Offbeat - AFP
Thu Dec 16, 6:37 PM ET


Deep-fried Mars bar taking Scotland by storm

The deep-fried Mars bar, a nutritionist's nightmare that surfaced in Scotland about a decade ago, is now an established part of the Scottish culinary scene, according to a letter published in The Lancet.

Click to view attachment

Dipped in batter and then cooked in hot oil, the Mars bar is now on sale in more than a fifth of Scotland's 627 fish-and-chip shops, it says.

The average sale is 23 bars per shop per week, but some shops say they sell up to 200 a week, it records.

The deep-fried Mars bar first surfaced in news reports in 1995, reputedly originating in the eastern city of Aberdeen.

Promoters of Scottish tourism -- aghast at this damage to their efforts to highlight Scotland's history, culture and landscape -- joined with middle-class foodies in deriding the DFMB as media hype.

But this is untrue, say authors David Morrison and Mark Pettigrew of the Greater Glasgow NHS Board, who contend the snack is "deep and crisp and eaten."

"Scotland's deep-fried Mars bar is not just an urban myth," they say.

Health experts have condemned the deep-fried Mars bar as an artery-clogging catastrophe.

Scotland is already ranked as the country with the highest rate of chronic heart disease in Western Europe, a position that owes itself to cigarettes and alcohol as well as a poor diet and a love of sugary foods.

Critics should take heart, though.

The Mediterranean diet is penetrating into Scotland, "albeit in the form of deep-fried pizza," say Morrison and Pettigrew.

Pizza is one of several items that customers have asked shops to deep-fry, along with bananas, pineapple rings and creme eggs, a highly sweet confectionery.

The letter is published next Saturday's issue of the British medical weekly.

Strange News - AP
By SUE LEEMAN, Associated Press Writer

Deep-Fried Mars Bars a Hit in Scotland


LONDON - Like the Loch Ness monster, the deep-fried Mars bar has often been regarded as a Scottish myth. But a study published Friday in a medical journal confirms that Scots consume thousands of the battered bars each week, and that more than a fifth of fish and chip shops — which specialize in deep-fried food — sell the strange sugary delicacy.

The study was conducted by Dr. David Morrison, a consultant in public health medicine in Glasgow, and Dr. Mark Petticrew, associate director of Glasgow's Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.

They decided to investigate after the treat was mentioned by television host Jay Leno on America's NBC "Tonight Show."

"We live in Scotland but we'd never actually seen deep-fried Mars bars for sale," said Morrison. "We thought they might be fictitious. But the Scottish diet is a major health issue and it's important to know what the facts are. We can now confirm that there is no doubt — the deep-fried Mars bar is not just an urban myth."

At more than 400 calories per bar, the snack isn't health food. But then, Scotland isn't noted for healthy lifestyles.

Parts of Scotland have the highest incidence of heart disease, cancer and strokes and the lowest life expectancy in the developed world.

Morrison and Petticrew, whose report appears in this week's issue of The Lancet medical journal, called nearly 500 chip shops across Scotland to inquire whether they sold the bars and discovered that 22 percent are proud to offer them, and another 17 percent have done so in the past.

One shop reported selling up to 200 a week.

Children are the main consumers and some shops reported being asked to deep-fry other candy bars, including Snickers and Cadbury's Creme Eggs.

Reports of the deep-fried Mars bar emerged in 1995, when a chip shop in the northeastern Scottish fishing town of Stonehaven said it was selling the delicacy.

News reports said the bar was the result of a bet between the shop's owner and his portly best friend.

The original shop, The Haven, is now the Carron Fish and Chip Bar, run by Calum Richardson.

"They are not my cup of tea but some weeks we sell as many as 300," he said. "I suppose people like them because they are different. At first it was a novelty but not any more."

The Carron charges $1.35 for a deep-fried Mars bar. Or for $3.29 you can have the supper: deep-fried Mars bar with chips.

That's it...I'm getting Mar's bar and bringing it to work tomorrow and making one. Then I'm going to call the press and have a field day.

