LONDON PROJECT. FOOD: FISH & CHIPS

 Whenever we talk about British food the first thing that comes to our mind 

- and our mouth - is ... FISH & CHIPS

                    

The Real History of Fish and Chips     

PART I

After having been celebrating it on the first Friday in June for some years, this year (2024) National Fish & Chips Day will fall on the 6th of June.

Nowadays there are about 10,500 fish & chips shops in the UK serving an staggering number of 167 million meals a year.  The fish and chip Britisn market may be worth £1,2billion

On any Friday evening, British takeaway day, 1 in every five orders are fish & chips.

The irresistible pairing of fish & chips - let’s not forget a sprinkling of salt and vinegar – has always been considered Britain´s best contibution to international cuisine.

But let´s travel back to when it all started:  from the 8th to the 12th centuries, Jews, Muslims, and Christians lived in relative peace in the Iberian península (Spain and Portugal), known as Al-Andalus, under Moorish rule.  

Christian armies started conquering the territory expelling the Moorish from Portugal in 1496. In the 15th century many,  Spanish Jews fleed to Portugal as they were persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition.

When Portugal fell under Spanish rule, the Inquisition targeted individuals with Jewish lineage threatening anyone claiming to be a “converso.” Many of them travelled somewhere else, arriving in England.

Cooking is not allowed on the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday). So Sephardic Jewish families would prepare food on Friday afternoon that would last the next 24 hours. One of those dishes was a white fish, typically cod or haddock, fried in a thin coat of flour. The batter preserved the fish so it could be eaten cold

It was a hit. Soon, Jewish immigrants to England took to selling fried fish in the streets.  

But it wasn’t until the latter part of the 19th century that Jewish fried fish fully made the cultural transfer from the streets of London to the broader British populace.

This was all about fish but … what about chips?

PART II

Belgium claims to be the inventor of fried potatoes.

 The story goes that in 1680 winter was so cold that the River Meuse (located in present day Belgium) froze over and that the women in the area would turn to cutting potatoes in the shape of fish and frying them in a bit of oil. 

By 1860 we see the very first fish and chips shop in Cleveland Street, London, opened by Joseph Malin – a Jewish immigrant – reamining open until de 1970s. 

Fish and chips became so important for British people during World War I and II that they were not rationed.

This is how fish and chips are eaten around the world:

·                 In Australia they like tartar sauce.

·                 In England it’s customary to use malt vinegar

·                 In Belgium they prefer “mayo”.

·                 In Scotland the tradition is brown sauce.

·                 In Denmark they like remoulade.

·                 In the U.S. people partner with the Aussies.

And, believe it or not, younger generations tend to enjoy their fist & chips with …. KETCHUP?!

Contrary to what used to be fish & chips can´t be served wrapped in newspaper anymore in pubs.

When so it´s because they are bought in a takeaway fish & chip shop.

Per average, 100g of fish & chips contain 212,7 calories and 11,1 grams of fat. That´s a third fewer calories thanother takeaways.

In London the average price for a regular fish & chips serving is £9,90.