Missed them since I was stationed in Europe. There was a booth in Baumholder GE a woman from London made a great Fish and Chips stand. Always had to grab a whole cheesecake at one booth and fish &chips at the other. Always a mediocre attempt anyplace I try and order it in the past until a local food truck started showing up near my house every Thursday selling fish & chips. Closest thing I can find and have tried to an acceptable fish and chips. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00269DBW2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

For fries. Try half mayo & half Ketchup for a great fry sauce. 

[Skypilot]

Living in the states particularly Montana ranch dressing is the go to, but I reach for the malt vinegar when it’s an option. When I was in Washington tartar sauce was a bigger deal locally for chips/fries. Love malt vinegar on the fish too. Blasphemy????

[Ken Gargett]

4 hours ago, El Presidente said:

yep....fish and chips needs to be wrapped in paper/newspaper and simply unwrapped with a view and a glass of wine/beer.  

the big question.....sauce or vinegar on the chips?

i agree with mike. there is no question. vinegar. first, second, third. 

otherwise it is just stoge. 

this is like people asking if it should be a vodka martini or gin martini.

a martini is gin. use vodka for something else. 

[Lomey]

I love fish and chips and get it every time it's on a menu when we go out.  When we were in England a few years ago I ate it every day.  The best I had there was at a pub called the Silk Mill in Derby.  The best I've ever eaten here in the US is a bar in Minneapolis.  They use walleye, which I love any way it's cooked.
When I make it at home I use walleye if I can find it fresh.  If not then it's cod.
I use both vinegar and tarter sauce.

[anacostiakat]

Fish & Chip lover here as well.  It annoys me how so many places just can not get it right.  Fish not drained properly.  Oily.  Lackluster chips.  Sigh.  

[BrightonCorgi]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Love Haddock in the UK.  Here I substitute with Blue Eyed Cod.  Very close. 

It's haddock or cod in New England.  Mostly cod for fish and chips. 

[Chibearsv]

14 hours ago, Islandboy said:

What we Americans pass as fish and chips is a joke. I have fond childhood memories of the fish and chips wrapped in oily newspaper that I tasted throughout a visit to NZ (sorry, didn’t know Rob then or I would’ve insisted my parents take my sister and I to OZ instead).

You are right about fish and chips in the US.  I don't even try them anymore since I've been disappointed almost every time some server tells me "ours are the best!".  Closest thing that's passable around here is a Wisconsin Friday fish fry; most of them are meh but some I've had are very good.  I've generally learned that the mexican restaurants do a fish taco much better than bars can do a fish fry around here.  FWIW, best fish taco I've had was near DiamondHead.  Wife makes them at home; always in an effort to replicate the ones we had there. 

[99call]

If anyone is interested other things you would find in a 'good' traditional UK chippy would be:

'Scraps' or 'Batter bits'  =  a portion of the batter pieces that have been skimmed of the fish

'Rag pudding'  =  A hot suet steamed pastry similar to a steak and kidney pie folded like and envelope

'Baby's Yed/Head'  =. Upside down Steak and kidney pudding in suet pastry, sometimes referred to with it's likeness to a baby's head

Battered sausage, Sausage, or Savaloy 

'Peas pudding'  =  Sort of like a English version of Daal minus the spices

'Mushy peas'  =  this is categorically NOT made with fresh garden peas. it must be made with marrowfat peas.   The classic accompaniment with Fish and Chips

Gravy      = This is not really something you see in the south of the UK, but in the North chips served with a thick beef gravy is ....the business

Chinese curry sauce  =. This is hilarious , a vague sort of Malaysian style curry sauce was somehow adopted into the chip shop menu

English or Irish curry sauce =.   This is exactly the same as the Chinese curry sauce mentioned above, but preferred by racists. 

Pickled onions, pickled eggs =.  Dusty bottles of onions or eggs seemingly with no best before dates, look like something from a medical lab,  ordered exclusively by the town psychopath

'Fish cake' = Highly processed breaded fish cake, very bland, but somehow comforting. made with a blend of cheap whitefish, and a small about of salmon.  Again often ordered by oddballs

'Chip butty' =  Should be a generous portion of chips in a soft white buttered bun.   For carb maniacs

'Potato Scallops' = thick cut slices of potato (pre baked/boiled). battered and fried

'Scottish Roulette' =. Take anything you want, a slice of birthday cake, divorce papers, the Mother in law....pay a 'frying fee'. and they batter and deep fry it for you. 

[Chibearsv]

6 minutes ago, 99call said:

'Scraps' or 'Batter bits'  =  a portion of the batter pieces that have been skimmed of the fish

There’s a decent fried chicken bar out in farm country illinois that serves the fried batter bits, “crispies”, as an appetizer with dill pickle slices. You pick up a hot crispy with a pickle slice. Tastes pretty good but it’s more of a brilliant way to create a beer craving. 

Great definitions you provided. I’m cracking up

[HawkI84]

13 hours ago, Skypilot said:

Living in the states particularly Montana ranch dressing is the go to, but I reach for the malt vinegar when it’s an option. When I was in Washington tartar sauce was a bigger deal locally for chips/fries. Love malt vinegar on the fish too. Blasphemy????

Ranch dressing with fish and chips seems like something The Geneva Convention should've addressed.

[99call]

2 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

There’s a decent fried chicken bar out in farm country illinois that serves the fried batter bits, “crispies”, as an appetizer with dill pickle slices. You pick up a hot crispy with a pickle slice. Tastes pretty good but it’s more of a brilliant way to create a beer craving.

This sounds great. 

Its funny, I don't really every eat fast food, but I told my brother (which he was unaware of) that KFC make there 'gravy' basically by emptying their oil traps (at the end of the day), and boiling up the sludge.      He turned green thinking about how much of this stuff he's consumed. 

I like the idea of the 'crispies' with pickles.  I think I'd like that

 

2 hours ago, HawkI84 said:

Ranch dressing with fish and chips seems like something The Geneva Convention should've addressed.

Correct