They’ve been a national institution for more than 150 years... and now scientists have come up with the recipe for the perfect chip.
They should be 2.8 inches long, quarter of an inch thick, cut from Maris Piper spuds, crispy outside and fluffy within.
And for a heavenly taste they should be sprinkled with salt – no pepper – and served with ketchup.
Research by the Food Advisory Board reveals the classic straight-cut chip rules supreme over the curly and the crimped.
Its survey of 2000 people found vinegar was the nation’s second-favourite condiment with mayonnaise third.
One in five liked curry sauce on their chips. And while northerners showed a liking for gravy, southerners preferred cheese.
Four in 10 said chips were their favourite food and a quarter would eat them every day if they could.
FAB expert Prof Robert Pickard said they should be cooked skin-on to take advantage of the fibre and potassium.
He added: “Thick-cut chips are healthier as they absorb less cooking fat than thin ones.”
In Lancashire, John Lees is celebrated as the first person to sell chips served with fried fish. He began his business in a wooden hut in Mossley market in 1863.
By the 1920s, there were 35,000 shops and 10,500 are still open today selling almost 300million portions of fish and chips a year.
