Blog

Cheap nosh, done right

Paul
2008-12-02 01:01:00 UTC

I went hillwalking yesterday. It was -6° a mile above sea level in Dunkeld. I was wearing a space-age thermal underlayer and a fifteenth-century woollen cloak, and I had a lunch made of stuff from the Farmer’s Market and a thermos of miso soup, so I survived.

Back at the bottom of the hill, it was time for dinner. We got looked at funny in the snooty hotel in Dunkeld, so we opted for fish and chips. One of the things I learned very quickly when I moved to Scotland was how seriously they take their fish and chips. For one thing, it’s called a “fish supper”, and saying “fish and chips” will get you shunned. They’ll charge you a fortune and give you fish in specially-constructed cardboard boxes. Chip shops in Scotland turn into community centres, general stores that sell pet food and cigarettes. And that’s without even getting into the east coast–west coast sauce wars.

While I’m on the subject, let me just deal with the salt-an’-sauce issue once and for all. Chip sauce is disgusting. Fact. There is absolutely no justification whatsoever for drenching your supper in purple crap. The only possible reason that any sane human could enjoy that stuff is if they were brainwashed from an early age, which I gather is what happens pretty frequently on the east coast.

In the chip shop in Dunkeld, we got talking to the manager. He’d had the place for about two months and he was in the process of making some changes. That’s what I thought he said, but I was concentrating on this fantastic, moist, flaky fish with a delicate, crispy batter and chips cooked to perfection. I’m originally from Hull and I know my haddock. This stuff was great.

Apparently the fish came from Arbroath, which is about as close to Dunkeld as you can get while still being on the coast. The haggis, black pudding, and white pudding all came from the local butchers. The potatoes were English, but he said that they were the best ones available. About the only thing that wasn’t locally-sourced was the smoked sausage, which was Mattesson’s®, but as he said, “they’re the best ones”.

This was a guy who runs a chip shop in a small town in the middle of nowhere. He wasn’t exactly trying to compete with the Starbucks down the street, because there wasn’t one. And if there had been one, their fish and chips would have been awful.

Fish and chips is supposed to be cheap, drunken fodder for people who are too lazy to microwave a ready meal, not that there’s anything wrong with that. (Chilly hillwalkers who have just come down off mountains and want something hot, quickly, are given a free bye.) And here it had been elevated to restaurant-quality status. I would happily have paid fifteen quid for this if it had come on a plate, with cutlery made of metal, on a table with a tablecloth.

I’m not convinced about the business case for buying expensive ingredients in a chip shop, of all things. He’s the only such business in town; he’s not competing with anyone. But I’m very glad that’s what he’s doing. I’d spent the day gawping at scenery, enjoying the best of what Scotland has to offer, and he managed to make my day ten times better.

Is local-sourcing appropriate when it’s not strictly necessary? What does everyone else think?

