Brits are howling that Americans have ‘just discovered’ a crisp butty

British people are in hysterics that Americans are only just discovering the ‘crisp butty’.

The New York Times Cooking Instagram account has posted an image and recipe to Kenji López’s Tuna Melt.

But, unlike many other tuna fish sangas out there, the best-selling author and chef included some crisps just for a little extra finesse.

“Beyond crunch, chips also add stability holding the fillings in place,” the recipe reads.

While many were left salivating over the seemingly pioneering sandwich, many quickly pointed out that the crisp butty is hardly a new concept.

One user wrote: “Americans thinking they’ve invented the crisp butty.”

Another said: “I don't know why they're pretending that's a new idea.”

A third commented: “I’ve been doing this since I was able to make my own sandwiches.”

While another shared: “Hahaha exactly! I've been doing this for decades.. love me a crisp buddy.”

Perhaps next, they’ll discover a cornish pasty or a Yorkshire pudding and try to claim it as their own.

Irish mother Noreen O’Neill supposedly invented the UK delicacy in 1961 when she was struggling to feed her 18 children.

Legend has it that one night, when she was attempting to cook a meal, her cooker stopped working, leaving her with merely crisps and a slice pan.

The mother rolled up her sleeves and managed to whip up what we now know as the famous concoction in a moment of culinary genius.

“People have been calling me a genius, but that’s silly, that’s just what you did in those days. You made do. I had 18 children to feed and the Tayto family packs were cheaper than proper food,” O’Neill told Gay Byrne in an interview in 1993.

But, before we had the crisp butty, we had the chip butty, which was born in Lancashire at Britain’s second-ever fish and chip shop, as per the National Federation of Fish Fryers.

According to the website, the cousin of the ‘crisp wich’ was created after Mr Lees began cultivating a reputation for their ‘chip barms’, in which two pieces of bread were buttered and wedged between thick-cut chips.

The working class quickly embraced the sandwich before becoming a cultural institution in the North of England, with it even celebrated by fans of Sheffield United FC before kick-off at their matches.

Offft, all this talk is making me hungry.

Featured Image Credit: Barry Mason / Alamy Stock Photo. Martin Lee / Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: News, UK News, Food And Drink

Charisa Bossinakis

Charisa Bossinakis is an Associative Journalist at LADbible. Charisa has worked across various media platforms including, print, digital, radio and podcasting while maintaining the highest regard for quality work and integrity. She also covered everything from breaking news, to pop culture, entertainment and politics and is part of the editorial team for LADbible.

@CBossinakis