Neal Martin started this website some time ago. It offers a UK slant on wine
with a good dose of British understated humour.

I hasten to add I have no link commercial or otherwise to the website.

Fish and chips and French country white

http://www.wine-journal.com/montrachet_chips1.html

SFWS has a Rhone tasting tonight so will post TN

JT

Funny piece.

I don't always agree with Neal about particular wines, but his pieces
on various Bordeaux estates are fantastic with their look at the
terroir and history.

John Taverner wrote:

Neal Martin started this website some time ago. It offers a UK slant on wine
with a good dose of British understated humour.

I hasten to add I have no link commercial or otherwise to the website.

Fish and chips and French country white

http://www.wine-journal.com/montrachet_chips1.html

SFWS has a Rhone tasting tonight so will post TN

JT




I'm going to regret saying this, but the best match I've ever found for
fish n' greasies, somewhat by accident, is cheapo Jacob's Creek Chardonnay.

Seeing as it sells by the truck load in the UK I'm suprised it wasn't
mentioned. Maybe a bit too downmarket.

But as I say, the fish n chips brought out the oily texture of the
chardonnay, and in wine and in the food it brought out a slight buttery
taste, and just enough subdued fruit didn't over power lets face it, the
basic taste of the fish n' chips, but just enough fruit to notice it.


I'm no chardonnay drinker usually. And by itself the Jacob's Creek
Chardonnay isn't particuarly flash, but I found it to be a suprisingly
good combo.

Mat wrote on Wed, 15 Mar 2006 09:14:53 +1100:

?? Neal Martin started this website some time ago. It offers
?? a UK slant on wine with a good dose of British understated
?? humour.
??
M I'm going to regret saying this, but the best match I've
M ever found for fish n' greasies, somewhat by accident, is
M cheapo Jacob's Creek Chardonnay.

M Seeing as it sells by the truck load in the UK I'm suprised
M it wasn't mentioned. Maybe a bit too downmarket.

M But as I say, the fish n chips brought out the oily texture
M of the chardonnay, and in wine and in the food it brought
M out a slight buttery taste, and just enough subdued fruit
M didn't over power lets face it, the basic taste of the fish
M n' chips, but just enough fruit to notice it.

I suspect that Neal Martin has not tried that! He does not give
the impression of being very interested in non-European wines.
I'll defer to your superior knowledge of fish and chips since I
suspect saturated fats are involved. I guess saturated fats are
still out even if the no-fat diet is now a bit dubious:-)


James Silverton.

James Silverton wrote:



I suspect that Neal Martin has not tried that! He does not give the
impression of being very interested in non-European wines. I'll defer to
your superior knowledge of fish and chips since I suspect saturated fats
are involved. I guess saturated fats are still out even if the no-fat
diet is now a bit dubious:-)


James Silverton.


The trick I think is probably only a *little* saturated fat. Eating fat
lardy fish and chips more than say once a fortnight is probably very bad
for you. Though the English have lived on a diet of fat deep-fried in
lard deep fried in 5 other kinds of fat for centuries.

And I should know.


And the French, they eat a lot of fatty food, and are fine. Same with
the Germans, meat stuffed in another meat with a meat casing and meat
drizzling. And the Italians. And the ppls of the arctic.

So I guess its fine so long as you work it off.


I had a bit of a look around his site and he does have some non-Euro
wines, including Australian one's.

But I think pretty much all of them start at around the $AU20 mark,
whereas the Jacob's Creek starts at about $AU7 I think. Here anyway.

And Jacob's Creek is a bit low-brow. The Jacob's Creek vineyard sign is
apparently quite popular with photo-taking drunken British backpackers.

Mat Ask@me wrote in :

John Taverner wrote:

Neal Martin started this website some time ago. It offers a UK slant
on wine with a good dose of British understated humour.

I hasten to add I have no link commercial or otherwise to the
website.

Fish and chips and French country white

http://www.wine-journal.com/montrachet_chips1.html

SFWS has a Rhone tasting tonight so will post TN

JT




I'm going to regret saying this, but the best match I've ever found
for fish n' greasies, somewhat by accident, is cheapo Jacob's Creek
Chardonnay.

Oh, you're not going to regret it! A perfect wine for fish'n'chips.
Neither are sophisticated, or have any great 'finesse', but you the
grease and texture of the fish'n'chips matches the Jacob's Creek very
well.

I would say that a more robust (bigger, fatter) white Burgundy might
possibly go better, but I think the Jacob's Creek would be the value
choice.

