Kippers

Kipper is a traditional breakfast dish consisting of a whole herring that is halved, gutted, seasoned with salt, and cold-smoked over woodchips. The lengthy process results in an extremely flavorful, highly nutritious dish that was created in 1843 by John Woodger, a fish processor. The salt used in the dish keeps the fish from going bad, while the smoke causes it to shrink and compress the flavors. Traditionally, kippers are eaten on toasted bread with butter for breakfast, but the fish can also be added to sauces, quiches, and omelets. If the smell is too pungent, it is recommended to barbecue the fish to make it more appetizing. Kippers are so popular that the flavorful, oily dish was even present on Victorian and Edwardian tables, as well as on the Savoy hotel's breakfast menu since 1889. Today, most of the kipper-makers are located in the Isle od Man, where curer families have been a part of the industry since the 19th century.