A Funeral for Fish and Chips...and other losses of culinary treasures

[liuzhou]

A very sad tale from the Guardian about the part of the world in which I first drew breath and still have strong ties to.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Smithy
Adjusted title to reflect broadened scope (log)

[gfweb]

That is a tremendous number of words in that article.

I confess that I never saw the attraction to fish and chips.

Still it is a thing and it makes me sad that its endangered

[Darienne]

4 minutes ago, gfweb said:

 

I confess that I never saw the attraction to fish and chips.

 

Absolutely adore fish and chips, particularly cod.  ❤️ That's basically the only food we now eat outside our home.  

[Duvel]

Sad indeed …

[Alex]

23 minutes ago, gfweb said:

That is a tremendous number of words in that article.

 

Yes. Well, it is "The Long Read."

[KennethT]

This is really sad, but not uncommon.  Practically all businesses worldwide are facing similar issues.

[Alex]

1 hour ago, KennethT said:

This is really sad, but not uncommon.  Practically all businesses worldwide are facing similar issues.

 

There's a parallel issue in northwest Michigan with cherry growers.

[KennethT]

6 minutes ago, Alex said:

 

There's a parallel issue in northwest Michigan with cherry growers.

It's everywhere.  I see it in my business, and I hear it when I talk with both my suppliers and my customers.  When my wife and I were in Indonesia last month, we wound up chatting with a German couple - the man was saying the exact same things about his business and what he hears from his suppliers and customers as well.

[liuzhou]

20 minutes ago, KennethT said:

It's everywhere.

 

Yeah, I know, but i take this more personally. Although I wasn't technically born in the East Neuk, it is only seven miles away from my birthplace and was my growing-up playground. I know and have eaten in most of the chippies mentioned. I was last there in 2019 and ate in the Anstruther* Fish Bar as I have done many times -  long before British and Hollywood royalty dropped by.

 

It's always sad to see traditions suffer, but when you have a strong connection, the wounds are deeper.

 

* Anstruther is pronounced Ainster locally. Also the Fish Bar is still operating - but for how much longer?

 

[pastrygirl]

"Before the main danger to fish and chip shops was the quarterly energy bill, it was sudden fire. Ignored for a moment, the hot cooking fat can get too hot, rising to an auto-ignition point and exploding."

 

It sounds like many shops use a pot on a range that needs constant monitoring rather than a deep fryer that you can set to a particular temp.  Any idea why?  It's a little more initial investment, but vs potentially losing everything and maybe your life in a fire ...  🤷‍♀️

 

And someone needs to suck it up and be the one to break the imaginary $10 barrier. 

[liuzhou]

5 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

It sounds like many shops use a pot on a range that needs constant monitoring rather than a deep fryer that you can set to a particular temp.  Any idea why?

 

Fish and chip shops do not use pots on ranges. They use dedicated fish friers  like this.

 

 

5 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

And someone needs to suck it up and be the one to break the imaginary $10 barrier. 

 

Its a ₤10 barrier.  The UK, like most countries, doesn't use dollars! 😂

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[pastrygirl]

6 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Its a ₤10 barrier.  The UK, like most countries, doesn't use dollars! 😂

No kidding? I know that. Now where do I find that symbol on my MacBook? 😘

 

6 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Fish and chip shops do not use pots on ranges.

Well that's a relief.  Then how do so many burn down?  That bank of fryers should not need constant temperature monitoring.

Edited August 19, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[liuzhou]

5 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

No shit?  I know that. Now where do I find that symbol on my MacBook? 😘

 

Well that's a relief.  Then how do so many burn down?  That bank of fryers should not need constant temperature monitoring.

 

I'm not sure. I guess thermostats sometimes fail. And with gallons of hot oil around...

 

I have PM'd you re the ₤ symbol. That said, you could cut and paste it from the article.

[liuzhou]

Incidentally, the ₤10 barrier has been broken. The article is wrong there. The current menu for the wonderful Anstruther Fish Bar, my favourite, lists just the fish at ₤9.70 with the chips adding another ₤2.70. More expensive if you eat in the restaurant.

Edited August 19, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[pastrygirl]

36 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

I guess thermostats sometimes fail. And with gallons of hot oil around...

 

I guess.  It struck me as odd that the owners just expect a catastrophic fire as a normal eventuality.  I don't think I've heard of that happening anywhere I've lived, and you know we love our fried food in the US.  Doughnuts, chicken, all the fast food ...   glad I got out of restaurant kitchens!

[gfweb]

13 hours ago, pastrygirl said:

"Before the main danger to fish and chip shops was the quarterly energy bill, it was sudden fire. Ignored for a moment, the hot cooking fat can get too hot, rising to an auto-ignition point and exploding."