--
Steve
Remove N from email address to reply

"SteveN" in :
Mat in :

John Taverner wrote:

Neal Martin started this website some time ago. It offers a
UK slant on wine with a good dose of British understated humour.
. . .
Fish and chips and French country white

http://www.wine-journal.com/montrachet_chips1.html


I'm going to regret saying this, but the best match I've
ever found for fish n' greasies, somewhat by accident ...

Oh, you're not going to regret it! A perfect wine for fish'n'chips.
Neither are sophisticated, or have any great 'finesse' ...

No, but they're classic comfort food, and they can be even classy (setting
aside the industrial versions with cooking fat olde enough to vote).

But also, they're international, being geographically the western extreme of
tempura (or tempura is their easternmost version, maybe).

Just as the high craft of "Knoedel" (the vague Austrian-Bavarian-Bohemian
continuum of doughy comfort-food creations) finds westernmost expression in
the British sense of "pudding" (as in steamed or baked, not the broader
generic sense, roughly "dessert"). In the US by the way, for any of you who
didn't know this) a specific, quivering-colloid sense of the word "pudding"
became popular in mid-20th-century (custards and blancmanges and the like),
though the more traditional British sense has long been used there too
(e.g., "bread pudding") and is an everyday local specialty in some regions.

Cheers -- M

--
Editor's gloss: "olde" was a typo but I liked it, and left it in.

Max wrote on Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:27:53 -0800:

fish n' greasies, somewhat by accident ...
??
?? Oh, you're not going to regret it! A perfect wine for
?? fish'n'chips. Neither are sophisticated, or have any great
?? 'finesse' ...

MH No, but they're classic comfort food, and they can be even
MH classy (setting aside the industrial versions with cooking
MH fat olde enough to vote).

MH But also, they're international, being geographically the
MH western extreme of tempura (or tempura is their easternmost
MH version, maybe).

AFAIK, the Japanese have not done it yet but just you wait: Mars
Bar Tempura! You never know what distance and immigration will
do to originals: after all, Spam Nigiri sushi is popular in
Hawaii.

That makes me wonder if you have accidentally decided what *is*
a good wine match for Spam?

James Silverton.

In article , not.jim.silverton.at.comcast
..net says...

Max wrote on Wed, 15 Mar 2006 14:27:53 -0800:

[SNIP]

AFAIK, the Japanese have not done it yet but just you wait: Mars
Bar Tempura! You never know what distance and immigration will
do to originals: after all, Spam Nigiri sushi is popular in
Hawaii.

That makes me wonder if you have accidentally decided what *is*
a good wine match for Spam?

James Silverton.

Well, I'm having a Ridge Sonoma Station '87, as I read this NG, and it has
certainly become filled with SPAM, so I guess that might be one vote...

The wine, however, is much better than the SPAM!

Excuse me, while I head off to buy some of those DVDs just advertised here -
NOT!

Hunt

"James Silverton" wrote .....

I'll defer to your superior knowledge of fish and chips since I suspect
saturated fats are involved. I guess saturated fats are still out even if
the no-fat diet is now a bit dubious:-)


Having lived most of my life either on the coast, or within shouting
distance, I consider myself something of a fish 'n chip enthusiast.

Herewith a couple of (my) rules.

Only fresh, white fleshed *ocean* fish - OK I remain a little ignorant of
the species of the entire world, but, in NZ/Australian parlance, that would
include snapper; blue cod; orange roughy; whiting ; blue nose; John Dory
etc.

Purchased wet; lightly refrigerated, but NEVER frozen; battered and deep
fried while you watch.

Batter is important - either a crisp and light flour or beer batter (the
latter is my preference)

Cooking oil (yes, polyunsaturated vegetable oil is just fine) changed
regularly - even several time during the day in a busy establishment.

**Profound Requirement** Must be presented wrapped in light grease proof
paper - itself wrapped in a couple layers of white, (printed or unprinted)
newsprint paper.

A squeeze of freshly halved lemon (best picked off one's own tree) - anyone
suggesting any form of ketchup, sauce or "tartare" (you know the stuff -
mayonnaise & chopped gherkins and capers) - will be thrashed to within a
cm of death!!!!!

There are many cultivars of potato used for chips (French Fries) - my rule,
fresh only - not partially cooked (as many short-cut fish 'n chipperies will
try!) - crisp 'n golden on the outside; pure white and soft and steaming on
the inside - definitely not soggy!!!!!

