Ding dong merrily let’s fry! Scots chip store promoting battered Christmas dinner
Scotland is much maligned for its love of all things deep fried, from breakfasts to pizzas, and even the odd Mars Bar.
Now there’s a new festive addition to the menu on offer at a well-known chip shop.
The Dunkeld Fish Bar is offering curious customers a deep fried Christmas dinner.
On offer are battered turkey fillets, sage and onion stuffing balls, Brussels sprouts and foot-long pigs in blankets.
And instead of the traditional roast potatoes, meals are served with chips and a portion of cranberry sauce.
The Perthshire eaterie completes its alternative Christmas menu with delicious deep fried mince pies, coated in light and crispy tempura batter.
And owner Scott Davie, 51, says customers can’t resist his twist on traditional fayre.
Mr Davie said: ‘We’ve got all the things you’d expect at Christmas but deep fried in batter – and it’s proving very popular.
Dunkeld Chip Shop owner Scott Davie tries out the deep fried dinner
The festive offerings are part of a new Christmas menu at the eaterie
The battered Christmas items include turkey fillets, stuffing balls, Brussels sprouts and foot-long pigs in blankets. And instead of the traditional roast potatoes, meals are served with chips
‘People come in for a fish supper and then see the Christmas menu and end up going away with foot-long pigs in blankets and battered Brussels sprouts. It’s been a game changer for us.’
Mr Davie said he has sold dozens of pigs in blankets this week and hundreds of battered sprouts.
He said: ‘The sprouts have been really popular – they’re flying out the door. I’ve done 10 kilos (22lb) so far this week.
‘A lot of people over-boil sprouts at Christmas and they come out mushy, but we prep and batter them and they have a lovely, crunchy bite. Add a little vinegar and it just pops the flavour.’
In keeping with the season of goodwill, money from the sale of deep fried sprouts is being donated to charity, the Fishermen’s Mission.
Meanwhile, the battered mince pies have also been a surprise hit. Mr Davie said: ‘Putting mince pies into batter takes them to a different level – they’re genuinely delicious.’
Customers can order different elements as suppers with chips, or as a side portion in the case of the sprouts and stuffing balls.
Alternatively, they can tuck into a full Christmas dinner in a box containing some of each.
A worker at the shop prepares the battered Brussels sprouts
The sprouts are then cooked in the deep fat frier
Also on the menu is a Christmas-themed Italian-style pizza, topped with brie, cranberry, crispy bacon and mini pigs in blankets.
The chippy’s Christmas dinners have proved to be popular with Dunkeld residents, visitors and local businesses.
Carol Gillespie, 60, who works in Palmerston’s Cafe, a few doors away in Dunkeld High Street, said: ‘We’ve ordered lots of food from Scott’s Christmas specials for our staff evening.
‘I usually draw the line at Brussels sprouts but I’ll try a deep fried one – everyone is talking about how good they are.
‘I’ve already tried one of their battered mince pies and I must admit it was surprisingly nice.’
The Dunkeld Fish Bar – a former winner of Scotland’s best fish and chip shop – is already famous for deep frying a different sweet each week. Mr Davie said: ‘We like to be adventurous.’
