I'm not exactly sure as I've never had fish and chips in the US. The most common mistake, however, is to make the chips too thin - french fries as opposed to chips. A real chip is about an eighth of a potato wide and the curve of the spud should be clearly visible along one side; every chips in the portion is a different size. Inside the chips are fluffy, moist and potatoey.

The fish should be a honking great big piece, preferably cod or haddock. The batter is sticky and slightly chewy. The fish should be cooked in a deep frier about the size of a bathtub, no smaller.

Place chips in brown paper bag; this will instantly become translucent. Lay fish on top. Add salt and vinegar - please use cheap brown vinegar, none of that fancy, namby-pamby stuff. Wrap in yesterday's newspaper and serve.

Damn. Now I really really miss proper fish and chips.

Hm. Besides the rampnat frying in the above, the one things that puts me off is the yesterday's newspaper. I'm not wild about newsink on my hands when I'm just reading; when I'm eating? Yucky.

about an eighth of a potato wide

Gee, Fiona, that's the most precise measurement since the cubit! snerk

Australian fish and chips are similar except we don't have cod or haddock; we tend to use flake, which I believe is actually shark of some kind. Also, the best fish is fried in beer batter. (And I agree; no balsamic vinegar allowed.)

the one things that puts me off is the yesterday's newspaper.

Actually, not all places wrap in newspaper any more. Quite a lot use brown paper. This is acceptable, but not nearly as romantic. (And I agree, Nutty, newspaper is often annoying - unless you're on your way home, and can unwrap and plate at leisure).

Gee, Fiona, that's the most precise measurement since the cubit! snerk

Well, I really just wanted to get across: thick, not McPencil-Thin.

DH's British grandmother used to make Fish & Chips as a "treat" for us. I'm not big on the fried food anyway but this stuff was horrible. I would drink dry red wine to try and cut the grease in my body. Yuck.

The grandparents lived with us for a year or so which was wonderful. We never did eat together though as our dietary habits were not at all similar. I eat no meat or poultry so that saved me from the awful looking meat pies they enjoyed. She did make some awsome pastries which I had no trouble eating.

Ah, what I really miss is the brown sauce stuff that they had in Scotland to go with the chips of the fish and chips...that stuff was yummy. (I was also drunk, but...).

If you don't mind no newspaper that sounds like at least some American places are not far off. We tend to use Halibut as the fish to fry. And our chips are often a bit thicker than you describe. And some places offer malt vinegar. Is that the same as your "cheap brown vinegar".?

Yup, cheap brown vinegar is malt.

Sounds good, Gar (although halibut is maybe a wee bit too thin for the fish for my taste). Next time I'm over I'll give it a try. I'm just sad because no f&c I've tried here in Germany even comes close.

meara, are you thinking of HP Sauce?

I just got F&C for lunch.

Fiona - don't get it in a fast food place though.. Because what takeaway (hee I just used a Britishism) sells as fish and chips here is just nasty.