In praise of slap chips
go! - South Africa|March 2020
Slap chips go with anything – fish and chips, chicken and chips, pie and chips, on their own, inside a soft hotdog roll… Abigail George can’t get enough.
NICOLENE LOUW
In praise of slap chips

All through my childhood, fish and chips was eaten a few times a month in our house. My family’s go-to place in Port Elizabeth was Seaflight Fisheries. We would stand in front of the counter and watch the ladies, with what looked like posh shower caps covering their hair, fry hake or calamari soaked in batter. The chips would be fried in hot oil until both fish and chips were mouth-wateringly golden and deliciously crisp.

For us, in our community, fish and chips was a miracle food. It was divine. A sacred food for the angels.

We also made our own chips. Chefs will tell you you have to use certain potatoes for the chips to come out crisp, but we never bothered with that. A potato was mos a potato. My mother would cut her chips into wedges like Nando’s did when we still had a Nando’s in our area. Those were the days.

The smell of chips is so tantalising; it still conjures many childhood memories. I think of the hopefulness, the expectation and the happiness that went with a simple visit to the local takeaway place.

The women at Seaflight were experts. They knew what to deliver to their customers. They did this day in and day out. I marvelled at the way they seemed to lift the steaming chips out of the fryer so effortlessly. They did it elegantly, with what looked like love. The effect was magical.

Whether it came wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper, or in a greasy brown paper bag, that package was the beginning, middle and end of any hunger pang or craving. Heaven on a plate! A jukebox full of flavour tunes in your mouth.

This story is from the March 2020 edition of go! - South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2020 edition of go! - South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GO! - SOUTH AFRICAView All
The wilder shore
go! - South Africa

The wilder shore

The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...

time-read
10+ mins  |
February/March 2024
A river runs through it
go! - South Africa

A river runs through it

Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.

time-read
10 mins  |
February/March 2024
TAKE A HIKE
go! - South Africa

TAKE A HIKE

Harkerville's mini Otter

time-read
5 mins  |
February/March 2024
Sweet & juicy!
go! - South Africa

Sweet & juicy!

This issue's recipes all include lush seasonal fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots. Enjoy!

time-read
6 mins  |
February/March 2024
Big mountain magic
go! - South Africa

Big mountain magic

On a clear day, as you approach the Cathedral Peak Hotel, it happens involuntarily: You start to grin. You'll be standing up there soon, gazing over this valley, and the scuttling of ground-level life will seem irrelevant. Join us on a five-day adventure into the heart of the high Drakensberg

time-read
9 mins  |
February/March 2024
Your next weekend away
go! - South Africa

Your next weekend away

A self-catering house in the Tankwa, a campsite next to the Orange River, a guest farm near the Drakensberg... Toast Coetzer travelled a lot last year: Here are six of his favourite places to stay if you're planning a road trip or weekend escape.

time-read
6 mins  |
February/March 2024
A life through binoculars
go! - South Africa

A life through binoculars

If the name Hugh Chittenden sounds familiar, it's probably because you see it every time you use your Roberts Bird Guide he's one of the co-authors. He lives in Mtunzini on the KZN coast and birding is as much part of his day as a cup of coffee.

time-read
7 mins  |
February/March 2024
Wanderlust in the park
go! - South Africa

Wanderlust in the park

All great cities have great parks, writes Dara Kell: spaces where you can exhale and slough off the stress and grime of urban life.

time-read
5 mins  |
February/March 2024
The Kalahari remembers
go! - South Africa

The Kalahari remembers

The Kalahari is a place of magic and heartache, where drought is an ever-present threat. Drive a loop from Upington to the Kuruman River and discover soulful landscapes, brilliant skies and resilient people who never give up.

time-read
10+ mins  |
February/March 2024
Take a Hike
go! - South Africa

Take a Hike

Hug a baobab in the Bushveld

time-read
3 mins  |
October/November 2023