The mutterings of an Ex-London Fishmonger, a qualified fishery scientist, a lover of cooking and eating seafood, ex fishery consultant, fish farmer, and angler - Guess its going to be fish all the way.
Seafish’s recent survey has shown we are all eating nearly twice as much salmon in the UK compared to its nearest rival tuna. This, I imagine, is the result of salmon being both the cheapest available fish and the most readily available in the supermarkets. As mentioned tuna is second, but this may reduce in the next survey with the recent bad press received from the ‘end of the line documentary’. Third and forth are cod and haddock respectively – the countries two favourite cuts. Amazingly Pollack has climbed into the top ten, in at number eight. Its success is most likely due to the championing of this fish by celebrity chefs such like Hugh Fearnly. Seriously though, once you have tasted it you won’t have it again, especially as its increase in popularity has brought the price almost level to haddock (a nice fish).
The list is as follows:
Species
Value (£m)
Volume (tonnes)
Salmon
607.3
49078
Tuna
356.2
74646
Cod
298.7
38294
Haddock
208.8
22591
Warmwater Prawns
178.4
14244
Coldwater Prawns
164.7
17448
Mackerel
92.0
15213
Pollack
66.6
13104
Scampi
55.8
5728
Trout
41.3
4389
Very different scenario in Chelsea with the following being our top ten sellers. The figures would not be accurate so I give you just a species order.
My boys at Newlyn fish send me the finest fish available anywhere in the country. This, coupled with my fisheries science background, allows us to offer great information to our customers on the products they buy. I feel it is very important to know your product to make it an interesting shopping experience for all the customers.On occasions we are sent some great fish which we use as points of interest. Most are not really edible, however, they always find a home. Any of you who may have dined at Bocca di Lupo in Soho may have noticed some great works of art on the wall. The fish were all from our shop including the silver dory, the rays and the garfish.
Silver Dory
Torpedo Ray (species of electric ray)
Twaites Shad
Female Cuckoo Wrasse (male is blue and yellow)
Whole Monkfish
Greater Weaver fish (lesser weaver short, stumpy and lies in sand with poisonous spine protruding)
Wild Gilthead Bream (99.9% you will see are farmed)
The wrasse and Gilthead Bream are fond favourite of mine as they where the centre stage of the Atlantic talk i used to give at the London Aquarium. They deserve there own posts by right so best get writing.
The trials and tribulations of a fishmonger!! You spend 4 years selling smoked haddock from Grimsby, never really that happy with it, never really knowing much about it, then all of a sudden it happens. A new product appears in front of you. Smoked haddock daily fresh from Cornwall with that amazing freshly smoked smell. But there is a problem? Likened to the farmed/farmed organic salmon scenario where the organic, much the newer product, has attempted to distinguish itself by being a much paler colour, the ‘undyed’ smoked haddock has become almost white over the past few years; the natural colour of smoked fish is a dull orange/yellow. Now it is understood the dying of smoked haddock started in the second world war when the discharge of smoke into the air was seen as ‘come and bomb us smoke signals'. Not sure how true this is as very little fishing was undertaking throughout this period so not sure how much haddock was really available to smoke. However, dyed smoked haddock is a very bright yellow colour, not that unlike the natural product that is more orange. So the problem that now occurs is that returning to the original undyed smoked haddock seems frowned upon as its colour is likened to the supermarket dyed haddock and far removed from the white, rather dry product many have been selling. The face pulled by the lady customer today said it all. 'We were lying and this smoked haddock was obviously dyed, but being sold as undyed'. It’s a shame that an element are so stubborn and naive that they are unwilling to listen to or accept a description or explanation. Her loss. If you pass by our shop pop in and buy some. I generally would not use this blog as a sales pitch, but this smoked haddock may just make you realise the difference between conformity and quality.
The natural colour of this top quality product can be viewed at the Through the gaps blog that centres around the Newlyn fishing industry
So what is calamari? and why do us Brits just take a European name and generally throw it around incorrectly. Well the majority will ask for calamari at their fishmongers and go home with squid. What is the difference? Well they are different species. The easiest way to distinguish is by looking at the side fins or wings. The calamari, most commonly see on the slabs in the Mediterranean, have wings that run the full length of the body opposed to the squid or ‘arrow squid’ that have wings about a third the length.
Biologically the calamari is an inshore species generally jig caught whereas the majority of squid species undertake lengthy migrations and are caught by trawl methods. The colours of the European species vary with the squid usually being very white in colour and the calamari sometimes very red. On a final note - when you hear the ‘know it all’ in front of you in the queue attempt to embarrass the trainee fishmonger by telling him ‘calamari is Italian for squid’ allow yourself a rye smile as you now know it is really a Greek word.
