Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
Pic: Niki Bezzant
This triggered an outpouring of responses, most expressing true, deep love of the potato fritter and genuine sadness when the extra fritter is not in the bag. Theories as to why the extra fritter ranged from “I thought they just liked me!” to “it’s just The Way”. The tweets were filled with nostalgia and tinged with longing. Many people feel, it seems, this is a marvellous and unique piece of Aotearoa food culture.
I wondered, though: where did the potato fritter – the version that’s available only in fish and chip shops – come from? And why is it such a specific, beloved item on a Kiwi fish and chip shop menu?