Comments

Stuart Carter \| 2008-12-02 03:13:02 UTC the big debate in leftpondia is whether local, conventionally produced, produce is better for the environment than organic food airlifted in from half the country away…
Paul Kaye \| 2008-12-02 06:55:43 UTC If you are going to run a business, as well as making money, you need to be proud of what you do. That goes double for a creative business which, no matter what ‘level’, the food business certainly is. This guy is clearly proud of what he does and wants to be good at it. Competition is great because it FORCES businesses to improve. What’s really great is when they do it all on their own.
marveen \| 2008-12-02 06:56:17 UTC So what exactly is it that y’all are inflicting on your fish ‘n’ chips? The “purple crap” comment has my mind boggling, since I’m one of they colonials who have been accustomed to putting malt vinegar or tomato catsup on my fries—er, chips, and lemon juice or tartar sauce on my fish.
Fhtagn \| 2008-12-02 08:41:44 UTC Heathen, to so insult the holy and sacred sauce! ::coughs:: Yes, well, enough of that. It sounds like you found one of the best chippies about. Given that, if you ever find your way to Garvald in East Lothian, there’s a tiny pub there, The Garvald Inn, run by a semi-retired chef. It’s the kind of place where he wanders up to the table and says that he’s just had a deer carcas delivered and would you prefer fresh liver to the starter on the menu. It also does the best fish and chips anyone in my family have ever eaten.
pajh \| 2008-12-02 10:26:44 UTC @Stuart: ooh, dilemma. I can see how that might cause a problem. I suppose it depends on whether they airlift the fertilizers in. @Paul: yes, absolutely right—-as long as the consumers can afford it. @marveen: imagine a plum sauce mixed with brown sauce, and then diluted into two bottles and topped up with cheap vinegar. Actually, don’t. It’s horrible. @Fhtagn: I’ll have to investigate that, thanks.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-02 12:22:09 UTC Seeing as all the best fish and chips I’ve had have gone for locally-sourced ingredients and have all been reasonably priced, I’d say that it is pretty much appropriate and essential. (For the record, Rick Stein’s chippy in Padstow, the Fish and Chip Shop in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, the chip shop by the harbour in Portree, Skye, and a little place in Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire, bloody years ago, but I still remember it.) Continuing on the fast food done right theme, if you’re ever heading up into the Highlands, there’s a place called the Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum which is outstanding. It’s an old Little Chef that was bought a few years back by a couple of foodies, and they do burgers, fish, pies etc, but all home-made with good quality local produce. It’s just over the road from the appalling Green Welly, which is as close to Death’s Waiting Room as I ever want to come; you can tell the Cafe is good, because all the bikers go to the Green Welly for petrol then scoot straight over the road for edible food.
Hugh \| 2008-12-02 13:51:36 UTC Interesting! Little Chef really seems to have a hold on the heart of the British foodie, what with Heston Blumenthal getting involved with them too… And I must admit, I’ve got fond childhood memories of the places.
B.Dewhirst \| 2008-12-02 14:30:39 UTC It is stuff like this which causes me to question whether the American Revolutionary War (aka ‘the war of waiting for the Red Coats to get bored’) was such a bright idea. That, and health care.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-02 14:53:29 UTC @Hugh — it’s the Jubilee Pancakes, isn’t it?
Matt Dillon \| 2008-12-02 19:05:25 UTC I’m all for local eateries serving local produce. Not only does it help the local enconomy (in some cases actually creating one!), and forge a greater sense of community for the people who live there, it also helps to assure the quality of your meal. If your pub restaurant is getting a bunch of complaints because John from down the road sold you a duff batch of steaks, you’re more likely to A) complain in person and B) pass that complaint on to a high proportion of his other customers. Big, named-brand suppliers have neither of those worries, and behave accordingly.
Ben Sanders \| 2008-12-02 19:47:40 UTC I have yet to find a propper fish and chip shop in Cambridge; definatly one of the things I miss most about no longer living in Scotland.
Fhtagn \| 2008-12-02 22:30:36 UTC @Ben – There aren’t any. I’ve just left there after 8 years of looking. The Gardenia is your best bet for a take-away – people eat their kebabs sober.
guthrie \| 2008-12-03 21:28:46 UTC Oh, has the Dunkeld chippied changed hands? I remember it from 12 years ago when it was still a village chippie, with wooden counters and one half was a sweet shop. Then by maybe 3 years ago it was modernised, and the chip quality decreased somewhat. Hopefully its better again.
pajh \| 2008-12-03 22:42:35 UTC guthrie: Apparently so. It’s all stainless steel now. And the chips were marvellous.
Gordo \| 2008-12-04 13:30:50 UTC Paul, locally-sourced food, for no other reason than because it’s locally sourced is generally the better choice. A concept known as “Food Miles” has become well known on this side of the pond: basically, why should your food travel more than you? All the better if you can get locally-produced organic stuff. Anyone who doesn’t like sauce on their chips should try a French-Canadian delicacy called poutine. Chips, covered in white cheese curds, smothered in gravy. It’s a heart attack in a box, but what a way to go. :-D
pajh \| 2008-12-04 15:23:24 UTC @Gordo: We cover Food Miles in great depth in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I touched on the concept, sort of, a while back. Why should our food travel more than us? In short, because oranges don’t grow in temperate zones. I’ve heard of poutine before. I’ve always wanted to try it, but probably just the once.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-05 12:06:28 UTC I’ve had poutine. Once.

