There is probably no finer British culinary tradition then Fish & Chips, not lovingly home-cooked but eaten as a convenient, readily available takeaway food. Of course, times change and there are now numerous ‘other’ alternatives, particularly as a late supper when heading home from a ‘Night at the Pub’ - if that institution still exits in the UK today? No not for me, something to soak up the excesses of one too many Beers, but a treat to savour over a ’proper’ pint . . . well, 500ml or multiples thereof!
Like any recipe, to get the best results you need the finest ingredients and time to prepare; popping to the ’Chippy’ is the easy bit. As I’ve said previously, Worthington’s White Shield (Tesco, 20/08/11 - £2.09, 500ml) is my current favourite ’session beer’, a ‘defiant survivor of the IPA (India Pale Ale) tradition, when only the most flavoursome beers endured the arduous voyage’. And, it’s those characteristics which make it the perfect partner for that Fish & Chip supper - intensely bitter-hopped, with a well rounded palate, and a long lingering finish. Yet time is of the essence; time to let the beer clear, achieve a perfect serving temperature, (11-13°C, it does make a difference), and pour slowly with ‘a steady hand, leaving the precious last drops in the bottle’, to ensure ‘a sparkling clear glass’.
And for desert . . . another beer? Well they don’t come more flavoursome than American Double IPA (Tesco Finest, 20/08/11 - £1.99, 330ml) from Scotland’s ‘Brew Dog’ - ‘loaded with fresh whole flower hops . . . imparting an explosion of tropical fruit flavours and spiced orange peel’ - I couldn’t have put it better myself. The perfect ending to a Friday night in with ‘My Family’ . . . and ‘Miranda‘!
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