Fish and chips and other balms for the soul

[Babydoll]

You should definitely take advantage of the offer they have going right now!

http://ivars.net/index.php?page=undersea-offers

(Have to see if it agrees with my gestational diabetes diet. I want some!!!)

 

[Brummagem Joe]

A British must

Anyone who has lived in England for a awhile or is British is going to be a fan of delicious combo....trio really with mushy peas. On the side buttered bread and a large cup of strong tea. Sounds awful but it works. You have to be a bit careful in Britain these days because some fish and chip shops substitute obscure cheap types of fish for the haddock or cod. As it happens we have a fantastic little family restaurant not far from us CT that does a great imitation using locally caught fish........British food is very much comfort food but they have some great dishes starting with the full English breakfast and running through Steak and Kidney pies, and to finish the steamed treacle pudding.......they sell one at Simpsons the high end restaurant in the Strand that is like nuclear fuel!

 

[Boodles]

Fish & Chips in NC

Probably not on par with the UK but passable fish & chips can be found in Asheville, NC at Jack o the Wood. JotW also has the swell Green Man ESB. A couple pints of that makes the F&C even better. Closer to where I live near Mooresville, is Joe's Fish. Mr. Fish serves up F&C which is apparently made with Haddock. These are not greasy at all, at least to my way of thinking.

 

[Miss Sis]

Another Kiwi here and I have chime in with BT and say the very best fish 'n chips IMHO are from NZ. If you ever get the opportunity when you're in the Land of the Long White Cloud, buy some (preferably snapper or terakihi). And they still serve it wrapped in yesterday's newspaper in many places. Beer battered with tartare sauce - not greasy, vinegar on the chips and some lemon wedges, bloody brilliant!

Ye-es, sir, you're right! Kiwi Fish and Chips are never soggy and greasy, always cooked fresh with the best ingredients. I'm afraid British chippies have rather lost their way over time. Never had really good ones in the ten years I've lived here!

I think the best I have ever had was from a shop in Napier, once in 2006 and earlier this year. Sooooooooo good. I went back deliberately to see if they were going to be as nice and THEY WERE. Excellent.

Oh, and for some reason a big mug of tea *does* go strangely well with Fish and Chips.

 

[Brummagem Joe]

Probably not on par with the UK but passable fish & chips can be found in Asheville, NC at Jack o the Wood. JotW also has the swell Green Man ESB. A couple pints of that makes the F&C even better. Closer to where I live near Mooresville, is Joe's Fish. Mr. Fish serves up F&C which is apparently made with Haddock. These are not greasy at all, at least to my way of thinking.

Haddock is a wonderful fish with much more flavor than cod. According to a fishing boat owner I know they are plentiful supply along the coast of New England.

 

[Brummagem Joe]

Ye-es, sir, you're right! Kiwi Fish and Chips are never soggy and greasy, always cooked fresh with the best ingredients. I'm afraid British chippies have rather lost their way over time. Never had really good ones in the ten years I've lived here!

I think the best I have ever had was from a shop in Napier, once in 2006 and earlier this year. Sooooooooo good. I went back deliberately to see if they were going to be as nice and THEY WERE. Excellent.

Oh, and for some reason a big mug of tea *does* go strangely well with Fish and Chips.

.......All true.......the best F&C I've had in England for a long time was about three years ago at some small market town near Castle Howard in Yorkshire.....It was market day so we looked over the beasts and all the market stalls and then took ourselves to this little cafe full of farmers and other local folk and had the full monty FC lunch....very memorable.

 

[Smithy]

Ye-es, sir, you're right! Kiwi Fish and Chips are never soggy and greasy, always cooked fresh with the best ingredients. I'm afraid British chippies have rather lost their way over time. Never had really good ones in the ten years I've lived here!

I think the best I have ever had was from a shop in Napier, once in 2006 and earlier this year. Sooooooooo good. I went back deliberately to see if they were going to be as nice and THEY WERE. Excellent.

Oh, and for some reason a big mug of tea *does* go strangely well with Fish and Chips.

I've had some very good shark 'n taties around the east coast Sis, my Mum's family farm in the country just out of Gisborne and I've had some great ones there.

There's a great place north of Auckland at Leigh at the top end of the wharf, which if memory serves even won an award for their fish 'n chips. Good stuff!

