A chippie says its decision to start serving deep-fried Brussels sprouts has been an unexpected success.
Andrea Long, from Terry’s Traditional Fish and Chips in Huddersfield, said she was not confident the much-maligned festive vegetables would be hit with her regulars after her experiment with deep-fried pumpkin at Halloween did not go so well.
But Andrea told BBC Radio 5 Live hardly anyone has turned down the seasonal treat, which she has been giving away while customers wait for their more traditional menu items.
She said that customers’ initial reaction was that “their noses screwed-up and they said, ‘No thanks’.”
But she said: “When they tried them, I’ve only had three people dislike them and there’s about 200 who haven’t.”
Andrea said she is now giving the sprouts a break for a week or so in favour of other Christmas favourites such as pigs-in-blankets and stuffing balls.
But she said they will be back on December 22 when she will be expecting punters to stump up 10p per deep-fried vegetable for the local hospice charity.
But Andrea said she draws the line at deep-frying Christmas Pudding and other sweet dishes.
“I refuse to do anything sweet,” she said. “Sweet and batter don’t go together.”
And she said she already has plans for some special deep-fried Valentine’s Day and Easter treats.
“I think I’ve made a rod for my own back,” she said.