Fish and Chips

[joeruby]

In Melbourne we call potato scallops potato cakes. Scallops from the fish shop for us are battered scallops ( the shellfish).

Fish and chips were the family business for us. Dad started in 1965 in Lygon St Carlton and finished with his last shop in the suburbs in the late eighties.

He made the best fish and chips..

Hardest worker I knew, was my Dad,  Fed a generation before Maccas, KFC etc. came to Australia. Back in those days fish and chips were pretty much all there was in terms of take away in Melbourne. Busiest day was always Friday night. I would leave my office job early on Fridays and put on an apron and serve customers in the family business until I was 28.

Great memories..

 

 

 

 

 

[ha_banos]

My mum n dad like fish n chips. So it's been around for ever. The local chippy was decent enough. None of this running around seeking gourmet. Run by Chinese family for ages. 

Plenty malt vinegar. Occasionally lemon juice. Tartar. Tommy for the chips. All good.

Don't like my chips fluffy. Nor me roast spuds for that matter. Cook em through.

Cod, haddock, plaice, rock. Like to change it up.

Ain't had it for ages. Now have a craving. Thanks! Wife will have a right go .. you know .. not "hellthaye" 🙄 one lunch this week, she's bound to go out..... 🤫

Crispy bits should be little bits of chip!

Saveloy.. mmmm. Lol 🤤 Does this exist outside UK?

Opecloz? Word should be in the bloody hell dictionary!

[El Presidente]

10 minutes ago, ha_banos said:

 

Saveloy.. mmmm. Lol 🤤 Does this exist outside UK?

 

Love a battered Sav! 

[ha_banos]

9 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Love a battered Sav! 

Nooo! You don't batter a sav! 

Sausage in batter completely different beast.

The world is completely different down there.

[El Presidente]

Just now, ha_banos said:

Nooo! You don't batter a sav! 

Sausage in batter completely different beast.

The world is completely different down there.

Well then it is referred to as a dingo dick 

[99call]

29 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Well then it is referred to as a dingo dick 

Scarily, thats probably an accurate list of ingredients 

[madandana]

On 2/4/2022 at 6:01 PM, 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. 

 

 

Never heard of a potato scallop. Maybe we call it something else ? ( I’m sure we call it by the correct name).

We like vinegar and or tarter.

[Webbo]

Its Haddock/Cod, chips and mushy peas with lashings (prob only context the word is ever used now) of salt and vinegar (yes Sarsons only) - that's it!!

Wash it down with can of D&B.

[BrightonCorgi]

The main difference between fish and chips places in New England are Irish beer batter or traditional New England batter.  Irish beer batter is a heavier, darker crust.  Between the strict seafood and traditional fare restaurants that serve fish and chips; the divide in style are near 50/50.

I don't want to diminish the fact that fried seafood in general is quite popular.  Especially in my home locale of Cape Cod.  I use to clam for soft shell clams in the summer for work. 

Beyond the fried seafood; stuffed quahogs are king on Cape Cod.

[bishop532]

7 hours ago, Webbo said:

Its Haddock/Cod, chips and mushy peas with lashings (prob only context the word is ever used now) of salt and vinegar (yes Sarsons only) - that's it!!

Wash it down with can of D&B.

Is dandelion & burdock like root beer? I looked it up and saw it’s a type of soft drink but curious about the flavor now. 

[99call]

Fish Batter is such an interesting subject on what it traditional.  With the advent of people taking lessons learned from Tempura, or using vodka etc etc. its really hard to work out what was original. 

I don't know the exact quantities, but it seams the original batter was a mix of three elements.   Self raising flour, a beer with an active yeast element to it, and cold water, salt

 

7 hours ago, bishop532 said:

s dandelion & burdock like root beer? I looked it up and saw it’s a type of soft drink but curious about the flavor now. 

I think D&B was created during the 'Temperance Movement' similar to your Prohibition.    D&B is very much a marmite product i.e. you'll either love it or you'll hate it.     Root Beer, Sarsaparilla, and D&B all very similar in a way, with Root beer being the most easy drinking commercial tasting of the 3. 

One of the last remaining Temperance Bars is still in existence just up the road from where I live called  'Mr Fitzpatrick's'.   here's the web link. 

https://mrfitzpatricks.com/our-drinks/roots-and-spices-traditional-cordials/

 

[Fuzz]

I remember eating fish & chips when I was a kid. The local was run by Greek family who lived a couple of houses up the road. Their son and my brother were in the same year at school. Eventually sold the shop to a Korean family who continued the business (their son & I were also in the same year in school, interestingly enough). I remember they used bream for their fish & chips, and you would always state how big a portion of chips you wanted; 20c, 50c or $1 worth of chips. Back then, potato scallops were 5 for 20c. You could also get fish cocktails (chunks of battered, deep fried fish) or calamari rings. And it was always malt vinegar on the chips (thick cut, none of this shoestring chips crap), with a side of tartar sauce for the fish.

