Sunday, February 21, 2010

Fish and chips


Today is, as you might have heard, the last day of National Chip Week 2010, and, typically, the Potato Council's PR people have produced a colourful variety of tenuous, tabloid-friendly stories for our amusement. However, you will have to look elsewhere for analysis of Aston University's research that chips make people "13% more cheerful", or a discussion of whether or not anyone in Portsmouth really uses the phrase "snag and chips".

No, instead, as Jesus might, Word of Mouth asks you all to take a moment and consider the chippies. Because, in National Chip Week, that is surely who and what we should be celebrating: their dynamism, their flexibility, their resilience.

Forget all that media 'fast food' brouhaha about how great Leon is; how Mexican street food will be the 'next big thing'; or how evil McDonald's are. With 276m portions sold last year, fish 'n' chips is still - 150 years on from its birth - Britain's most popular takeaway meal.

Moreover, while its popular image may be one of greasy, old-fashioned stolidity, the British chippy has, in fact, never been more energetic. Patronising Michelin star chefs may occasionally swan in to show everyone how it's done, or not, but at a grassroots level the British chippy is already modernising, already fighting its corner.

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