With a sumptuous, soft in the inside, crunchy on the outside fish and every bit as enticing chips, there’s no denying that fish and chips is one of the most familiar and most requested snacks around the globe. Aside from the always dependable burgers, it has always been a preferred choice, a part of the to-go food group for as long as we know.
While the U.K. boasts of having been the first one to marry the fish and chips off together, it’s tough to trace how it precisely began. Fried fish was already being sold in the city, and chips were already gaining reputation as a fast food item, but it was in 1860 that the idea of selling the two distinct dishes as one to the public was born. Joseph Malin was said to be the first to sell the fish and the chips as a whole different specialty in London in 1860.
It quickly became a favorite in London and soon the rest of England. It also spread to adjacent nations Scotland and Ireland, as well as then British colonies Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada. Today, fish and chips is everywhere, including many Asian countries.
But what exactly is fish and chips? Why do people keep asserting that chips are better with fish than with the more popular burger?
Fish Chips and Mushy Peas
The fish for this dish, usually cod, haddock or plaice, is covered in crispy batter or breadcrumbs before it is deep fried. It is customarily served covered in a newspaper along with fat slabs of deep fried potatoes. Accompaniments differ from place to place. In the U.K., salt and vinegar are usually used, while other nations serve it with tomato sauce and lemon slices or tartar sauce and chicken salt.
Chips here are sliced chunkier than the French fries we ordinarily eat with our burgers. They are likewise cooked longer. So burgers can rest easy that the order of fast foods is held the same. Fries go with them, while chips go with fish.
Fish and chips has always been a favorite takeout snack since it was first served to the public. There is little doubt that it will stay that way. It continues to be a big part of the fast food history.
