Gentle Readers, earlier this week Tony Grant wrote an illuminating post
for Jane Austen's World about Brighton during the 19th century and today. As usual, he peppered the article with photographs; so many, that they did not all fit comfortably into the post. In his spare time, Tony acts as a guide for visitors, and squires them around England. During one of those excursions he stopped at a fish and chips takeaway.
 |
| Tony's fish and chips dinner, with salt and vinegar |
When one thinks of take away food in England, fish and chips come uppermost to one's mind. The history of this dish is rather recent. Pommes frites arrived in Britain from France in the 18th century, and chips were first mentioned in 1854 by a chef in
Shilling Cookery. Initially the dish was made separately. Breaded fried fish was sold in fish warehouses around 1830, and it wasn't until 1870 or so that the first fish and chips shop opened in either London's East End or the textile factory districts of northern England.
 |
There are around 11,000 fish and chips (chippie) shops in Britain today.
This one is in Brighton. |
In 1910 there were about 25,000 fish and chip businesses in Britain, by 1927, there were around 35,000 family-owned shops, and around 11,000 are open today.
Fish (cod or haddock) and chips compare favorably to other take away food. The dish has an average of 595 calories per portion, compared to a Big Mac meal with medium fries, which has 888. There are no fish and chips shops in Richmond, VA, but one can order the dish at Joe's Inn, which is quite tasty.
