It’s Friday and we all know what that means. Fish and Chips!

Fish and chips as synonymous with Friday as turkey is with Christmas Day and chocolate with Easter Sunday. Fish and chips have been eaten on a Friday for as long as I can remember. The tradition stems from the Roman Catholic belief that meat should not be eaten on a Friday, however this did not include fish and so fish on a Friday became the norm for Roman Catholics everywhere.

When I was a child, fish and chips shops were the only fast-food outlets and fish and chips were our national dish. The combination of deep fried, battered fish and steaming hot chips was so popular that it was one of the only foods that was not rationed during the World War II, with government ministers considering that rationing our favourite comfort food may have a detrimental effect on morale.

Nowadays we are spoiled for choice, just in our local area alone we have the choice of Chinese, Italian, and Indian food. I’ve tried them all and they are very tasty but for me, they’ll never come close to the delicious combination of fish and chips, hot from the fryer.

Our chef, here at Layston Grove is wonderful, they cook with love and passion, and it shows on the plate, I have never once had a meal that I haven’t enjoyed, they are all good, however my favourite will always be Fish and chips, with lashings of salt and vinegar with a side of peas. Pure heaven.