It may not be the most ludicrous claim uttered by Russian politicians of late, or even Mad Vlad himself, but declaring fish and chips to be a Soviet invention is surely among the most bizarre and brazen attempts at cultural appropriation.
The combination of fish with chips is – according to pro-Kremlin minister Andrey Isayev – not a British idea but Russia’s own. During a bizarre television rant in which Isayev railed against our “evil” nation, urging UK-dwellers to “catch your fish and chips from your foggy marshes”, the show’s host, Yevgeny Popov, chimed in that “white fish, fish and chips is Russian” with which Isayev agreed emphatically. If they haven't both been sanctioned yet, it's about time they were and put firmly back in their (fish and chips) box!
Let's face it, it's a culture war/actual war hybrid nobody was expecting! But there is – worryingly – a vaguely plausible link. And it shows the classic Russian trick of taking a hint of possibility and turning it into a 'fact' or, to use phraseology from America's great twister of the truth: 'fake news.'
The first known British fish and chip shop was Malin’s of Bow, east London, set up in 1860 by Joseph Malin – an Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant. According to the Jewish Museum in London, Malin may have been born Joseph Malinsky; his Ashkenazi heritage rooted in an unknown part of Europe, such as, ahem, Russia.
That the meal’s origins are rooted in the Jewish tradition is “indisputable”, says Panikos Panayi, professor of European history at De Montfort University and author of Fish and Chips: A History. Fried fish had been a staple among Sephardic Jews (from the likes of Portugal and Spain) since the 16th century.
But, he states definitively, dishing the fish up alongside hot potato chips – themselves a delicacy of Belgian or French origin – is, half a millennium on, an utterly British affair. Nuff said.
73 Mile Wide Expletive Aimed at Putin: An unknown pilot traced a route over western Poland to convey a robust view of the Russian leader via flight tracking websites.
Putin Huylo: Mockery of an invader is helping to maintain morale - and an expression for which there is no polite translation has gained traction since the start of the Ukraine war.
Today's OGN Sunday magazine articles
Bowled Over: Congratulations and a huge well done to 12-year-old viral sensation Gabriel Clarkie who raised over £250,000 to help the children in Ukraine!
40,000 Trees Per Day: Talk about biodiversity loss at a party and you’re unlikely to make friends. Talk about an army of seed-firing drones, however, and suddenly you’re the coolest person there.
Series of Serendipitous Circumstances: A plumber - who thought his dreams of a singing career had gone down the drain - lands a recording contract and is now off to Hollywood.
More Good News Articles: A handful of last week's most popular stories (and the most clicked video), just in case you would like to catch up.