The Most Famous Food Around The World epsd (week 5&6)

Fish and Chips

History about Fish and Chips

The potato is thought to have been brought to England from the New World in the 17th century by Sir Walter Raleigh although it is believed that the French invented the fried potato chip.

Both Lancashire and London stake a claim to being the first to invent this famous meal – chips were a cheap, staple food of the industrial north whilst fried fish was introduced in London’s East End. In 1839 Charles Dickens referred to a “fried fish warehouse” in his novel, ‘Oliver Twist’.

The populace soon decided that putting fried fish and chips together was a very tasty combination and so was born our national dish of fish and chips!

The first fish and chip shop in the North of England is thought to have opened in Mossely, near Oldham, Lancashire, around 1863. Mr Lees sold fish and chips from a wooden hut in the market and later he transferred the business to a permanent shop across the road which had the following inscription in the window, “This is the first fish and chip shop in the world”.

Here’s I show you a few facts about Fish and Chips:

1) Fish and chips were first served together as a dish around 1860 – although their origin is contested. In London, the Malin family claims to be first, as do the Lee family in Manchester

2) Fish and chips were served in newspaper until the 1980s

3) British consumers eat some 382 million portions of fish and chips every year. That’s six servings for every man, woman and child

4) Annual spend on fish and chips in the UK is in the region of a staggering £1.2 billion

5) During the Second World War Winston Churchill recognized the crucial role of fish and chips, referring to them as ‘good companions’. Fish and chips were two of the few foods not subject to rationing because the government feared the dish was so embedded in the nation’s culture that any limit would damage morale

6) Fish and chips played a part in the D-Day Landings – British soldiers identified each other by crying out ‘fish’ and waiting for the response of ‘chips’

7) There are currently approximately 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK

8) The longest running fish and chip shop still in operation is based in Yeadon near Leeds. The shop trades under the name ‘The Oldest
Fish & Chip Shop in the World’. It is believed that fish and chips have been served from the premises continually since 1865

9) There is a long tradition of funny chip shop names – our favorites are The Cod’s Scallops and mobile fish and chip shop Star Chip Enterprise

10) Fish and chips appear in Charles Dickens’ ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’

Source : http://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Fish-Chips/ http://metro.co.uk/2016/06/03/24-surprising-facts-about-fish-and-chips-and-how-they-helped-beat-nazis-5918974/

Chicken Cordon Bleu

History of Le Cordon Bleu (food)

Julia Child attended the world class Le Cordon Bleu cooking school while living in Paris. So how did it get its name? First, we should translate Le Cordon Bleu. For those of us who don't know a bit of French, it means "The Blue Ribbon." Then we should ask, "What was the significance of a blue ribbon?"

For anyone who has attended a county fair, it is the blue ribbon that everyone wants to earn. Maybe it was for the biggest pumpkin, or the best apple pie. Either way, if you earned the blue ribbon, you were the best of the best.

What's surprising is that le cordon bleu dates back to the 16th century when King Henry III of France created the l'Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint Esprit (Order of the Knights of the Holy Spirit). From 1578 to 1789, it was the most exclusive order in France and each of its members were awarded with the Cross of the Holy Spirit, which hung from a blue ribbon known as Le Cordon Bleu.

Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers was the first to receive the order.

All members had to be at least 35 years old and Roman Catholic, but there were a few exceptions based on royal connections. Children of the king were members from birth, but were not received into the order until they were 12, while Princes of the Blood could be admitted to the order from the age of 16, and foreign royalty could be admitted to the order from the age of 25. These 100 knights were then called Les Cordon Bleus.

So how did it relate to food?

After the ceremonies held for these highly respected guests, there were huge sumputuous feasts held in their honor that became legendary. It is believed the name of the knights then became synonymous with the food prepared for their events. Over time, it became a symbol of prestigious quality.

Information about Chicken cordon Bleu:

1. The phrase “Cordon Bleu” means “Blue Ribbon” when referring to the dish.
2. Another use of the phrase “Cordon Bleu” comes from a distinguished order of sixteenth-century French knights, who apparently wore blue sashes and were therefore popularly referred to as the “Cordon-bleus.”
3. Cordon Bleu is a thinly pounded piece of meat (most often chicken, but also veal or pork) stuffed with ham and cheese, then breaded and fried.
4. Chicken Cordon Bleu is a relatively recent American creation, first found mentioned in the written word in 1967.
5. Common variations on this recipe include baking instead of frying, skipping the breading, and switching the order of the means.

This are some fun facts about Chicken Cordon Bleu:

• The dish did not originate at any of the prestigious Cordon Bleu cooking schools of Europe as often thought. It is not exactly clear who was the first person to prepare and name the dish chicken cordon bleu.
• There are many regional dishes from Europe that share characteristics with Chicken Cordon Bleu. Some of the countries that include roulades, or roll ups of meat, in their cuisine are Germany, France and Italy. 
• In largely Muslim-populated countries, the halal versions of chicken cordon bleu are also popular, but to cater to the halal requirement for the Muslims, the chicken is rolled around a beef instead of a pork

Source : https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/blog/how-did-le-cordon-bleu-get-its-name-180950852/ https://foodimentary.com/tag/chicken-cordon-bleu/