Fish and chips - freshly cooked, piping hot, enlivened with salt, soused with vinegar, wrapped in newspaper, stuffed in a brown bag for take-out. What could be tastier?! What could be more British?! But it seems the quintessential British fare did not always go together.

150 years ago this meal was influenced by immigrants, with the original idea for chips coming from French “chipped pommes de terre a la mode”, and fish with the Jewish method of deep frying battered fish. The Fish N Chips trade grew out of these existing small businesses, operating in the streets and alleys of London and the industrial towns of Britain, hawking fish and chips as separate items. Charles Dickens even makes references to a “fried fish warehouse” in Oliver Twist in 1838, and to “chips" in A Tale of Two Cities in 1858.

Though it is unclear exactly when and where these two trades combined to become the fish-and-chip shop industry, Joseph Malin is credited with opening the first shop in London on Cleveland Street in 1858.

Fish ‘n’ Chips became the national dish of industrial Britain.  By 1927 at the industrial peak, there were as many as 35,000 chippies in Britain. And in the Second World War it was an invaluable meal in supplementing the family's weekly diet. So much so, that fish and chips were among the few foods not to be rationed.

Unpeeled potatoes enhance the taste. Deep frying fish seals in the flavor. A side portion of mushy peas adds fiber and energy. This balance of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins is an excellent source of nutrition. Once jeered by food snobs and health foodies alike, this traditional dish is now fully appreciated as a filling, affordable, nutritious combination. While Fish & Chips is indeed Fast Food, it only shares speed in preparation with our burger joints. Today there are about 8,100 chippies, eight for every one McDonald’s outlet.

Getting hungry? Then have a look at our stunning Linden Gardens flat in Nottinghill, just a short walk from Geales, our favourite Fish & Chips eatery. Walk a little further to George’s Portobello Fish Bar, a rumored favorite chippie of Jamie Oliver, and be one of the first to taste Fish ‘n’ Chips ice cream from Frederick’s Dairies, a new flavor just unveiled there as a new food novelty for World Cup fans.