I lived in England for seven years and we go back every year to visit. In the end it all comes down to personal preference. Some insist the batter should be dry while others are emphatic that if it isn’t seeping a bit of oil then it isn’t worth eating. Others argue the coating should be thick and puffy and the crispiness should be followed by a touch of chewiness. Some say the coating should be thin and light and shatter into crispy shards when you bite into it (that’s what you get with a tempura-style batter but remember friends, tempura is Japanese, not British). Opinions run strong in this arena and everyone has their own. This is a divisive question that has probably led to more than a few fist fights. The response was chips, signifying an ally.” British soldiers identified one another during the D-Day landings by calling the word fish. Fish and chips were two of the few foods not subject to rationing because the government feared the dish was so embedded in the nation’s culture that any limit would damage morale. An article in the Express a few years ago noted some interesting WWII history about the UK’s favorite dish: “During the Second World War Winston Churchill recognised the crucial role of fish and chips, referring to them as ‘good companions’. Originally a dish of the working classes, fish and chips have remained a cultural icon in the UK for going on two centuries. The first reference to the term “chips” for fries also came from Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities, where he referred to them as “husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.” The first known fish & chips shop was opened by Joseph Malin, a Jewish immigrant, in London in the 1860’s. The famous Victorian chef, Alexis Soyer, also noted in his 1845 cookbook a recipe for “Fried Fish, Jewish Fashion,” a nod to its Sephardic Jewish origins. One of the earliest references to fish and chips in England comes from none other than my favorite author, Charles Dickens, who in 1838 noted the “fried fish warehouses” in Oliver Twist. And as for the chips, the credit goes to Belgium. What we know as fish and chips today originated in England but its earliest origins can be traced back to Sephardic Jewish immigrants from Spain and Portugal where a popular dish known as pescado frito had been enjoyed at least a couple of centuries earlier and was made using a technique of battering and and frying fish in oil. And so the time has come to share with you Great Britain’s most iconic dish: Fish and Chips! Where Did Fish and Chips Originate? Though I lived in England for several years it wasn’t until our two most recent trips to the UK that I was able to finally perfect the batter and technique.

This homemade British fish and chips recipe has been a long time coming. Serve your homemade fish and chips with our authentic British Mushy Peas followed by a traditional British dessert like Sticky Toffee Pudding or Treacle Tart! This British Fish and Chips recipe produces that perfectly crispy and flavorful result you’re craving! No need to go down to your local chippy or search for a restaurant that makes the best beer-battered fish and chips.

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