Chippy deep fries sprouts and pigs in blankets for Christmas

A chippy serving deep-fried pigs in blankets and sprouts in the run-up to Christmas has already run out due to demand.

Gino’s Fryer, in Largs, North Ayrshire, has been battering and frying Christmas dinner trimmings for four years, and even fries sprouts in the summer on request for some customers.

Gran-of-two Franca Sheridan, 53, from Largs, North Ayrshire, has owned the chip shop since 2016.

The chippy used to do a full deep-fried Christmas dinner but now only does the sprouts and pigs in blankets despite the popularity.

The inspiration came from a chippy in England doing the same thing but with standard chip shop sausages.

A portion of ten sprouts costs £1 and comes in at around ten calories.

Pigs in blankets come in portions of five or eight and totals around 395 calories for the smaller size.

A combo meal of five sprouts and three pigs in blankets costs £2.50 and comes with a serving of chip shop gravy.

Franca said: “We’ve been doing it around four years but we’ve pared it down a little.

“We were doing it with stuffing balls and turkey dippers, sort of a Christmas dinner on a plate.

“The sprouts are just so popular – there as many haters as there are lovers.

“I’ve had to replenish stock already because they’re so popular.

“When I post about them on Facebook, I get so many messages.

“We keep it going until the first week of January.

“We’re busy regardless all the time, regardless of whether it’s the winter or not.

“There was a chip shop down south doing it a few years ago – they were doing a standard chip shop sausage battered but I thought to get the frozen pigs in blankets that are made up.”

There is enough demand to keep them in stock year-round but Franca wants to keep things simple with the restaurant’s already ‘huge’ menu.

Franca said: “Every year people ask for them – even in the summer – but we just keep it in the run-up to Christmas.

“Sometimes customers message me for the sprouts and I’ve ran to get frozen sprouts and done them for them, if I know they’re coming in.”

“Our menu’s huge – it’s big enough as it is to be doing stuff all year round.”

“We have a vegan pan, a gluten-free pan and a regular pan so we can do the sprouts gluten-free and vegan as an option.

“We could do vegan pigs in blankets – but they’re a lot dearer.”