• TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
  • Follow
    • Follow
    • facebook
    • twitter
    • google+
    • instagram
    • youtube
Hearst Corporation
  • TV
  • MOVIES
  • MUSIC
  • SHOWBIZ
  • SOAPS
  • GAMING
  • TECH
  • FORUMS
Forums
  • Register
  • Login
  • Forums
  • General Discussion Forums
  • Food and Drink
Why do Fish and Chip Shops....
<<
<
2 of 3
>>
>
earsnot
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by Pnut:
“ Huh?

I meant old potatoes as opposed to new potatoes. Not old in the sense that they're full of roots, wrinkly and on the verge of rotting.”

Then what are 'old' potatoes?

I'm not having a go at you, i'm just curious
Mallaha
25-06-2009
Old potatoes are the big ones that are usually used to make chips.

I've never seen a chip shop advertising new potato chips, and most of the chips I've had in summer have tasted fine.
Roasted summer "old" potatoes can be quite nasty though. They go all soggy.
Pnut
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by earsnot:
“Then what are 'old' potatoes?

I'm not having a go at you, i'm just curious”

All the ones that aren't classed as "new potatoes" - although I don't suppose that's their "official" designation as such!

They're actually different varieties of potatoes I believe. New potatoes are picked early and the others (old) potatoes are more slow-growing varieties that are suitable for being kept longer.

Of course... then you might have new old potatoes or old new potatoes depending on how fresh they actually are.

Suitably confused? I am.
Flyboy152
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by earsnot:
“Then what are 'old' potatoes?

I'm not having a go at you, i'm just curious”


There are two reasons why we use the term "old" or "new" when referring to the potato. When the potato was first brought to Europe there two distinct types. There was the sweeter, smaller ones and the larger more robust type. Over the years the two became "old" and "new" to distinguish the difference.

Old potatoes, which grow during the autumn and winter, could also be called so, because they can be stored successfully for several months and therefore "old" when they are consumed. Whereas the new ones, which are harvested in the spring and summer cannot.
earsnot
25-06-2009
I see, interesting Flyboy
Pnut
25-06-2009
Maybe fish and chip shops in Norfolk tend to go for whatever local variety is in season then? Do they grow a lot of potatoes in Norfolk?

As opposed to other areas where they might tend to just pick up the same standard variety from Makro or summat...
diablo
25-06-2009
Potatoes are harvested in this country between June and early winter. Most of the ones available now are either quite old from last year - or early varieties.

The older ones are still best for chips. I have some old ones which I bought recently. They still taste fine but have a tendency to develop shoots - they want to grow!

My local chippy also has a supply of last years potatoes. The worst time for chips is still to come this year - when the old ones have all been used up.
Lucem Ferre
25-06-2009
You think signs for 'Now Frying New Potatoes' are bad... a chip shop opened in our area about three years ago and used frozen chips for a few months.

Nobody ever went there so they switched to fresh cut potatoes, along a big sign in the window proclaiming:

'We fry real potatoes'

Even though everyone knew what they meant, it did raise a few laughs.
Radiomaniac
25-06-2009
I've never seen a sign saying this, in all my years!
Valliz
25-06-2009
I wish we had a chip shop! None round here because it's a conservation area crammed with NIMBYs.
Flyboy152
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by Lucem Ferre:
“You think signs for 'Now Frying New Potatoes' are bad... a chip shop opened in our area about three years ago and used frozen chips for a few months.

Nobody ever went there so they switched to fresh cut potatoes, along a big sign in the window proclaiming:

'We fry real potatoes'

Even though everyone knew what they meant, it did raise a few laughs.”

OMG, did they think they were saving money? I'll bet they charged twice as much for them as anyone else. The local take-aways (burger bars and kebab shops) serve frozen chips and one expects that, but they charge two pounds for a half of the size of a portion of chips that we get from the chip shop. I'm surprised they lasted a few months, I would have thought they would have gone out of business after about a fortnight.
That Bloke
25-06-2009
I suspect they mean new in the sense of 'new crop' rather than in the sense of the variety. I certainly hope so anyway!

As for why the signs are common in Norfolk, it's possibly that because it's such a big farming areas the people there are more likely to know that there have been new crops whereas in Manchester (for instance) nobody would have a clue what the harvest times are!
pixel_pixel
25-06-2009
OP: You are right, they do it in my area too. Not sure why.
SuperUnleaded
25-06-2009
I prefer my chips when they've been in the fryer for a while and are crispy. I always sort of groan under my breath when I realise they're putting new chips into the fryer after I've placed my order. :yawn:

Having said that, I like it when the cod is freshly done and hasn't been sitting on the hot shelf for ages.
bryemycaz
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by That Bloke:
“I suspect they mean new in the sense of 'new crop' rather than in the sense of the variety. I certainly hope so anyway!

As for why the signs are common in Norfolk, it's possibly that because it's such a big farming areas the people there are more likely to know that there have been new crops whereas in Manchester (for instance) nobody would have a clue what the harvest times are!”

I think what you say is probably true. Thing is even though they are new crop they are IMO not really ready to be made into Chips yet they taste awful. Although my wife seems to like them I do not.
alan29
25-06-2009
It would be news to the kids round here that chips are made from spuds.
Alan
Dick_Hunter
25-06-2009
Used to call them Chats in Yorkshire new potatoes cut in to small pieces.
mrs_buckley
25-06-2009
My husband doesn't understand why if you ask for a sausage in a chippy around here you get it battered. Where he comes from they are deep fried but unbattered. He bangs on about it EVER time we go into a chippy.
Funky_hannahlg
25-06-2009
well i dont like new potatoes who ever anyone cooks them

and i dont eat fish or chips from a fish and chip shop anyway nasty stuff
ltrabucchi2003
25-06-2009
Im in Norfolk! My local chippy has a sign!
I dont like new potatoes chipped, in fact i refuse to have any til they're a bit older! lol!
Excellent for a pre-holiday diet!
calamity
25-06-2009
In Scotland you could ask for a Special Fish Supper, I never did find out what that meant..
gonnaenodaethat
25-06-2009
Here in Edinburgh those signs used to go up all the time but I'm not sure now. It was always the sign for the price going up.
falconry-fan
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by calamity:
“In Scotland you could ask for a Special Fish Supper, I never did find out what that meant..”

A special fish supper is fish, usually haddock,coated in breadcrumbs rather than batter.
Flyboy152
25-06-2009
Originally Posted by That Bloke:
“I suspect they mean new in the sense of 'new crop' rather than in the sense of the variety. I certainly hope so anyway!

As for why the signs are common in Norfolk, it's possibly that because it's such a big farming areas the people there are more likely to know that there have been new crops whereas in Manchester (for instance) nobody would have a clue what the harvest times are!”

New potatoes are referred by the varieties of: Jersey Royals, Charlottes and Maris Peer. Old potatoes are: King Edward, Maris Piper, Desiree and Sante.
sub4ux4
25-06-2009
never heard of such a thing .
<<
<
2 of 3
>>
>
VIEW DESKTOP SITE TOP

JOIN US HERE

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Hearst Corporation

Hearst Corporation

DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

© 2015 Hearst Magazines UK is the trading name of the National Magazine Company Ltd, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP. Registered in England 112955. All rights reserved.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Complaints
  • Site Map