Somehow, in all the years I have been in catering (which is since I was 14 years old and I have never come out of this trade at any time) I have never made fish and chips! Of course I have worked in a few places where fish and batter were bought ready made but it goes against my ethos to buy stuff in- I am a more making it from scratch kind of girl!
During the first lockdown I created a Takeaway menu with food from around the world with the idea being that if one of your family fancied a kebab but your partner fancies an Indian you could all go your separate ways without having to go to several takeaways. The most asked for dish that was not on that menu was in fact fish and chips! In my head that is a diluted market but apparently there's always room for a decent fish and chips! I quickly learnt the error of my ways and on lockdown 2.0 I have had to quick smart learn the art of our most popular takeaway! |
One of the things I have always said is that I do not profess to know everything about food and cooking but I love to learn and I am a quick and willing student. I have also been known to say that the day I start buying everything in instead of making it, that's the day I hang up my apron strings!
My next dilemma was that I hate a stodgy, claggy batter- there is no way I was going to serve anything like that!
My next dilemma was that I hate a stodgy, claggy batter- there is no way I was going to serve anything like that!
Fortunately having been in catering for this long I have a great many friends, contacts and ex colleagues in this trade and having tasted some particular fish and chips I knew exactly who to contact on the batter issue to see if i could get this person to impart his knowledge to me. I am, I figured, far enough away from where he cooks not to cause him any concerns by way of competition and he is just as passionate about food and shopping locally as I am!
So a quick message and I was sorted with a recipe- well, when i say a recipe, it was a proper Chefs type recipe with a list of ingredients and a physical end result I needed to be looking for!
His recipe produces a lovely, light batter, tasty and crispy and not only that it is entirely gluten free which, by the way, in no means jeopardises the finished dish!
So a quick message and I was sorted with a recipe- well, when i say a recipe, it was a proper Chefs type recipe with a list of ingredients and a physical end result I needed to be looking for!
His recipe produces a lovely, light batter, tasty and crispy and not only that it is entirely gluten free which, by the way, in no means jeopardises the finished dish!
When you add to the wonderful Ale Battered Cod some of our Minted crushed peas, our awesome Rustic Chips and our special Home Made Tartare sauce you end up with, quite frankly, the most amazing restaurant standard takeaway supper! This wonderful Fish and Chip dinner is one of the items on our "Doing Thyme" lockdown Takeaway Menu, available to pre-order and pick up from the cafe on Saturday nights between 6pm and 8pm. Have a look at the full menu here..
Thyme after time Cafe and Catering
Spire Hill Farm, Thornhill, Stalbridge, DT10 2SG. Landline number is 01963 362202
Spire Hill Farm, Thornhill, Stalbridge, DT10 2SG. Landline number is 01963 362202