Fish, Chips & Vinegar?

[Occams Barber]

I’m surprised! I thought for sure you all would have it or something similar. I also forgot to mention that we have friends that have an authentic Mexican food restaurant here and when they serve fish, they serve it with lime. I always ask for avocado and cilantro too

I eat a lot of seafood. I sometimes get a cheap and tasteless fillet of some kind of white fish (typically basa) and convert it into something edible by marinading/baking it in a mix of lemon juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard.

It gives the fish a nice lift.

OB

 

[Michie]

I eat a lot of seafood. I sometimes get a cheap and tasteless fillet of some kind of white fish (typically basa) and convert it into something edible by marinading/baking it in a mix of lemon juice, olive oil and Dijon mustard.

It gives the fish a nice lift.

OB

That sounds really good.

 

[Sparagmos]

I recently came across a Quora discussion where it was alleged that some Americans were shocked/surprised/amazed/disgusted at the idea of liberally splashing vinegar, as a dressing, on chips (fries).

Salt and vinegar is the classic dressing for 'fish and chips', the iconic British meal combining battered, deep fried fish with chips (fries)- real chips, not those stringy excuses for chips - often accompanied by pickled onions. If you're not familiar with the idea, it's quite common in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. In Aus we have shops specialising in the meal; usually wrapped in white paper for takeaway.

I've also heard US tourists expressing surprise on discovering fish and chips while touring in Aus.

Is fish'n chips with salt and vinegar unusual in the US and Canada?

OB

It’s common in the Pacific Northwest and south Florida. As a server in both places I brought it to the table when I served Fish and Chips.

 

[Occams Barber]

It’s common in the Pacific Northwest and south Florida. As a server in both places I brought it to the table when I served Fish and Chips.

Thanks for pinning it down. The two locations couldn't be further apart on the mainland. I would have expected somewhere on the upper east coast with a bit of Anglo heritage.

Sounds strange hearing you 'served' it. I always associate F&C as the original takeaway with an iconic white paper wrap which you tore open to eat straight from the package.

Originally it was typically wrapped in newspaper until someone pointed out that printer's ink is toxic. The newsprint (now white paper) was an excellent insulator keeping your F&C warm until you got home.

OB

 

[Sparagmos]

Thanks for pinning it down. The two locations couldn't be further apart on the mainland. I would have expected somewhere on the upper east coast with a bit of Anglo heritage.

Sounds strange hearing you 'served' it. I always associate F&C as the original takeaway with an iconic white paper wrap which you tore open to eat straight from the package.

Originally it was typically wrapped in newspaper until someone pointed out that printer's ink is toxic. The newsprint (now white paper) was an excellent insulator keeping you F&C warm until you got home.

OB

Haha, we’ll here it’s more likely served in a sit-down restaurant, although on the Oregon Coast we have some places that are just a little shack with tables outside. But it’s never cheap.

 

[Aussie Pete]

I've never had fish and chips over here in germany. But there are what you would call crisps with salt and vinegar dressing, and I have found them to be quite tasty. There's also potato salad with vinegar.

I heard an American comedian bagging Vegemite, which for decades was made by an American company. Quite ironic. He said that Vegemite looks and tastes like axle grease. Now in appearance, he has a point. But I wonder how he knows what axle grease tastes like?

 

[Aussie Pete]

Thanks for pinning it down. The two locations couldn't be further apart on the mainland. I would have expected somewhere on the upper east coast with a bit of Anglo heritage.

Sounds strange hearing you 'served' it. I always associate F&C as the original takeaway with an iconic white paper wrap which you tore open to eat straight from the package.

Originally it was typically wrapped in newspaper until someone pointed out that printer's ink is toxic. The newsprint (now white paper) was an excellent insulator keeping you F&C warm until you got home.

OB

The graveyards are full of poisoned poms, put there by the dreaded newspaper.

 

[Occams Barber]

Haha, we’ll here it’s more likely served in a sit-down restaurant, although on the Oregon Coast we have some places that are just a little shack with tables outside. But it’s never cheap.

We have a little saying:

"Cheap as chips"
​

Fish & Chips, particularly the chips, used to be one of the cheapest meals you could get.

F&C was usually on for Friday night when mum typically got the night off from cooking. While we weren't Catholics it was a bit of a Catholic institution since it was an easy way to sort out the 'Fish on Friday' tradition.

OB

 

[Nithavela]

Crisps is British. Australians (confusingly) call 'crisps' 'potato chips'.

What do you call chips/fries in Germany? I assume you have them.

The French equivalent is 'pommes frites' - aka 'French fries'.

OB

The thin, sliced things are called "Chips".
The fried sticks are called "Pommes" (pronounced "pommis") or "Pommes Frittes" (pronounced as they are in french).

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

I used to like chips with gravy or chips with curry sauce.

Haven't had it in years though (I normally have fish and chips with salt and vinegar of course)

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

has anyone had deep fried Mars bar?

 

[GreekOrthodox]

We had a fish and chips place open up next to our subdivision and even my friend from Liverpool said it was up to his standards. At least I have that going for me!

My wife and I are doing a more Mediterranean diet and we found a couple of good fish recipes. Once I'm on my home computer Ill post them.

 

[Shane R]

Fish and chips are not hard to find in the Mid-Atlantic, particularly the Chesapeake Bay region. Many places use crinkle cut fries for the chip component though.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

...Many places use crinkle cut fries for the chip component though.

Thats hard to hear ;-)

 

[Torah Keeper]

I recently came across a Quora discussion where it was alleged that some Americans were shocked/surprised/amazed/disgusted at the idea of liberally splashing vinegar, as a dressing, on chips (fries).

Salt and vinegar is the classic dressing for 'fish and chips', the iconic British meal combining battered, deep fried fish with chips (fries)- real chips, not those stringy excuses for chips - often accompanied by pickled onions. If you're not familiar with the idea, it's quite common in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. In Aus we have shops specialising in the meal; usually wrapped in white paper for takeaway.

I've also heard US tourists expressing surprise on discovering fish and chips while touring in Aus.

Is fish'n chips with salt and vinegar unusual in the US and Canada?

OB

I hate vinegar. But my sister likes it so much she uses it as a dressing. So to each their own.

 

[Torah Keeper]

Squeezing a lemon over your F&C is also common here. Some F&C shops will automatically include a wedge or two of lemon with your takeaway.
OB

I agree with that. Lemon and fish is like peanut butter and jelly.

 

[Michie]

I hate vinegar. But my sister likes it so much she uses it as a dressing. So to each their own.

It supposedly has some health benefits.

 

[RDKirk]

Long John Silver, which is one of the two most common chain seafood restaurants in the US (and the only one that can be called "fast food") makes vinegar available for their fried fish and french fries (chips) offering. Most people sprinkle the vinegar on their fish, if anything, but some do sprinkle it on their french fries as well.

 

[Occams Barber]

I hate vinegar. But my sister likes it so much she uses it as a dressing. So to each their own.

Vinegar is quite common as a component of salad dressing. I eat a lot of salads so I frequently use a mix of balsamic vinegar and olive oil as a quick and easy dressing.

OB

 

[Occams Barber]

Fish and chips are not hard to find in the Mid-Atlantic, particularly the Chesapeake Bay region. Many places use crinkle cut fries for the chip component though.

Looks like we can add Mid-Atlantic to Southern Florida and Pacific North West as centres of Fish & Chippery.

Crinkle cut is supposed to result in crisper chips due to the increased surface area exposed to hot oil in the cooking process. While I can buy frozen crinkle cut chips I don't recall ever seeing them in a Fish & Chip shop.



OB