WINE & DINE

Wine to go with fish & chips

UNTIL RECENTLY , as a hospitality and catering lecturer and assessor, I was commuting backwards and forwards to Bath. Not much fun at all. Although just 52 miles from home the journey is tortuous so, most of the time, I stayed over (Z Hotel, within a stone’s throw of the Theatre Royal and a bargain at £45 per night, with free cheese and wine every evening thrown in). I was usually racing against time, heading back to the other end of the county to attend council meetings, with no time to spare for a proper meal. Having succumbed to significant weight gain, I try, and fail miserably, to stay away from carbs, but on occasion I do succumb to a garage pasty in desperation.

Why is it that apart from the dreaded fast-food chains, almost everywhere only serves food between 12-2 or 7-9pm? I frequently finding myself sitting in the car with a bag of scampi; instant finger food, easy to eat without the aid of knife and fork. I yearn for the days when it was battered rather than the breadcrumbed version served now.

This got me thinking that now that fine weather has arrived to cheer us all up, and the ‘season’ is underway, popular seaside holiday destinations have dusted off the cobwebs, stocked up on sticks of rock and buckets and spades, gearing themselves up for a roaring trade this summer. Given recent scenes at airports, as flights are cancelled with what seems to be gay abandon, it is natural that many of us will want to stay close to home. A bit of bracing sea air can only be good for us.

Here in the South-West, we are blessed with a wide variety of delightful rural and coastal places to visit with stunning scenery, and the prospect of a ‘fish and chip supper’ at the end of the day; greedy, aggressive seagulls permitting!

Interestingly, the meal that most people associate with us Brits did not originate here. According to the well-respected food writer Claudia Roden, the idea of fried fish was brought here by Portuguese Marrano Jewish refugees as long ago as the 16th century. Apparently, Joseph Malin, a Jewish immigrant, was the first to sell fried fish and potatoes together in his shop in London’s East End around 1860.

Modern lifestyles being what they are, long gone are the days I remember from my childhood when Friday was always ‘fish and chip’ night. They were always wrapped in newspaper, until the health and safety brigade poked their noses in. Given our new level of environmental awareness perhaps it is something that should be re-introduced.

I have never been a fan of mushy peas, but I do confess to a liking for white buttered bread, with which to make a chip butty!

The natural choice of beverage to wash it all down with is a good strong cup of builders’ tea. Nowadays though, in addition to the local corner chippy, fish and chips, or versions of it, can be found in virtually every pub and ‘posh’ restaurant, preferably served with lovely thick, proper hand cut, triple cooked chips (check out The Scallop Shell in Bath). It is then that I want something else to tickle my taste buds; a nice glass of wine to accompany my meal.

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules, wines work best with fried foods if they are crisp, with good acidity, and refreshing on the palate. White wine is most likely to fit the bill here, although a quality rosé will not disappoint; just avoid those cheap and cheerful ones that tend to be overly sweet.

Sparkling wine is always a good match, as it cuts nicely through the oiliness and, however humble the meal, Champagne can elevate it to the height of sophistication. If funds allow in the current economic climate, I feel strongly that we should be supporting our local industries and, although quite pricey, there are some excellent British sparklers now being made close to home.

On a budget? Well, we live in the South-West so why not a dry perry or cider to wash it all down with? If your preference is not for bubbles, then a crisp, dry Sauvignon Blanc will do the job nicely; the citrus notes and its acidity provide the perfect foil that will stand up to tartare sauce too.

I am not really a fan of Chardonnay, but a simple unoaked one, or a Chenin Blanc, will go well with the mushy peas.

I am however a huge fan of sherry, and in Spain, where deepfried fish may well be one of the tapas on offer, a salty, tangy, fino or manzanilla is a match made in heaven. The very special Manzanilla Sanlucar de Barrameda is well worth seeking out. The special humid maritime climate of this historic Andalucian coastal town yields a distinctive refreshing, sea-scented Manzanilla Sherry.

The use of beer in the batter for frying cod and other white fish is quite ‘on trend’, especially in those areas blessed with an independent brewery, so why not have a glass of the beer that has been used in the batter?

Last but not least, especially for the kids, a bottle of classic fizzy pop such as lemonade, or a good old-fashioned cream soda (or Irn Bru if you live north of the border), can be one of the best accompaniments to a traditional fish supper.

And finally, to dispel a myth, whilst fish and chips may not be considered ‘healthy’ food there are several studies that show that they are in fact much lower in fat and calories than those other favourite late-night take aways… burgers and pizzas.