[demonrail666]

Came across this. Of MASSIVE interest:

http://www.lovechips.co.uk/assets/Pr...s-are-Best.pdf

Even Southerners Agree: Northern Chips are Best


If you’re looking for a great portion of chips, head north. So reveals a new survey for
National Chip Week, which shows six in ten people believe chips taste better in the
north of England than the south.
The great British chip has been a topic of fierce debate between the north and south
for more than a century. Arguments range from who opened the first chip shop in
England, to the best ways to enjoy chips: With gravy or dipped in mayo? Served
alongside mushy peas or curry sauce? Eaten with fingers or a fork? Britain is clearly
divided on how to enjoy the perfect portion of chips. But one thing the majority does
agree on – the best chips are found in the north of England.
It’s no surprise that northerners claimed their chips were best – although the passion
they showed was staggering. In fact a lip-smacking 93 percent of them claim the
north of England is the place to find the best chips. But they’re not alone - an
astonishing one in three southerners also threw their support behind the northern
chip!
The north and south of England have been divided on chips since the 1860s, even
disagreeing on who owns the rights to the first chip shop. The south claims it was
Joseph Malin, who opened a fish and chip shop in Cleveland Street, London in
1860. But the north is having none of it, firmly supporting Mr Lees, from Oldham,
Lancashire, who first served fish and chips from a wooden hut in the local market –
later moving to a shop which advertised itself as ‘the first fish and chip shop’ in 1863.
Wherever it was, it would appear that the north and south of England have finally
found something they all agree on – the chips in the north really do taste best.
But why do northern chips taste so good? – according to the results it could all be
down to local tradition. While only a third of southerners felt any provincial
connection to them, twice as many northerners (67 percent) felt chips were part of
their regional heritage.
Chef and chip connoisseur, Brian Turner supports this view. “Being a Yorkshire lad,
chips were part of my upbringing, and still remain one of my favourite dishes. As a
chef I’ve eaten chips all over the world and still believe the very best chips are made
in the north of England. I’m sure it’s the way we cook them, usually in dripping and
what we serve them with – they always seem to taste best close to home. There’s
nothing quite like going home and enjoying a plate of honest chips, with a bit of salt
and malt vinegar to top it all off.”
From Newcastle to Manchester, Glasgow to Leeds, the results showed that
northerners are infinitely more passionate about their chips. The most ardent fans
were those in the North East and North West, where just four percent broke ranks
and controversially favoured chips from the south. Those in Scotland and Yorkshire
and the Humberside were the next most fanatical, with nine in ten favouring northern
chips.
Although salt, vinegar and tomato sauce were universally popular accompaniments,
the results showed clear differences between the way northerners and southerners
enjoy their chips.
Those in the south were one and a half times as likely to add a dollop of mayonnaise
to their chips. In the north more ‘traditional’ accompaniments found favour -
northerners are two and a half times more likely to eat their chips with gravy; and
twice as likely to eat their chips with brown sauce. Mushy peas were also popular
with those in the north, who were more than one and a half times as likely to enjoy
their chips with them as southerners were. Favourite chip meals differed too, with
northerners favouring chip butties, and southerners opting for steak and chips,
although fish and chips found favour with all.
One thing everyone did agree on was that chips were part of Britain’s heritage. So,
whatever your favourite is, celebrate this culinary icon during National Chip Week (9-
15th February 2009)