Polly Celebrates Ireland's National Fish And Chip Day...

Today, 26th May 2010 is National Fish & Chip Day here in Ireland! Apparently, participating chippers are offering 50% discount on all orders for fish and chips today...

The word on the street is that the first fish and chips in Ireland were introduced by young Guiseppe Cervi, who was on an America bound ship which stopped off in Queenstown (Cobh)on the south coast, just off Cork. Having reached Dublin, Guiseppe worked in the city as a labourer, earning enough to buy a coal-fired cooker and a handcart, and started selling chips outside pubs...

In the years following Guiseppe opened his first fish and chip shop was on Great Brunswick Street – now Pearse Street – next door to Trinity College Dublin in 1880-something...

What remains remarkable about the Fish and Chip industry in Ireland is that the majority are owned by Italians some hundred years or so later. Even more remarkable is the fact that nearly all of these families originate from one tiny area - a handful of little villages in Val Di Comino, in the province of Frosinone in Southern Italy.



In honour of this great tradition the descendents of these hard working pioneers of Ireland's favourite fast food have got together to form a self regulating association - ITICA, whose tagline is "Serving Your Local Community Since 1885"...

These are ITICA's Core Values:

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  Freshly cut chips are the only chips we serve

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  Our customers will be treated courteously and efficiently 

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   All meals will be prepared to the highest food safety standard 

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  Our shops will be maintained to the highest standard 

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  Our shops remain a safe and welcoming environment 

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  We will support ITICA promotional activities

For more information why not drop into their site and see who in your area is a member of ITICA!


Now it's not that I'm biased, but with the exception of Leo Burdocks, the only place to go for fish and chips is an italian chippers! Everything else pales by comparison. It's not unusual for Irish chippers to use frozen lumps of soggy battered fish instead of fresh fish. This and the use of frozen chips, which are equally appealing succeeded in putting me off fish and chips for many years!

"GOLDENFRY and Luigi's, Edenderry; Macari's, Tullamore and Angelo's Takeaway, Banagher have become members of the newly formed Irish Traditional Italian Chippers Association (ITICA) and they now proudly display the ITICA logo." (Offaly Express 09 April 2010)

So, the question remains, how will you celebrate National Fish & Chip Day? The thought did cross my mind that I could make a healthy low fat version of fish and chips here at home, however, that really wouldn't be celebrating National Fish And Chips Day properly would it? So I guess it's off to Macari's for tea tonight...

Meanwhile, in between rushing around delivering boys here, there and everywhere I think I shall celebrate by making an extra-special hand made greeting card to cheer a lady called Jayme up. This is known as a random act of kindness or RAK, if you would like to know more about this please visit here...

If I succeed in fulfilling this ambition, I'll be posting on my other blog later on this evening and you can find out more over there...

Why not let us know how you celebrated National Fish & Chip Day 2010? Enjoy!

Ciao!

Polly

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