The Story Of Fish And Chips In The Uk

One of Britain's most-loved dishes is fish and chips. Over the years �chippies� have become a food haven to which punters crawl at all times of day and night for a fix of greasy battered and fried chunks of fish accompanied with crispy golden chips. Many will argue there's no better hangover cure.

A Brief History of Fish and Chips in the UK

Fish and chips started rapidly appearing as a staple food among Britain's working classes in the 19th century. The popularity of fish came hand in hand with the development of fishing in the North Sea, and advancement of railway lines connecting cities to ports.
Although various European countries were serving fried fish at the time, the original chippy concept is attributed to the UK. The earliest takeaways featured little more than a large, coal-powered cauldron of cooking fat. The exact origins of the first chippy remain unknown as some argue it was in South England, while others claim it was in Scotland.
Since 2003, fish and chips can no longer go by its standard name. The ambiguous �fish� has to be replaced with �cod�, �haddock� or any other type of fish used to make it.

Fish and Chip Condiments

When ordering fish and chips you'll always be asked whether you'd like salt and vinegar. True connoisseurs of the dish will tell you to drench your portion, and you should.
One of the nation's favourite and most traditional accompaniments to a portion of fish and chips is mushy peas. These are dried marrowfat peas soaked overnight and slow-boiled with pinches of salt and sugar to form a thick paste. Mint is sometimes added as a flavouring. In some parts of the UK mushy peas are served as a standalone snack.
Many pubs serve fish and chips with a side of tartare sauce, and a slice of lemon. Modern takeaways offer an array of sauces such as ketchup, brown sauce, gravy, curry sauce, and mayonnaise.

Fish and Chips in Yorkshire

Arguably, some of the best fish and chips are served at Harry Ramsden's, a chain of restaurants specialised in the famous seafood dish. The business began as a small seaside venture in Guiseley, Yorkshire where Harry Ramsden served fresh fish and chips from a striped wooden hut at one of the local tram stops.
His popularity grew at an unprecedented pace with customers flocking from near and far to taste the crispy battered fish and hand cut chips. Within three years Mr Ramsden had opened a full-on restaurant on the same site. Its extravagant interior, complete with chandeliers and wood panelling was based on The Ritz hotel in London. In 1952, to celebrate the restaurant's 25th anniversary, the kitchen team served 10,000 portions in one day!
To this day, Yorkshire remains an excellent destination for savouring some of the country's freshest fish and chips. Whilst in the gorgeous northern county, explore the lovely Yorkshire Dales National Park, and pay a visit to Haworth where the Bronte sisters sought and found inspiration for their work. Check into a Leeds city hotel, and rent a car to discover the best of Yorkshire.