History of Traditional British Food

There are a lot of foods that you get served with when you visit the United Kingdom. Some of the foods are the modern ones while others are the traditional foods. Most visitors who come into the country enjoy traditional foods because they give the taste of how life was during the historical times. Most of the foods have their own history that dates back many years. To help you understand the history of some of the British food, this article gives you history of British foods.

Fish and chips act as some of the most popular British foods that you will get. These are two foods that cannot be beaten by others because of the great taste and other qualities that they have. They have a long history that dates back top the seventeenth century. The potato is believed to have been brought into the country from the new world in the seventeenth century by Sir Walter Raleigh. However, it is still believed that it is the French who invented the potato chips.

Both London and Lancashire claim to be the pioneers of chips. It is believed that the chips was the staple food of the industrial North because of its cheap price. On the other hand, fried fish was introduced on the Eastern sides of London. It then became a trend to put fried fish and chips together in order to have a tasty combination. This is how the famous dish of chips and fish came about in the United Kingdom.

The first chip and fish shop in the Northern sides of England is thought to have started in Mossley, Lancashire around 1863. Mr. Lees sold chips and fish from a hut made of wood in the market and later moved the business to a permanent shop. In London, Joseph Malin was the first to open a chip and fish shop in Cleveland Street in 1860. Chip and fish shops used to be small family businesses usually operated from the front room of the house during the 19th century. Later on, this trade grew to satisfy the needs of the increasing industrial population of the Great Britain. Later on chips, fish and jelly els became a vital part to the diet of the ordinary people. During the Second World War, chips and fish where among the foods that were not rationed. When fish were not available, people used to eat fish cakes.

In the modern days, the two have become part of the diet. They offers a lot of nutritional value to people and this is why they are popular in many homes, resorts, restaurants and other food shops. They provide protein, vitamins, fibre, iron and others essential minerals in the body. It is estimated that there are more than nine thousands shops that sell chip and fish in the United Kingdom. This is without counting the many restaurants, hotels, resorts and others spots where you can get the chips, fish and jelly els meal. As a visitor you need to try the meals and you will enjoy a lot.