Fish and Chips

[Lakesailor]

I was disappointed. The batter was thick and soggy. I then went a few miles up the road to Crackington Haven and had F&C in the pub. I was so impressed I called the lady out of the kitchen to tell her Stein wasn't a patch on hers. Thin crisp batter - perfect.

They (experts) reckon it's to do with the frying medium. You can cook at a much higher temperature with dripping than with oils. So you don't get that film of uncooked batter between the fish and outer, crisper batter.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I am amazed that anyone has taken the time and effort to produce research like this:
http://www.fishbatter.co.uk/fishbatter/fish-batter-results.html

Too far from the sea to arrive by boat (although an adventurous dinghy ride would get you within a few hundred metres on a spring high tide) Darts Farm Shop Fish and Chips - excellent - though a tadge pricy like everything else in the place. (plaice?) Near Topsham on the Exe.

 

[Hugh Foulis]

Big Malcolm the structures engineer where I used to work swears by Anstruther and wont hear a word said against it. I have yet to visit, but up to now the best F&C I have had for years is made to order in the chippy beside the harbour car park in Kirkcudbright. One fish supper is enough for two and its magic to sit beside the harbour nd eat them. But, better yet, they also have six tables for to eat in and its bring your own grog with no charge even for corkage and they will provide the glasses.

No connection but a very satisfied customer. Their icecream is good too.

HF

 

[Robin]

In context he seemed to be saying it should be used within an hour. I didn't buy what he said about yeast, other than it creates CO2. You have to admit that used immediately after mixing it didn't suffer from a lack of molecular structure change. If you leaven with yeast you have to let it sit, for the yeast to do its job (for lack of a better description, eating and farting). If you leaven with baking powder, the chemical reaction is very quick - leave it sit and the CO2 bubbles float to the surface out of the mixture, doing no good at all - it's the same with beer or soda water. You would never leave a cake batter to sit; you mix it and pop it into a pre-heated oven. To each his own.

I can't find the article I read but leaving it a while was nothing to do with bubbles forming (as in yeast working) it was to do with the batter mix becoming 'stringy' and forming a more linked together coating. I'm no chemist or food scientist but that was the process as I understood the article to say, such that it stayed in place better and didn't split or fall off in cooking. Main thing is that it works, but I'll try it without a delay next time as a trial, I just bought some more cod loin on sale at half price today.

 

[Trundlebug]

Go North!

I'm amazed anyone has found acceptable F&C in Poole.

I've been going for years and have been consistently disappointed with the general standard, either in portion size or quality.

We once went to "award winning" Chez Freddie's in Westbourne, on recommendation. There were queues down the street, so I thought it must be good.

After waiting 25 minutes in the queue I finally made it through the door, and upon reaching the counter my order for fish and chips was taken. "Just wait at the back sir, we cook all the fish to order. We pride ourselves on serving freshly cooked fish"

So I had to wait another 15 minutes!
With queues down the street, a fish and chip shop, selling, er fish and chips, was surprised when people ordered, er, fish and chips, and only then did they place it in the fryer and start cooking! Never heard anything so daft.

As if with that many customers the fish would hang around for longer than 2 minutes anyway if they built up a stock! It sits longer in the bag before you eat it anyway!

I wouldn't mind but the quality was nothing special either, even after all that wait.

So for years we've been going the chippy in Parkstone, which was OK except the portions are served individually in bags, nothing like the number of chips you get up North. Upon revisiting a couple of weeks ago it's changed hands to become "Oliver's Gourmet Fish and Chips".- and they only cook to order, with the associated 20 minute wait. The organisation in there was laughable, like something out of Laurel and Hardy. I won't be going back!

What is it with this cooking to order thing? Do they think we've got all day because we're on holiday? How much difference does it really make to cook it to order rather than leave it in the hot plate for 5 minutes?

My experience has always been that on the whole the further North you go the better the Fish and Chips. Except for that little place in Hastings on the front, that was excellent...

Interesting to read about TJ's in Lilliput though, I'll give that a try next time. But please tell me they don't do this cooking to order thing..

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I can't find the article I read but leaving it a while was nothing to do with bubbles forming (as in yeast working) it was to do with the batter mix becoming 'stringy' and forming a more linked together coating. I'm no chemist or food scientist but that was the process as I understood the article to say, such that it stayed in place better and didn't split or fall off in cooking. Main thing is that it works, but I'll try it without a delay next time as a trial, I just bought some more cod loin on sale at half price today.

I don't know about fish batter, but Yorkshire pudding batter certainly benefits from being allowed to "rest" for 15-30 minutes. And it's the difference between a slightly soggy pudding and a really light and crisp one. But don't ask me why! I learnt to cook Yorkshire puds from my Mum, who never used a recipe, and who just did things so it "looked right".

Of course, being Yorkshire is a necessary qualification for making good Yorkshire Pudding!