Don't forget the fish-n-chips batter, I'm going to try to make a few during the week.

this just sounds so unappetizing..

about like the frozen snickers bar

yeah but hot and in a layer of fried dough...I can can totally see how it would be the same.....NOT! LOL

Guess I'm not much for candy....but give me a Tiramisu any day...

Well, how about a Big Hunk's Whatchamacallit up your "Bit o' Honey, then? Maybe you could fondle his Skittles and he could feel your Mounds until his Starburst? Is that like the deep fried Mar's bar?

I was talking to the Irish bartender next door at work and he said the fried mars bars are huge in Scotland Ireland and England...he said they are really good...apparently, its something he misses being in the US.

In my opinion, frying the Mars bar spoils it. It is of course, all a matter of taste

They use to have fried candy bar's at the fair here. The wife likes them I dont much care for them if i whant a melted candy bar i will leave one in the sun

..and here I was praying it was a cultural thing! Don't eat fried things here, so don't think it would be too enjoyable. Mech has it right...leave it in the sun!

...or perhaps it may just be that whole "gotta try something in the new fryer....and look what is laying about!"

I agree . If i have a deep fryer going i allways look to see what i can put in it

Just kidding the wife wont let me near one Its the im going to burn the house down speech {course she is probly right} Im a mech not a cook

The phrase "deep fat fryer" and the word "burning" seem to go together. Where we used to live one of the neighbours was heard to yell on a regular basis

"GRAHAM - SOMETHING'S BURNING.

YOU'VE LEFT THE DEEP FAT FRYER ON."

It became something of a joke really - until smoke was seen to be pouring from the front door one evening. After that we understood the wife's concern.

By the way - we DON'T have a deep fat fryer.

We use a large wok on the gas stove, works rather well too, then pour off the oil into a container for later use in making soap after filtering out the fried crumbs.

Your neighbor...Graham..wouldn't be the galloping gourmet would he? I seem to recall him burning things occasionally on his TV show.

Sir Mech, I can understand your wifes concern after watching you torch off several bearings on vehicle axles. Or have you forgotten my bringing out several fire extinguishers that one time? Click to view attachment I will admit they wern't used.

I just don't use oil to cook with, only prep a pan with a spritz of olive oil. Poor hubby isn't much for the healthier eating either. Suppose it is better than allowing another fire hazard in the kitchen though!

Bravo...at least you came prepared with extinguishers. Ever use one??!

Not with him....not yet any way. Yes I'm fraid so and fire hoses and other what not.

We use olive oil mainly to cook with and some times other oils to fry with. We know each oil has its uses and some times wont interchange. Peanut for some things and of course Crisco for making pie dough and in making soap we use a large list of oils.

I'm going to try and sell this Deep Fried Mar's Bar at one of our local farmer's markets,once I get my catering biz off the ground just to see if anyone recognizes it!

Dunno cleave...that could bring in a few mililons. LOL Those Hawaiians are known to eat some pretty odd things! Sure do miss the Kahlua pork though!

kaluha pork? Sounds about as appetizing as the fried mars bar. I'm going back to being a vegetarian for 2005.

A true vegetarian who eats neither meat, eggs, nor milk products and only veggies? Doesn't that leave out the hops and barley needed for Ale or Stout?
What about becoming a Fruit-a-tarian? they only eat fruit.

Me, I'll go for any thing that doesn't eat me first and then it's going to have to fight, I've ate a lot of things on the hoof sort to speak.
And no I haven't had a chance to try the FMB yet.

Actually Duncan, barley and hops are plants, so usually on the vegatarian lists. Though I must admit, I am with you on the whole eating what won't eat me first. Amazing what a cast iron pan will do in that process, but must admit, bullets and arrows seem to be much more effective.

Laureen, the Kahlua pork is a pig roasted all day in a pit, with seasonings. Great stuff, tender to the touch! Absolutely something you might try if ever the chance, but may have to make a visit to the barbs to get the good stuff!! LOL Sure they might even back me up on the taste too - just don't travel over the Pali Hwy with it...could upset the spirits of the mountain. (Ask the Barbs on that one!)

