personally to start with i need the right spuds, new potatoes are usually ok, but dont quote me, i dont usually peel the spudz, just scrub em clean. slice em quite thickly. while doing this have the oil on the hob then when hot enuf, put in sliced spudz, then fry em to quite dark brown, put em on kitchen paper on a plate, to drain excess oil. have thick slices of crusty bread ready, copious ammounts of sea salt and vinegar. eat quickly while still hot, washed down with hot camomile tea. not too fussed about ketchup, as it wasnt something i had a lot off when i was a kid. brother likes fish and chip butties, not my cup of camomile