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Stuart Carter \| 2008-12-02 03:13:02 UTC the big debate in leftpondia is whether local, conventionally produced, produce is better for the environment than organic food airlifted in from half the country away…
Paul Kaye \| 2008-12-02 06:55:43 UTC If you are going to run a business, as well as making money, you need to be proud of what you do. That goes double for a creative business which, no matter what ‘level’, the food business certainly is. This guy is clearly proud of what he does and wants to be good at it. Competition is great because it FORCES businesses to improve. What’s really great is when they do it all on their own.
marveen \| 2008-12-02 06:56:17 UTC So what exactly is it that y’all are inflicting on your fish ‘n’ chips? The “purple crap” comment has my mind boggling, since I’m one of they colonials who have been accustomed to putting malt vinegar or tomato catsup on my fries—er, chips, and lemon juice or tartar sauce on my fish.
Fhtagn \| 2008-12-02 08:41:44 UTC Heathen, to so insult the holy and sacred sauce! ::coughs:: Yes, well, enough of that. It sounds like you found one of the best chippies about. Given that, if you ever find your way to Garvald in East Lothian, there’s a tiny pub there, The Garvald Inn, run by a semi-retired chef. It’s the kind of place where he wanders up to the table and says that he’s just had a deer carcas delivered and would you prefer fresh liver to the starter on the menu. It also does the best fish and chips anyone in my family have ever eaten.
pajh \| 2008-12-02 10:26:44 UTC @Stuart: ooh, dilemma. I can see how that might cause a problem. I suppose it depends on whether they airlift the fertilizers in. @Paul: yes, absolutely right—-as long as the consumers can afford it. @marveen: imagine a plum sauce mixed with brown sauce, and then diluted into two bottles and topped up with cheap vinegar. Actually, don’t. It’s horrible. @Fhtagn: I’ll have to investigate that, thanks.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-02 12:22:09 UTC Seeing as all the best fish and chips I’ve had have gone for locally-sourced ingredients and have all been reasonably priced, I’d say that it is pretty much appropriate and essential. (For the record, Rick Stein’s chippy in Padstow, the Fish and Chip Shop in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, the chip shop by the harbour in Portree, Skye, and a little place in Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire, bloody years ago, but I still remember it.) Continuing on the fast food done right theme, if you’re ever heading up into the Highlands, there’s a place called the Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum which is outstanding. It’s an old Little Chef that was bought a few years back by a couple of foodies, and they do burgers, fish, pies etc, but all home-made with good quality local produce. It’s just over the road from the appalling Green Welly, which is as close to Death’s Waiting Room as I ever want to come; you can tell the Cafe is good, because all the bikers go to the Green Welly for petrol then scoot straight over the road for edible food.
Hugh \| 2008-12-02 13:51:36 UTC Interesting! Little Chef really seems to have a hold on the heart of the British foodie, what with Heston Blumenthal getting involved with them too… And I must admit, I’ve got fond childhood memories of the places.
B.Dewhirst \| 2008-12-02 14:30:39 UTC It is stuff like this which causes me to question whether the American Revolutionary War (aka ‘the war of waiting for the Red Coats to get bored’) was such a bright idea. That, and health care.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-02 14:53:29 UTC @Hugh — it’s the Jubilee Pancakes, isn’t it?
Matt Dillon \| 2008-12-02 19:05:25 UTC I’m all for local eateries serving local produce. Not only does it help the local enconomy (in some cases actually creating one!), and forge a greater sense of community for the people who live there, it also helps to assure the quality of your meal. If your pub restaurant is getting a bunch of complaints because John from down the road sold you a duff batch of steaks, you’re more likely to A) complain in person and B) pass that complaint on to a high proportion of his other customers. Big, named-brand suppliers have neither of those worries, and behave accordingly.
Ben Sanders \| 2008-12-02 19:47:40 UTC I have yet to find a propper fish and chip shop in Cambridge; definatly one of the things I miss most about no longer living in Scotland.
Fhtagn \| 2008-12-02 22:30:36 UTC @Ben – There aren’t any. I’ve just left there after 8 years of looking. The Gardenia is your best bet for a take-away – people eat their kebabs sober.
guthrie \| 2008-12-03 21:28:46 UTC Oh, has the Dunkeld chippied changed hands? I remember it from 12 years ago when it was still a village chippie, with wooden counters and one half was a sweet shop. Then by maybe 3 years ago it was modernised, and the chip quality decreased somewhat. Hopefully its better again.
pajh \| 2008-12-03 22:42:35 UTC guthrie: Apparently so. It’s all stainless steel now. And the chips were marvellous.
Gordo \| 2008-12-04 13:30:50 UTC Paul, locally-sourced food, for no other reason than because it’s locally sourced is generally the better choice. A concept known as “Food Miles” has become well known on this side of the pond: basically, why should your food travel more than you? All the better if you can get locally-produced organic stuff. Anyone who doesn’t like sauce on their chips should try a French-Canadian delicacy called poutine. Chips, covered in white cheese curds, smothered in gravy. It’s a heart attack in a box, but what a way to go. :-D
pajh \| 2008-12-04 15:23:24 UTC @Gordo: We cover Food Miles in great depth in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned. In the meantime, I touched on the concept, sort of, a while back. Why should our food travel more than us? In short, because oranges don’t grow in temperate zones. I’ve heard of poutine before. I’ve always wanted to try it, but probably just the once.
Stu Nathan \| 2008-12-05 12:06:28 UTC I’ve had poutine. Once.