Egg and chips
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Egg and chips is a popular dish in the United Kingdom, consisting simply of chips served with fried eggs.
Egg and chips became popular in Britain during World War I due to a shortage of meat.[1] It was a favourite food of Tommies behind the lines on the Western Front in northern France and Belgium, eaten at establishments "estaminet", which also sold cheap wine and beer.[2][3][4][5]
Egg and chips is associated with a working-class diet. In an article on moving from the working class to the middle class, a British journalist recounted that "There are things I grew up with that I still love—pub life, darts, egg and chips".[6] Jack Charlton, after playing in the World Cup-winning England football team in 1966, remarked: "We stopped the car for egg and chips in a transport cafe. We'd eaten nothing but the best food for weeks and I was dying for some ordinary grub."[7] The image of British people insisting on ordering egg and chips while on holiday abroad has also been used as a stereotype.[8]
Health
In a study on the perceptions of social inequality of people in North West England, "Beer, fags, egg and chips" was highlighted by the researchers as an example of individual behaviour thought to be connected to poor health.[9]
Reception
Food writer Mary Cadogan says that "Egg and chips for me is a marriage made in heaven. Whenever I feel the need of a bit of comfort eating this is the dish I usually turn to."[10] Heston Blumenthal, owner of the Michelin star award-winning Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire, wrote in The Guardian that "You can't get much more British a dish than fried egg and chips."[11]