Deep fried Mars bars at Cromars
Ah, Scotland. Home of tartan, the Loch Ness Monster, haggis and … deep fried Mars bars? Yep, you read that correctly. Over the past few years, frying Mars bars has gained quite the cult following in chip shops in Scotland and is now a regular menu item here at Cromars. It’s a popular dish to try when visiting us, and makes for a perfect sweet treat after your meal. Eat in or takeaway, it’s up to you how to enjoy this wonderfully Scottish dessert.
It may seem like a rather unusual choice, and you’d be correct. But there’s something about the way the batter crisps up whilst keeping the insides gooey but also still holding together that makes it a perfect sugary treat of a snack, and one that your friends back home are sure to want to see photos of you eating!
A deep fried Mars bar is exactly what it sounds like. We take a regular Mars bar from its wrapper and sink it into our bubbling deep fat fryer until it is wonderfully crisp and golden on the outside, whilst meltingly delightful on the inside. There really isn’t anything else like it on our menu.
A brief history of the deep fried Mars bar
Like all culinary delights, this particular cooked confectionary has a debated origin. Whilst some say it began back in the 1980s in a chip shop in Buckie, then continued to be cooked and sold at one in Banff, it wasn’t until it began to be offered in a chippie north of Cromars in Stonehaven that it really took off.
It was 1992. Whitney Houston spent 10 weeks at number one in the charts with “I will always love you,” and the finest Christmas movie ever made, The Muppets Christmas Carol, was released. However, it was in his chip shop near Aberdeen that John Davie was about to make history by dropping a Mars bar into his deep fat fryer and changing the course of human history.
Well, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but within a few years the craze swept the nation, appearing on TV shows and in newspapers. It wouldn’t be long before news of it crossed the Atlantic and talk show host Jay Leno was intrigued by them.
And now the deep fried Mars bar sits proudly as a symbol of Scotland’s sweet tooth. Many don’t even believe it’s a real thing until they taste it. This soon changes as soon as the warm caramel and nougat bursts through the bite of the batter.
Buy your deep fried Mars bar at Cromars
Whether you are visiting Scotland or are a resident keen to try this unique treat, a Cromars deep fried Mars bar is a must-taste when you visit St Andrews. Take a look at our menu to see what you might like with it. It comes with a little helping of ice cream to dip into which is the perfect addition to this dish. Simply order yours at the counter either on its own, or as a dessert after your fish and chips!