Calamari - Reddish in colour and wings full length of the body.
Arrow squid - White in colour with short wings a third the length of the body.
Our fish stocks are in the safe hands of the European Union!!!
If you have had the thumb twiddling experience of sitting through the recent documentary ‘The end of the line’ where the concern centres around one species – the blufin tuna. Then endured people rising to their feet in tears around you at the end of the film congratulating each other with smiles and taps on the back in a great big ‘well done us’ group hug grossly unaware of what they have actually just watched and what little impact it will have on fisheries that do not yield blufin tuna. Then seen the celeb restaurants and chefs joining the London Paper’s ‘Aren’t we all so green’ save our stocks campaign as it. Did anyone really believe Pret used the highest valued fish – the blufin tuna – in their £2 tuna and mayo baguettes? Of course these documentaries yield hugely important messages, but the problem is that many viewers don’t understand them, an information overload.
The truth is that the blufin tuna, whilst critically endangered, is not alone. Numerous fish species are critically endangered or face potential population collapse. The blufin got lucky, it was the chosen one for a world wide documentary because of its importance to the sashimi market, its sheer jaw dropping size and its ability to bleed heavily when gaffed – all important when generating shock factor. However, these factors might just help save the species.
Let me give you one great example of governmental pressure aiding the over fishing of a species more local to us. Recently the French president Sarkozy pressured the EU, the self proclaimed protectors of our fisheries, to decrease the gill net size of a specific fishing gear from 110mm to 100mm in area 7 of the North Atlantic. This gear change would increase the total hake landings by Spanish owned vessels, registered in France, by 300 tonnes per week; all from the fishing areas of west Ireland. The result in this incremental mesh size alteration has to be the capture of a completely new year class of hake around 1kg in size. Now although they are not undersized they are on the borderline thus a mass removal of a year class that is unlikely to ever reach maturity. This will be disastrous for both the species involved and the small fishing communities of the Irish coast that have relied upon large hake for many generations. The EU is allowing hake stocks along the entire west coast of Ireland to be decimated. How can they allow this whilst claiming to be concerned with stock conservation? Interestingly the Irish vessels have decided not to set 100mm nets as they feel it would be detrimental long term. They will have to sit and watch their fishery be emptied by other EU vessels. It seems unlikely the ruling will be overturned the near future.
So lets shed some tears, shake hands and have a big group hug to celebrate the EUs incredibly bad decision making and easy yielding to major countries pressures, to the documentary makers inability to offer information past one species and one fishery and the ability of the press to take a subject they have absolutely no understanding of and confuse the reader further still. Additionally, Lets not forget those that jump on the bandwagon when it suits them.
Buying prawns can be very confusing as many sizes and varieties are available. Firstly one has to get their head around the difference between warm and coldwater prawns with the warm ones then being split into saltwater and freshwater. Then of course there are cooked, raw, peeled, whole, headless block……….
So let me tell you what I know about the prawns and shrimps that are most readily available.
North Atlantic Pink Shrimps
These are the favourite of the ‘pint of prawns’ or the classic prawn cocktail. Caught mainly in the high North Atlantic (Greenland, Norway, Faros, Latvia) they are cooked, processed and frozen on board and these will always be sold frozen or defrosted in the UK. The shell on variety are some of the tastiest prawns you will ever lay your hands on; juicy, firm and sweet.
On the other hand the peeled varieties are pretty dam tasteless hence best being covered in a Marie Rose sauce and served with iceberg lettuce. Always buy the shell on variety.
North Atlantic Brown Shrimps
The majority of the UK’s are caught inshore from Norfolk, Lancashire or off the Welsh coast. Some of the most famous British products use these including Baxters and MorecambeBay potted shrimps. They are all cooked before sale and can be bought in 2kg bags or pints of shell on, generally frozen or defrosted, or as peeled with clarified butter. The alternative is to buy small packets of peeled Dutch or Belgium peeled brown shrimps known as crevette grise, but although they are tasty they are packed in a modified atmosphere and do contain a number of preservatives.
North Atlantic Fresh Shrimps
Occasionally you will be lucky enough to stumble across raw fresh hand net caught shrimps from areas around Poole bay in Dorset and the south west. So unusual that we will not dwell, but if you see them buy them. Avoid orange ones as they died in the nets and the fresh ones may still be twitching of flipping – a real treat in flavour.