Yes but did she know that barley and hops are plants?
I've had variations of that K-pork dish and it is good.

Awww, c'mon Duncan, everyone knows that Brunetts have it all especially the brainpower to prove it!!

Well if I have to I will....and I have gave Miss Laureen a hard time for quite a while, so maybe shes due for a break.
Truth be told Meg is Auburn haired.

Better than blonde!

I like being blonde.....


not...lol

yes but wern't you at one time ? lol

well actually, as a child, my hair was blonde....it didn't start to darken until I was HS...then turned into a true brunette in college.


Hey...here's a new one for all you fried Mars bars lovers.....

Deep fried S'Mores

make a S'more with marshmellow fluff...spread fluff on the outside and roll in bread crumbs....deep fry.

My boss swears by them. He even got the Irish Pub next door to make them.

Ahhh Ha I knew it..I knew you had been a blonde, (well actully you told me some time ago.... so I cheated a little.)

I don't know about smores but Jen and i deep fried a pancake the other day....don't bother to try this at home.
But... it did pick up all the fried crumbles on the bottom of the pan and we lifted the whole mass out of the pan at once so I guess something came of it.
I used the wrong size funnel to make funnel cakes...eccchhh!!

LOL!

Just make sure to keep the extinguishers at the ready....

We went a little fry crazy, we battered French fries and deep fried them which are good, then the pancakes and some other stuff, it was when we were looking around for something else that Jen looked at a carrot, I said maybe we've been doing this too long!

well, I have had deep fried pickles...no joke...I was surprised they were actually kind of good. They are on the menu at a local brew pub in Salem.

they sell dill pickle slices around here like that, not so good as they used to be, too sour any more. course it could be my taste buds too....

Now Duncan....an entire country called Japan enjoys deep fried carrots and other vegetables. It's called T-E-M-P-U-R-A. Now battering FRENCH FRIES is altogether silly, since they are fried anyway, and pancakes are just an excuse to use your fryer. Over here, deepfried turkeys at Thanksgiving is very popular. I think the best things to fry are things that are lean, so that the high fat content of frying batters balances them out. Supporting evidence: fried calamari, shrimp, fish, tempura vegetables, korean meat jun, spring rolls, lumpia,etc... But,hey....Mar's Bars may just destroy my theory....
Laureen was blonde, yes....but then Darwin's theory happened and she mutated in High school because her IQ was too high. Maybe that report on Ancient Astronauts had something to do with it. I'm serious about doing the Mar's bar at the farmer's market. I'll be ready to go do it in about 3 weeks, although I haven't even seen a Mar's bar over here before. I might have to substitute a milky way or something. Too bad there isn't some kind of local candy I could use.
Hey Duncan, do you deepfry Scotch Eggs or are they baked?

You've got a very good point and that is a good meal. I didn't have the right batter for that and in Tulsa you wont find that dish due to food posening.



They sell battered fries all over around here, served with cheese sauce its good.



I don't have a clue sorry, the last egg I ate in Scotland was fried in a skillit with bacon.

I like to bake my scotch eggs, but have seen others fry them. Just a bit too much grease for me.

Yeah well, I may have "evolved" but the blondeness still shows...especially if I spend too much time in the sun....lol

A recipe for Scotch Eggs at http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/Food/scotch-eggs.htm

Hope this helps,

Thanks Andrew for the link.
I'll give it a try when we can. Your sausage is leaner then ours here which is more pork or beef then sheepy.
But it does sound good!!

Lean is the word. We have to abide by dozens of European regulations and guidelines. They wanted to ban the sausage entirely at one stage, and we joined The British Sausage Appreciation Society (YEP - REALLY - see http://web.ukonline.co.uk/jsausage/sausappr.htm ), to campaign to keep the the sausage. Even went to a couple of "Conventions" as you call them - and tried my hand at making sausages at one, just for a laugh (and yes - they all laughed).