As to wine - I am biased (but only partially)

First choice - Champagne - that acidity cuts through the residual fats -
simply superb. My best experience - wonderful fresh fish (John Dory in beer
batter) with 1979 Bollinger RD - consumed on the beach from where the
fishing boat had been launched a couple hours previously. (Ian & Jacquie
Hoare - Did we take you out to Kaiaua on the Firth of Thames?)

Second Choice (OK - I am entitled to a little parochial bias!) - Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc.

If anyone wishes to indulge in the aforementioned feast, just arrive in
Auckland, NZ - and leave the rest to me.

--

st.helier

st.helier wrote:
Cooking oil (yes, polyunsaturated vegetable oil is just fine) changed
regularly - even several time during the day in a busy establishment.


Bah, humbug!

Nothing beats beef dripping!

Lemon???!!!!!!

Natural malt vinegar! You heathen!



pk

"p.k." wrote ......

Bah, humbug!

Nothing beats beef dripping!


Don't be a drip! ;-)


Lemon???!!!!!!

Natural malt vinegar!

Such a very English trait - stuffing up excellent fish 'n chips with bloody
vinegar.

Vinegar destroys wine!!!!!!!!!!

--

st.helier

"st.helier" wrote in message
...
"p.k." wrote ......

Bah, humbug!

Nothing beats beef dripping!


Don't be a drip! ;-)


Lemon???!!!!!!

Natural malt vinegar!

Such a very English trait - stuffing up excellent fish 'n chips with
bloody vinegar.

Vinegar destroys wine!!!!!!!!!!

--

st.helier


Verjus

"James Silverton" in :

AFAIK, the Japanese have not done it yet but just you wait: Mars Bar
Tempura!

I count the minutes. :-(

Those battered and deep-fried Twinkies (tm) and cookies and candy bars --
cooked in fat that is, yes, olde enough to vote -- appeared some years ago
at a seaside vendor in a nearby town in these Former British Crown Colonies
or FBCC.

I heard about it from a co-worker who ordered Oreo-cookie fritters and
Mars-Bar fritters but couldn't induce anyone else to try them -- even his
children -- so had to eat them all -- it was quite a story -- he testified
to the fat's maturity, its rare oxidized flavor not without hints of marine
life.

You never know what distance and immigration will do to originals: after
all, Spam Nigiri sushi is popular in Hawaii.

That makes me wonder if you have accidentally decided what *is* a good
wine match for Spam?

It is time for a terrible confession entailing Champagne Billecart-Salmon,
25 years ago. No, it's late, that one can wait. Maybe forever. But the
co-worker above, Brendan, is the same one who handed me the Potted Meat Food
Products Corpus. Reprised below for those who really, really want to know;
also a surprisingly full-circle conclusion, since candy-bar tempura seems
to've started in Scotland. (Further to potted meats, I heard of a respected
hotel-management school with endowments for faculty jobs in specialties
including wines and meats. I envisioned titles: the Simon and Lobelia
Hormel Professor of Meat and Meat By-Products, and so on.)


--------
The Potted Meat Food Products Corpus

A milestone in my gastronomic education. I was handed ("YOU will like
this") a sheaf printed from the following Web site and subordinate links:

http://www.pk.org/pottedmeat.html

Initial photo of current canned products is eloquent enough (Armour Pork
Brains in Milk Gravy, said to have 1200% US govt recommended daily
cholesterol limit, crowds a can of Bronte Lamb Tongues) but it only gets
better. The Flint River Ranch definition of "Meat by-products," the exact
industry meaning and regulatory history of Mechanically Separated Poultry.
Well written. One of the links (the Potted Meat Food Product Tribute Page)
describes a dialog with Armour Star Products, contacted for the purpose.

Recalls H. P. Lovecraft's stories about knowledge better undiscovered. Or
that 1990s British documentary show on the bagpipe, with accounts of
horrified English reactions ("... It is a Thing from Hell -- a Thing That
Should Not Be ...")

Bon appétit. -- Max

"Bill Davy" exclaimed ......


Lemon???!!!!!!

Natural malt vinegar!

Such a very English trait - stuffing up excellent fish 'n chips with
bloody vinegar.

Vinegar destroys wine!!!!!!!!!!



Verjus


Have you ever tried verjus with fish & chips? I certainly haven't.

Verjus is certainly wine friendly - and fish friendly!

I just cannot see it offered as an option at your local chippy though -
nor mine.

--

st.helier