A local entrepreneur has introduced a new trend to the North East fish and chip shop: batter made using beer.
Long the preferred option of chefs and gastro pubs up and down the land, it is only with the advent of Freddie’s fish and chip shops in Stanhope and North Road, Durham that this gastronomic approach to the nation’s favourite supper has come to your local, North East chippy.
“Before opening the first shop, we experimented with loads of batter recipes,” explains Freddie’s Founder, Jolyon Fenwick, “but in the end it just had to be batter using 100 per cent fine ale.
“The bubbles in the beer add body and lightness to the batter. The alcohol plays an important role in moderating the internal temperature and crisping the crust. It also tastes absolutely delicious. It makes the batter much more expensive than using wholesale batter mix out of a packet, but we think it’s 100 per cent worth it.’
Freddie’s beer batter is made fresh in the shops every day, along with traditional marrowfat mushy peas with fresh mint, and a curry sauce made from the Company’s own mix of spices. All Freddie’s cod and haddock are sustainably sourced and cooked to order. The shops also use recyclable paper and paperboard packaging.
Jolyon continued: “Freddie’s offers something that other takeaways don’t and I’m really proud of that. We carefully source all our ingredients and prepare fresh, delicious food – it’s great to see people enjoying that.”
Freddie’s is open seven days a week and can be found at 17 North Road, Durham. For more information, see https://www.freddiesfishandchips.com/.