 

It sounds like many shops use a pot on a range that needs constant monitoring rather than a deep fryer that you can set to a particular temp.  Any idea why?  It's a little more initial investment, but vs potentially losing everything and maybe your life in a fire ...  🤷‍♀️

 

And someone needs to suck it up and be the one to break the imaginary $10 barrier. 

 

Or just use an induction hob.

[Tropicalsenior]

If the high cost of energy has spelled the demise of the fish fryers, pizza ovens and Tandoori ovens won't be far behind.

[liuzhou]

3 hours ago, gfweb said:

 

Or just use an induction hob.

What difference would that make? And what kind of induction hob would be able hold several gallons of oil / fat?

 

As I already said, fish and chip shops don't use hobs and pans. You can't cook hundreds of fish and thousands of chips at the same time that way. Not quick enough. These places get very busy (or used to).

Edited August 19, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Amy D.]

Just another doom and gloom article that the British media love to produce. Yes things are more expensive and yes people and businesses are struggling. Is it the end of the industry. Not at all. The vast majority of towns will still have multiple chippies. The more successful ones will provide a superior product that people with pay the premium for or just make the portions smaller ( no one needed a fish the size of your forearm and a sack of chips anyway). At Matlock bath in deepest Derbyshire yesterday it was £6 for a mini fish, chips and peas. At Scarborough last week it was £8 but that also came with a fishcake and was fried in beef dripping and the sea air. Both meals were more than enough calories for two adults.

 

But most importantly tastes have also changed in the last 20 years. With the takeaway and restaurant industry providing a far more diverse range of cuisines.

[heidih]

34 minutes ago, Amy D. said:

Just another doom and gloom article that the British media love to produce. Yes things are more expensive and yes people and businesses are struggling. Is it the end of the industry. Not at all. The vast majority of towns will still have multiple chippies. The more successful ones will provide a superior product that people with pay the premium for or just make the portions smaller ( no one needed a fish the size of your forearm and a sack of chips anyway). At Matlock bath in deepest Derbyshire yesterday it was £6 for a mini fish, chips and peas. At Scarborough last week it was £8 but that also came with a fishcake and was fried in beef dripping and the sea air. Both meals were more than enough calories for two adults.

 

But most importantly tastes have also changed in the last 20 years. With the takeaway and restaurant industry providing a far more diverse range of cuisines.

On the ground perspetive is always a welcome addition - thanks

[liuzhou]

6 hours ago, Amy D. said:

Just another doom and gloom article that the British media love to produce.

 

 

I only partly agree. Chippies have undeniably been dying at an unprecedented rate, as have pubs. The Matlock sample is, as you said, a mini version. Sure people might buy it (often visitors - both places you mention are tourist destinations) but the time when Friday night was fish and chips night for many ordinary families all over Britain is all but over. I have family in the trade. They aren't "doom and gloom" media; they see it dying.

I'm sure there was a time when the idea that you would struggle to find a pie and mash / jellied eel shop in London would have sounded ridiculous and impossible, but only a handful remain. Same with many other once ubiquitous choices.

 

[haresfur]

For what it's worth, I haven't seen the same dying trend in Australia. The Borough still has 3 shops within two blocks and one changed hands not too long ago. Prices probably have risen but not to that extent. And our energy prices have been going up a lot. 

[liuzhou]

22 minutes ago, haresfur said:

For what it's worth, I haven't seen the same dying trend in Australia. The Borough still has 3 shops within two blocks and one changed hands not too long ago. Prices probably have risen but not to that extent. And our energy prices have been going up a lot. 

 

There are four main factors in the UK. Energy prices rising (while the energy companies are making record profits), Covid, Brexit, and the general cost of living crisis. Australia doesn't have one of them.

Edited August 20, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Amy D.]

It's described as mini but it will fill a dinner plate. Chippies went through a phase of offering ever increasing portions to beat the opposition. Now they are readjusting. 

 

Undoubtedly traditions are changing, though Friday still sees the longest queues at any chippie. But is the change a bad thing. In the small town I grew up in Gloucestershire 30 years ago the only takeaway option was from half a dozen chip shops and one Chinese. Now there are at least half a dozen different cuisines offered all from independent businesses. Yes some of the pubs have closed down, but instead if having ten poorly run businesses there are a few really well run and characterful pubs offering great selections of brilliant locally produced drinks. 

Nostalgia is great but change isn't alway bad.

[Amy D.]

So the media keep telling us and yes things are more expensive but people are still buying plenty of takeaways and the high street and town are still very busy with lots of people spending money. We are very privileged with the quality of life that we have here and the variety and options we have that it really annoys me just how negative all the news reporting is.