Arrrrrr shiver me timbers!

I've been missing a few things from good olde Blighty -

An internet connection (the Blackberry is great but limited), shops in walking distance, public transport/my car.

But what's really been tweaking to old homesick strings are pate and fish & chips!

Pate surprises me as I didn't have it that often in the UK but I crave a nice smooth duck and orange or an Ardane or even a Brussels pate.

So I start looking in the supermarkets but find nothing. Next the specality shops like Central Market but they don't even know what it is! Come on America! Its a widely eaten European food! The French love it as do the Dutch, Belgians and several other nations! But when you look in the "European foods" section you tend to only see Italian, Polish and a touch of German foods... What happened to the rest of Europe?

That brings me onto Fish & Chips - the classic UK fast food. The first Chippies appeared in the late Victorian era and became an instant hit! Unfortunately it never crossed the Atlantic...

Americans don't understand chips. For a start to you a chip is a slice of potatoe deep fat fried. That's a crisp to me. A chip to you is a (French) fry. Ok a chip is like a steak fry but not as well done. The outside is soft as is the inside - its hard to explain without having one! I can suggest some great chippies and warn you off some bad ones!

Onto the fish part. It has to be Cod (although Haddock is acceptable) in batter. The closest thing I have found here is beer batter, not quite right but damn nearer - close enough for government work (love that phrase). Deep fat fry it so the batter is crisp and the fish falls apart to the touch. Lovely

I would add some mushy peas ti the meal but I don't think you are ready for that just yet.

But what has any of this has to do with the title? Good question. Last night we went to Long John Silvers last night. I was pleasntly surprised. Ok they don't do chips but their fish was good! It wasn't quite Chippie fish but good enough to sate the craving.

Another good place for fish is BJ's at the North West mall (no idea what city its on but its near North Richland Hills). Try the fish and chips and get a taste of Britain!