Take Aways

[Less]

I grew up in a time when the only 'take aways' were provided by the good old Fish And Chip Shops, not fish 'n' chips, the proprietors would actually go to the expense of having AND painted on their signs.
Those of us that were adventurous could have dabs with our chips (sliced potato fried in batter) or really splash out and get a steak pudding.

Back then there would be a pub on one corner of your street a local grocers on another, the chippie and if you were really lucky a genuine bakers that would fill the air with the smell of oven baked, fresh bread.

However sometimes we would find ourselves several streets from home and use the chippie that was nearest, whatever you bought would be wrapped in a layer of greaseproof paper (preventing the batter being ripped off your fish when you got home) a layer of white paper and finally a layer of newspaper all to make sure your food was piping hot when you got it home.

Nowadays (and I suspect we can blame the Chinese for introducing more choice), we can have meals that come from the four corners of the Earth but, whether you pick it up yourself or have it delivered by the time you transfer from polystyrene container to plate whatever you ordered will be cold.

I think it's probably the fault of 'Where there's a blame there's a claim' mentality because the vendors are frightened that we no longer know how to blow on our food to cool it down so they don't heat it too much anyway.

An example of which I picked up from Mcd's a cheese burger, so cold the cheese hadn't melted and fries (I will not call these pathetic little congealed lumps chips) that need to be microwaved back to an edible condition unfortunately when you do that they go soggy.

I miss the good old days when a take away could mean singed lips or a burnt tongue, eating wasn't variety back then but it was a nutritious and belly filling adventure.

[Margaret Pilkington]

And don’t forget the fish cakes…two slices of potato with a sliver of real fish sandwiched between them, dipped in batter and fried until golden…or the John Bulls….same thing but with corned beef.
A pudding and a mixture was one and sixpence….you took your dish, it was filled with golden proper chips, a steak pudding plopped on top and a ladle full of mushy peas with a drizzle of gravy.
If I was ever in the doghouse with .Ma (as a working teenager..me that is not Ma) I could bring a smile to her face by putting a pudding and a mixture in front of her for her tea.

Yes, the only take away worth having is fish and chips from a good supplier…few and far between these days.

[dotti34]

Oh, those beef steak puddings. So good. What has happened to chips by the way, they are certainly not like the ones we used to get. Nowhere near as good. I’d rather make my own. Talking of which, what about chip butties - how good are they, fresh bread, lots of butter, and a pile of chips. Have always enjoyed them, still do, as do my family.

Margaret, I do on occasion still make the fish cakes, very tasty they are.

Greaseproof paper to protect the batter, Less….that would have been sheer luxury, didn’t happen to ours, fish and chips were all thrown on the paper together. Maybe greaseproof paper still hadn’t been invented when I was young, hmmm! But definitely the newspaper. That was sometimes the only chance some people got to read the news, though not exactly the latest.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I know it more hygienic these days to have the white wrapping around the fish and chips, but it certainly does not insulate them.
Anyway back in those golden days the fish and chips did not go straight onto the newspaper.
And the vinegar back then was different to.
You could take an empty bottle and get it filled from the barrel for 3d.

I used to get sent for vinegar and on the way home I would drink some of it and fill the bottle up from the water tap that served a horse trough.
My mother blamed Mrs Maher for trying to make extra money by watering down the vinegar.
I only let on the truth a couple of years before she died.

[cashman]

Fish & Chips is still my favourite take away always has been, absolutely love it.expensive these days but still will have nowt else.very lucky though we got a brilliant chippy 3 mins away,

[Less]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I know it more hygienic these days to have the white wrapping around the fish and chips, but it certainly does not insulate them.

Were you busy making moon eyes across the Bunsen burner at taddy in science when insulation was discussed?

As the thermal conductivity of paper is low, we can conclude that paper is a good insulator. Paper reduces the convection, conduction and radiation of heat and therefore it is a good insulator of heat.

Ask any tramp that sleeps rough in Hyde Park what he uses the Times for, he won't tell you it's the crossword.

[Margaret Pilkington]

No Less….there was none of that…..and yes I do know that paper is a good insulator….if you use enough of it.
Back in the day the chips and fish were wrapped in several layers of paper….not sure if the newspaper was given to the chip shops….whatever….I am pretty sure that the paper today has to be paid for and if you get two sheets of it you are lucky.
I take an insulated bag with me to the chippy so that the food remains piping hot when I get home, because I know two sheets doesn’t do it.

[taddy]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

No Less….there was none of that…..and yes I do know that paper is a good insulator….if you use enough of it.
Back in the day the chips and fish were wrapped in several layers of paper….not sure if the newspaper was given to the chip shops….whatever….I am pretty sure that the paper today has to be paid for and if you get two sheets of it you are lucky.
I take an insulated bag with me to the chippy so that the food remains piping hot when I get home, because I know two sheets doesn’t do it.

None of what? may I ask.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by taddy

None of what? may I ask.

Of course you may ask Taddy…that is how you find things out.
None of that googly eyed stuff over a Bunsen burner…..I think maybe Less has an over active imagination.

[kestrelx]

I recall in the late 70s at a Chinese on Whalley Road near the bridge. This bloke on Friday night always said "give your bowels a treat!" As we queued up to order.