It's National Chip Week. We're going to see my mum this evening. She has promised us Chips. (For USA readers - I think you call these French Fries. What you call chips we call crisps.)
The evils of the National Curriculum in primary education have induced ridiculous anxiety levels in my son re. normal food. He has to be reassured that he will not be ill if he eats chips (something that happens about once a month or less in our house). He also came downstairs the other night and found me sipping a small glass of wine while a read my book. He had a terrible look of consternation on his face as he said "What are you doing? Don't you know that wine is drugs? You might DIE!" and promptly took my wine away from me. He learned this in school, apparently...
Back to chips, though, as any good northerner knows, Fish and Chips are among the healthiest forms of fast food you can find. Less fat, and way less salt than a pizza. Check out more facts about Chips here, and treat yourself to a trip to the chippy.
just puts me in mind of the advert on telly that asked the little girl what did she like more Daddy or Chips? The decision came as chips when daddy pinched one of hers. I'm sure there is a theological comment in that somewhere but hey - I'd rather have a plate of chips
Posted by: Diana | 16/02/2006 at 12:27
Sounds like Ben needs reminding of Jesus' first miracle!
Posted by: Phil | 16/02/2006 at 12:39
The issue about primary school food now is not what they eat but how much. My kids come home and tell us they have had mouse-sized portions.
Posted by: Tony B | 16/02/2006 at 13:33
wow there's a national chips week. I want some too.
Posted by: Sivin | 16/02/2006 at 15:32
Maggi, you've made my day. Praise God in Heaven!!!
My dear displaced friend from Yorkshire(Yorkshirian? Yorkshirite? or just Yorkie?) tells the story of one of her first American disappointments. Famished, she ordered a hamburger from a restaurant menu which read, "comes with chips." When the food arrived she demanded to know where the chips were. The waitress, of course, thought her poor customer must be blind, and replied, "right there on the plate." Just another example of the British - American disconnect.
Posted by: Phyllis | 16/02/2006 at 17:57
The thing is, educating kids about healthy eating and against alcohol abuse is all well and good, but there really is a great danger that a simplistic "chips = BAD. booze = BAD." message will leave them all with really unhealthy attitudes about food and eating.
Of course, most of us are prone to this at one time or another - but to feel guilt about eating certain foods or to have a negative emotional response to them is really perilously close to having an eating disorder, if it gets remotely out of hand. Perhaps if the National Curriculum were to be a bit less over-zealous in this we'd all be happier!
Posted by: Stefan | 16/02/2006 at 22:16
Everything in moderation (she says, consuming chocolate and Red Bull ...!)
Posted by: Serena | 16/02/2006 at 22:51
Inspired! Just had fish and chips from the chippy for my Friday tea, working on the basis it would be better for me than pizza!
thanks Maggi!
Posted by: CeriR | 17/02/2006 at 23:15
Phyllis for future reference, a person from Yorkshire is known as a "Tyke", which is Old Norse for "snarling dog", down to our (undeserved) fearsome reputation ! A Yorkie is a resident of the City of York and a chocolate bar which is great for afters, when you've just eaten your fish and chips.
Posted by: Martyn | 20/02/2006 at 14:25
I thought it was Old Norse for "bitch" ?
and something I never asked was, is a Little Tyke actually a little Yorkshireman/woman??
Posted by: maggi | 20/02/2006 at 14:53
I was taught "snarling dog" at school, but it was probably the teacher being polite.
Posted by: Martyn | 20/02/2006 at 16:54
OED to the rescue!
"a. ON. tík female dog, bitch (Norw. tik, also she-fox, vixen, Sw. dial. tik, older Da. tig); also MLG. tike bitch.
... 3. A nickname for a Yorkshireman: in full Yorkshire tyke.
(Perhaps originally opprobrious; but now accepted and owned. It may have arisen from the fact that in Yorkshire tyke is in common use for dog.) ...
Hence (nonce-wds.) {sm}tykedom, the realm or community of tykes; humorously, Yorkshire (see 3) ..."
Copyright OED etc etc
Posted by: Serena | 20/02/2006 at 16:59
The definitive answer !
Posted by: Martyn | 20/02/2006 at 17:31
Thank you all for the education, however... maybe I'll ask my lovely friend what she'd like to be called. I'm not sure about the tyke reference...
Posted by: Phyllis | 21/02/2006 at 14:25
I am a primary school teacher and I teach my children that too much of those kind of foods is bad for you but having them every now and then is fine! We never call any foods BAD!!
Posted by: Sarah | 28/04/2007 at 09:09
that sounds admirably well-balanced, Sarah! I take my hat off to you. A good teacher is one of life's greatest gifts.
Posted by: maggi | 28/04/2007 at 09:51
As the proud owner of the famous BRETTS Fish Restaurant in Headingley, it is wonderful to note your support for Yorkshire's favourite meal. We work incredibly hard to ensure that the quality of our cooking medium and the temperature at which the food is cooked combine to ensure that the fat content is kept to the ansolute minimum. Unfortunately, at times, convincing the unbelievers who regularly, and contentedly, consume either a four cheese pizza, or a monosodium glutimate filled Chinese, that fish and chips is the way to go can be soul destroying. BRETTS is just 12 years from its centenary; I'll bet that not many pizza houses or Chineses - if that's how one spells it - will make that life span. We do have our supporters, though, with 106 booked for lunch on Test Match Friday (we have only 56 seats!) and, regrettably, scores more disappointed!
Posted by: Peter Scott | 20/05/2007 at 17:06