Haven't really had a decent fish & chips in quite some time. Nowadays I usually go for grilled fish and chips.... but I've now got a hankering for old fashioned battered fish & chips.

[bishop532]

6 hours ago, 99call said:

I think D&B was created during the 'Temperance Movement' similar to your Prohibition.    D&B is very much a marmite product i.e. you'll either love it or you'll hate it.     Root Beer, Sarsaparilla, and D&B all very similar in a way, with Root beer being the most easy drinking commercial tasting of the 3. 

One of the last remaining Temperance Bars is still in existence just up the road from where I live called  'Mr Fitzpatrick's'.   here's the web link. 

https://mrfitzpatricks.com/our-drinks/roots-and-spices-traditional-cordials/

That’s awesome, thanks! I love sarsaparilla so, I’d definitely give it a try when I make it out your way.

The photos are very cool, thanks for sharing the history! 

[Fuzz]

14 hours ago, madandana said:

Never heard of a potato scallop. Maybe we call it something else ? ( I’m sure we call it by the correct name).

 

They're called "Australian Battered Potatoes" in the US. You can get them at county/state fairs.... and they are disgusting!!

That's ranch and cheese. 🤢

 

The woman that brought this over to the USA should have her Australian citizenship revoked and barred from returning.  Those poor potato scallops!! Oh the humanity!!!

 

 

 

[Fosgate]

Can't be worse than a deep fried stick of butter at the Iowa state fair. 

 

[99call]

2 hours ago, Fosgate said:

Can't be worse than a deep fried stick of butter at the Iowa state fair.

Somebody obviously likes these to a slightly troubling degree.............what on earth is that 'sauce'?

[Fosgate]

3 minutes ago, 99call said:

Somebody obviously likes these to a slightly troubling degree.............what on earth is that 'sauce'?

I don't think I want to know. I didn't even think of it until you mentioned it and it instantly reminded me of a scene in Van WIlder

 

[Huckleberry]

On 2/7/2022 at 5:02 AM, Fosgate said:

Can't be worse than a deep fried stick of butter at the Iowa state fair.

Don’t knock it until you try it.  We fry just about everything in Iowa when it comes to fair time.  It’s all surprisingly good while being absolutely terrible for you.

The deep fried chicken on a stick is an absolute delicacy

[Fsonicsmith]

For the batter in English measurements, 

1 cup AP flour

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of salt

Mix these together and then add 1 and 1/2 cups of ice cold pale ale (I let my bottle of beer start to freeze first-the batter needs to be ice cold). 

Do not mix the batter ahead of time, it should be mixed up quickly at the very last minute. 

I like to use a large LeCreuset and vegetable oil. Get it to 260-275 using a reliable thermometer. 

The better the fish the better the end-result and here in the States I love Fulton Fish out of Brooklyn. I use halibut. You can thaw the fish in the plastic wrapping it comes in in half an hour in a sink of cold water and then open the wrapping and pat the fish dry. 

Dredge the fish in a bowl of AP flour, then dip in the batter to coat completely and then drop five to six pieces at a time into the oil. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to rotate/flip so taht they cook evenly. You will know when they are done by their bronze color and moisture bubbling out of the fish. About 4 minutes assuming 4 oz or so pieces. 

I use a ridged restaurant pan with paper towels on the bottom and I sprinkle salt on top of the paper towels before I ever start laying the cooked fish on it and then sprinkle more salt on top and it goes under a heat lamp in my kitchen until all pieces are cooked-I usually do two batches of 5-6 pieces each. I serve with peas and malt vinegar. 

This is super easy to do and I think you will like the results. 

 

[RichG]

4 hours ago, 99call said:

what on earth is that 'sauce'?

I’m going to guess…more butter!

[Habana Mike]

3 hours ago, RichG said:

I’m going to guess…more butter!

baby batter.....

[WarriorPrincess]

On 2/7/2022 at 5:02 AM, Fosgate said:

Can't be worse than a deep fried stick of butter at the Iowa state fair.

i think I just vomited in my mouth ....yak 

[Ken Gargett]

3 hours ago, WarriorPrincess said:

i think I just vomited in my mouth 

just out of curiosity, where else would you vomit?

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

just out of curiosity, where else would you vomit?

from experience and not exclusively: 

shoes

shirt

tie

suit

trousers

bucket 

coat stand 

pot plant 

doll house 

port, starboard, stern, bow (wind dependent).

Pool table pocket

 

 

 

[Ken Gargett]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

from experience and not exclusively: 

shoes

shirt

tie

suit

trousers

bucket 

coat stand 

pot plant 

doll house 

port, starboard, stern, bow (wind dependent).

Pool table pocket

 

 

 

my personal best was into the car door cavity via down the window while a mate was taking me home very late one friday night. i knew absolutely nothing about it until the next day when i was at the cricket match i was playing in (always played better with a hangover - think it stopped me taking mad big swings). unfortunately my mate was on the opposing team and started screaming at me from about 1000 yards away. i had no idea what he was on about until it was all explained. sadly, it was explained in detail to both sides. not my finest moment.