Take-Away Chish and Fips

We never buy fish and chips from our local fish and chip shop because they are not very nice – I much prefer to do it myself since we have two deep fat fryers installed in the garage. They are not allowed in the kitchen because of the lingering fragrance.

There is an excellent fish and chip shop about 4 miles from home – but I hate soggy batter and even if fresh out of the fryer with crispy batter – once either wrapped in paper or placed in in a take-away box – by the time I drive home with it, the batter is at best soft, at worst soggy.

A few days ago after a busy day we fancied fish and chips – but there was no fish in the freezer and I needed to go 4 miles to the take-away. I decided to carry out an experiment with our picnic cool box by putting in a removable wire cake cooling tray part way up to put the crispy battered fish on – with the chips below it.



So off I went to the favoured fish and chip shop and asked for two cod and one serving of chips. I added that I didn’t want the fish wrapped up.

The assistant looked at me as if I was barmy and said “how you gonna get the fish home if it aint wrapped luv”

Me : “Just humour me and give me the chips wrapped – I will put them in this cool box – I will then put this wire rack in the cool box above the chips and you are going to place the fish on the rack”

Her: “I aint never seen anyfing loike that luv – what the bloody ‘ell are yow dooin that for" then shouted to the owner "Ay Mike, look what this bloke wants me to do”

Mike comes over looks at my contraption and just shrugs.

Me “It’s an experiment to keep the batter crisp”

Her : “That’s strange yow don’t loike soft batter – everybody seems to prefer it”

Anyway – she did as asked and I zipped up the cool box and departed

The drive home took 10 minutes - and our meal was still piping hot and the batter crisp all over.

I will be doing that again.

That's a lot of trouble to go to for fish and chips Alan but I admire your inventiveness !