 

[saltwater_gypsy]

Try chippy in Anstruther, if the queue is anything to go by it must be rated excellent.

Another vote for Anstruther closely followed by Rothsay and Mallaig and the van at Tobermory and the van at Ardrishaig......and so on.
In fact the sassenachs just need to cross the Border to Scotland to get proper chips (Golden Wonder potatoes) and proper fish (haddock) as oppsed to Cypriot tatties and rock salmon

 

[Robin]

I don't know about fish batter, but Yorkshire pudding batter certainly benefits from being allowed to "rest" for 15-30 minutes. And it's the difference between a slightly soggy pudding and a really light and crisp one. But don't ask me why! I learnt to cook Yorkshire puds from my Mum, who never used a recipe, and who just did things so it "looked right".

Of course, being Yorkshire is a necessary qualification for making good Yorkshire Pudding!

Interesting, SWMBO does the best Yorkshire Pud or Toad in't Hole in our house - and she's a yank!

Don't Yorkies put jam on their puds?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Interesting, SWMBO does the best Yorkshire Pud or Toad in't Hole in our house - and she's a yank!

Don't Yorkies put jam on their puds?

Heresy!!!!!!!

Yorkshire puddings should be served as a starter, with gravy from the meat!

 

[jhr]

Heresy!!!!!!!

Yorkshire puddings should be served as a starter, with gravy from the meat!

I read a great article in Punch, many years ago, written by Michael Parkinson. In it, he described having Sunday Lunch with his Mum and Dad. The starter, as you say, was Yorkshire Pudding with gravy and it also accompanied the roast. Pudding was Yorkshire Pudding with Golden Syrup on it - and then they had a couple of bits of bread and jam in case anyone was still hungry.

Then they went down to the Pub

 

[ianat182]

Last time at TJ's at Lilliput the wait was 5 mins ,with three different fish choices ordered excluding the scallops in batter, there were at least three persons serving. Didn't seem over long a wait - and we were ready for food too!.

ianat182

 

[CoVianna]

Fish and Chips to Yorkshire Puddings!!!!

Is this a case of 'off thread'? lol!

But I do agree Yorkshire Puddings are best if the batter is left to stand for 30 minutes or so. And being a Yorkshire lad I learnt the recipe from my Gran.

PS The reason Yorkshire Puddings were served as a starter is because a Yorkshire man been 'careful' his with money used to tell his sons and/or daughters at Sunday lunch that the one who ate the most Yorkshire Puddings as a starter got the most meat in the main course. So the children ate lots of Yorkshire Pudding and then didn't have an appetite for lots of meat! Thus making the joint go further into the week!

 

[Cruiser2B]

it was to do with the batter mix becoming 'stringy' and forming a more linked together coating.

What you're referring to is called "developing the gluten". This would also be achieved through mixing - the fishbatter site seems to suggest that's not desired as they warn not to overmix and even leave lumps in the batter. To develop gluten through rest, I believe it's necessary for the proteins to oxidize; I submit that bathed in CO2, that's not likely to happen to any great extent. By chilling it for 2 hours, the gluten bonds would likely start to break down.

I don't know about fish batter, but Yorkshire pudding batter certainly benefits from being allowed to "rest" for 15-30 minutes. And it's the difference between a slightly soggy pudding and a really light and crisp one.

Yorkshire pud is a completely different beast. When you mix the eggs, you're entraining air; that and the moisture from the eggs and milk are responsible for leavening. By leaving it sit for a bit, that chemical development of the gluten will occur; as well the tiny bubbles of air will start to randomly combine so you get all those different-sized voids that are important in a good Yorkshire pud. Just my opinion

 

[boatmike]

I was disappointed. The batter was thick and soggy. I then went a few miles up the road to Crackington Haven and had F&C in the pub. I was so impressed I called the lady out of the kitchen to tell her Stein wasn't a patch on hers. Thin crisp batter - perfect.

Stuck my nose in Stiens chippy and was disgusted! The batter was thick and heavy, the oil looked as if it needed changing and the size of one fillet at £9 each was taking the er proverbial. So we went to a pub and had moules and seafood tagliatelle instead. Looked in Stiens famous establishment and a "dover" sole was £34. how can they justify that? Rip off ......

 

[Bajansailor]

The Oistins Fish Fry every night in Barbados has become very popular with tourists and visitors alike - but there are other places off the beaten track that produce even better fish.

For example, there are fish frys on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in Six Mens and Half Moon Fort, both little fishing villages on the beachfront.
They dont go a great bundle on chips - peas 'n rice or macaroni is usually more popular - but the fish (it could be kingfish / wahoo, dolphin / dorado, tuna or marlin) is invariably excellent.

And the fish is cooked by ladies out in the open, equipped with just a simple coal pot and and deep frying pan.

 

[BlueChip]

Well I think the Start Bay Inn at Torcross serves the best ever Haddock and Chips in the whole world.

Their skate wings are pretty special too!