The Frier’s Delight! Babylon Fried by top friers

The Frier’s Delight!

Babylon Fried by top friers

By Austen Dack

Isle of Ely Produce have been promoting a new Chip Ambassador role to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. The aim will be to carry on the good work promoting chipping potatoes at their hugely successful open days, and through the ‘Field to Frier’ award.

The Chip Ambassadors will become part of an UK wide group of shop owners and fryers who will promote best practice for potato buying, storing, and of course frying. The chain will also include key growers too like PJ Lee & Sons, and A. L. Lee Farming Company, as IOE looks to nurture the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain during the last twenty years.

Agrico have partnered with Isle of Ely Produce to bring two new varieties into

the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The two varieties Babylon and Lugano will be sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results of early trial successes.

We have travelled (keeping to covid restrictions) to many great shops in the last few months trialling Babylon including Eric’s Thornham, Henry’s of Hunstanton and Petrou Brothers of Chatteris. The overwhelming result of all of this testing is Babylon as a variety is looking like a star of the future.

Comments have ranged from good size, rumbled well, not too much waste. In the range they fry well and come out with a good colour lovely and crisp and soft on the inside.

Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “It’s good to hear so many shops like the allround good characteristics of Babylon. We are pleased with this partnership between Agrico IOE and chip shop owners.”

Alex Moore, Agrico UK Sales Manager said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Isle of Ely Produce & the Chip Ambassadors to launch two exciting new varieties. As a business we are always trying to breed better tasting and more sustainable potato varieties.”

Chip shop owners already signed as Chip Ambassadors for Isle of Ely Produce include Colin Cromer – The Fish Hoose, Kerry Brennan – Golden Union, David Henley – Henley’s, Richard Ord Jr – Colmans, Eric Snaith – Eric’s, Kelly & Tim Barnes – Krispies, Lauren Kellaway – Kellaways, Charlie Collins – Frydales, Fred Capel- Chez Fred, Matt & Ashley Phillips – Shap Chippy, Malachy Mallon The Dolphin Takeaway, Richard Foster – Fish and Chips at Weston Grove, Emir Hikary – Hiks, Alan Shillingford – Shillingfords, Gregg Howard The Chip Shed, Ian Wallis Henry’s Hunstanton, John Hudgell Pimp my Fish, The Petrou Brothers, Marcus French, Millers, Haxby Grosvenor Norwich and Sarah Heward – The Real Food Café.

We will be featuring Babylon and Lugano reviews in the coming months, and at the Isle of Ely Open Day, where you can try them for yourselves. Email austen@chippychat. co.uk if you would like to try them and/or become one of our ambassadors