I last had fish 'n chips in the UK last year in London and although it wasn't bad I don't reckon it's a patch on the Kiwi offering. Most of my Brit ex-pat mates back in NZ agree.

BT,

That place in Pasadena isn't bad at all. The fish shop on Ponsonby Road does a good batch and there's a place in Mt Eden on Great South Road which isn't shabby either. That place in Devonport isn't bad either and you can wander down to the beach and eat it there.

 

[lolly_loisides]

I've not had one of these for years & now I've thought of it I must have it right now.......

 

[BinkieBaumont]

My boyfriend and I went on a date the other day. We had fish and chips (and mushy peas!) while sitting with our feet dangled over the side of a jetty on the river. Absolutely Perfect.

"OH! where is this particular Fish and Chippery" that has Mushy Peas, prey tell!? or did you take your own?"

 

[Miss Sis]

I've had some very good shark 'n taties around the east coast Sis, my Mum's family farm in the country just out of Gisborne and I've had some great ones there.

Smithy, I'm a Wellington girl, so I'll take your word for it on the other places. There's a good one in Mirarmar near my Mum's place.

But the Napier one in the Marewa Parade of shops - Never had such deliciousness as I had there. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm! (Mouth watering knowing I won't have them again for a few years! )

 

[Creeping Past]

It's not just haddock and cod, you know.

Huss is good eating (fluffy and slightly sticky and gelatinous). Pollock is pretty near to cod, but a wee bit firmer and gamier, if that's the right word. I'm no friend to plaice, though, because of the multiple tiny bones. And any kind of roe is out of the question, battered or not.

Plus a pickled egg, but that's the opposite of balm.

 

[BellyTank]

Some of the NZ fishes lend themselves nicely to a good battering-

We have a lot of Gurnard in NZ, it's a favourite of mine.


B
T

 

[Missy Hellfire]

Pickled eggs are more blegh than balm! It's unnatural, I tell you! *yucky*

 

[Creeping Past]

It's proof that you can pickle anything. But should you?

I like their texture and tang, but acid indigestion makes them hard to enjoy properly these days.

 

[Boodles]

Mr Past, if acid is a problem

It's proof that you can pickle anything. But should you?

I like their texture and tang, but acid indigestion makes them hard to enjoy properly these days.

If acid is a problem for you with ordinary pickled eggs then by all means avoid the version of pickled eggs (rooster bullets) with the bits of jalapenos swimming about in the jar. A couple of those eggs with a Lucky Strike both washed down with a Pabst or two will bring about a Prilosec OTC day for sure.

 

[Groupe G]

East Coasters (USA): There's a smashing place in NJ called The Ship Inn. It's NJ's first brewpub, founded by a couple of ex-pat Yorkshiremen. They brew an outstanding Bitter which pairs well with their F&C. You can even get a side of mushy peas.

Trouble is, they don't do proper chips. They use "steak-cut fries". I've had words with them about this offense to all that is right and holy before, but they don't seem to listen. I'd like to enlist your help: If we all insist on proper chips, maybe they'll start providing the bally things.

Oh, the the finest trifle money can buy. Bliss!

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I like Fish and Chips but when I moved from NZ to England, I found the English F&C to be a bit too greasy and stodgy.
I prefer a little less of the grease and more of the crispy batter on the fish
and well cooked chips, rather than fat, white ones.

Greasy or oily is usually a sign the oil wasn't hot enough when the food went in. I'm guessing it's more oil than necessary seeps into the food before the crust forms or the heat of the oil sears & seals.

I bought a real deep fat fryer several months ago (to replace the ancient Fry Daddy which was slow and small). The food hitting the oil at the optimum temperature makes all the difference.

 

[Alexi]

Comfort food for the old yankee:
lobstah boiled and drenched in buttah
stuffed quahogs, drenched in tobasco
and apple pie for breakfast

good F&C can be had at the Chip Shop in Park Slope Brooklyn

 

[Miss Crisplock]

Oh dear, how could I forget Seattle fish and chips= Spuds. At least when it wasn't Ivar's.

Spot on about the oil temp, BTW. That Florence Henderson was right. You can (and should) fry a chicken with a teaspoon of oil. The oil just has to be hot enough not to be absorbed by the batter.:eusa_clap

 

[Foofoogal]

fftopic: babydoll. been wondering about you. take care of yourself and that wee one.