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potato cake


noun a thin slice of potato dipped in batter and deep-fried. Compare potato fritter, potato scallop, scallop.

Contributor's comments: I grew up in SA and so knew what potato cakes were. Spent a while in Tassie and so knew what Scallops were (seafood). Went to live in Cooma and discovered that the local fish cafe was selling "Scallops" for something like 10c each. Of course bought about 30. Marched in v. pleased with myself to my family in the kitchen and announced that we were having a gourmet seafood meal which I had snared v. cheaply. Have not lived it down to this day!

Contributor's comments: I can't ever remember hearing the word 'potato cake'. We always called them Potato Scallops in Perth and the country.

Contributor's comments: Melbourne (Richmond) c.1958: a common thing to buy was 6 pence worth of chips and 6 pence worth of potato cakes, said as "six o' chips and six o' cakes" or just "six of each".

Contributor's comments: [Perth informant] I have to disagree with the map for 'potato cake'. I have NEVER heard what I know to be a "potato cake" (I am from Victoria where we call it a potato cake) called a "potato cake". At every fish and chip shop I have been in in WA calls them potato scallops. If I ask for a potato cake they look at me funny!

Contributor's comments: Where I grew up (4285) [Brisbane region], a potato cake was a mashed potato fried fritter, while a scallop was a deep fried battered slice of potato.

Contributor's comments: It was always a potato cake in Victoria but I now have to order a potato scallop in WA........and the dim sims don't taste as nice over here!

Contributor's comments: [Melbourne informant] A deep fried, battered potato slice: "I'll have $2 worth of chips, six potato cakes and a piece of Flake."

Contributor's comments: In Hobart we bought potato cakes and in Perth we buy potato scallops. I can't get used to that word.

Contributor's comments: In Tasmania, a potato cake is more usually a patty/rissole made seasoned mashed potato, etc. Somewhat similar to a fish cake. Another type is made of grated potato and onion mixed with a little flour and an egg then fried. These are also called mock-fish. The deep fried sliver of potato covered in batter type of potato cake seems to be gaining in popularity, particularly as a take-away food.

Contributor's comments: When I was a schoolboy in Melbourne in the 1950s, we called them "fritters". When I came to Sydney in the 1960s the term "potato cake" was used.

Contributor's comments: I grew up in Melbourne where we all said 'potato cake'. Don't ask for one in Northern NSW though - you'll get a funny look. Here, they're 'potato scallops', or simply 'scallops'. I once asked what scallops [ie. the shellfish] were called, and was told they were 'Tassie scallops' (regardless of where they were sourced from). Strewth!

Contributor's comments: Sliced potatoes dipped in batter and fried. Called 'potato cakes' in Victoria but known as 'scollops' in NSW and the ACT: "I bought a couple of potato cakes from the fish 'n' chip shop the other day."

Contributor's comments: Now in Qld, I still ask for potato cakes just to give them the shits.

Contributor's comments: Have heard Potato Cake used as a term to replace dag. Billy you are a little Potato Cake.

Contributor's comments: In our household as a child (Wagga region, 1970s) "potato cakes" were a home-made pancake made from grated potato, onion & a flour batter. Never heard "potato scallops" until I moved to Sydney.

Contributor's comments: Lived in Tassie all my life - Potato Cake - potato (either mashed or sliced), in batter then deep fried. Can be brought at any local fish and chip shop. eg: $3 chips, 4 potato cakes and 3 dim sims.