Picnic on the Beach: Always with Fish and Chips

We had another wonderful day by the sea with the family, taking deep breaths of the fresh sea air and feeling the sea salt on our skin. It was a lovely day in May, on the English coast just over the channel from France. At times, we sought shelter from the cool breeze behind a row of houses in a quaint little town. But we kept returning to the pebble beach to play with the kids. We built sandcastles, buried ourselves in the pebbles, sorted stones by colour and tossed them into the foamy waves. Although one of the closest beaches to London is at Brighton, this time we visited Deal in Kent, where we once spent a wonderful couple of winter months. From there, we could see the striking white cliffs that jut out into the sea, almost transporting us to another time zone: our phones automatically adjusted an hour ahead and roaming notifications popped up. Historically, Deal was a port known for smugglers, adding a touch of romance. Even today, hidden treasures are said to be found in the walls of the charming, crooked houses. A must-do tradition for us at the seaside is indulging in a generous portion of fish and chips, freshly fried in bubbling oil just over the road from the pier. This dish is so filling that greedy seagulls eagerly circle above, hoping for a share of the leftovers. Unfortunately, fish and chips just isn't the same for me without the sea, the wind, the seagulls and the sky. Despite its iconic status, this dish won't necessarily make you fall in love with England. The fish is often quite plain and not overly seasoned. But the sea breeze adds its own special flavour. Ultimately, whether it's perfectly seasoned or not, it doesn't matter much to us or the seagulls. On a brighter note, I made a unique discovery of vegan fish and chips in Brighton, made from seaweed and tofu – they were surprisingly delicious!