North Atlantic Prawn - Langoustine
These are the cream of the crop when it comes to prawns. Caught in the high cold waters of the North Atlantic they are sought after by the French, Italian and Spanish. The two catch methods, Creels (pots) and bottom trawled offer two totally different products that hold substantially different price tags. Langoustines can be bought frozen whole and in tail form but neither products represent the true quality of the product. They can also be bought fresh and these are known as dipped due to the addition of preservative called sodium metabisulfite to prolong the product life. This is usual for all imported fresh prawns as they undertake a quick degradable process; it is a legal carried out practice across the world and perfectly safe. The ultimate Langoustine is a live product that offers the utmost taste and texture. These are expensive but really do give the finest taste of any prawn.
Warm Saltwater Prawns – Raw
The most commonly seen prawn on a fishmongers slab is the raw black or white tiger prawn. The black are usually larger and generally wild. Many will know them as Madagascan prawns, a term used by a lot of outlets, but this is a bit misleading. The majority do, however, come from African waters further North. There are a few wild white tiger prawns available, also African, but more often than not you will find farmed products; usually from Brazil, Ecuador or other south American countries and some Asian countries. There are some certified organic prawns from Ecuador but I have never been able to find anyone to supply this product. These prawns can be fairly expensive so look for the following. The heads need to be attached and not hanging from the body. Avoid prawns with very orange heads. Also look for a nice firm springy tail. All of these prawns have been frozen irrespective of what the man behind the counter may say. They are a warm water, highly degradable product that travels from another continent - they have to be frozen. However, if you follow the tips above with what to look for you will be buying a high quality tasty product. Just to note the large black wild tigers can be bought in frozen 1kg boxes which reduces cost.
Both types of prawn are very good options for head turning starters, impressive main courses, tempura or on barbeque. They are an expensive item to have peeled as an addition to a curry as other cheaper options are available. The very large black tigers, known in the trade as U10s (a size grade) make an excellent alternative to lobster meat in pasta or risotto dishes.
Warm Saltwater Prawns – Frozen
The quality of these products varies immensely and are tarnished with much bad press regarding farming methods and local habitat destruction (mangrove) issues. Salination and chemical pollution of drinking water and agricultural land also frequently result from prawn farming. An interesting, but a little out of date article on farming prawns in Vietnam et al. can be read here Is it OK to eat tiger prawns? It is well worth a browse but as with all ‘fish stock’ related newspaper articles try to filter the scaremongering ‘shock’ factor.
These prawns offer good value. The peeled and de-veined variety is a must for curries and bbq skewers when a heavy marinade of chilli and garlic is used. They offer little in taste and sometimes can be a little earthy. The texture is ideal for the aforementioned cooking methods but maybe avoid in few strong flavours are used in the dish. The other main variety of frozen prawns is smaller black tigers frozen whole in blocks of about a kilo. Not really sure what these really offer apart from being cheap. Have tried a few times and can come across a little powdery in texture
Warm Freshwater Prawns – Frozen
These are one of the most commonly used type of prawns in a restaurant. Bought in frozen water blocks, usually headless, and generally defrosted under running water. Personally i have not sold or eaten these so have little opinion on the product.
Chelsea Green and No 10 Cale Street have over a hundred years of fish and fishmonger history. Prior to becoming a fishmonger, 10 Cale street was closely linked to the furniture trade. Records show that Mr Henry Holiday, a furniture dealer, traded from number ten between 1881 and 1891. Records from 1901 show a Henry M Baker aged 26 from Pimlico, a Portmanteau manufacturer, traded from 10 Cale Street, with his widowed aunt Mary Brown. The 1881 and 1891 census show that Mary’s husband was Alfred Brown, a portmanteau maker from Clerkenwell. Henry left 10 Cale Street in 1909 and the shop then stood empty whilst The Sutton Dwellings was being built.
Image of early Cale Street before being re-built as Sutton Dwellings. far left the tall this image of the Cambridge pub that now houses Amaia a children's clothes shop.
Thomas Butler, the first fishmonger at 10 Cale street, opened in 1914, however, he was short stayed as it seems he was a victim of The First World War. Charles Wheeler took over the mantel of fishmonger, 5 years later, in 1920, for three years. The shop had been empty throughout the war.
1913 Image of newly built Sutton Dwellings. Shops Numbers 2-14 in the picture soon became: 2 - J Humphry &sons, post office, savings bank 4 - Mrs Ellen Hughes, laundry 6 - Henry Chaston, confectioner 8 - William Bennison, pharmacy-chemist 10 - Thomas Butler, Fishmonger 12 - Henry Bott, dairyman 14 - James Wood, butcher
He was replaced by Henry Manning in 1927 and then by William G Tollman, who was born in Paddington (1884). He was the eldest son of WGTollman, also a fishmonger, who died in 1915 whilst living in Kensington. Interestingly, William ran 10 Cale Street as a fried fish shop and 17 Elystan Street as the fishmonger on the Chelsea Green. He was not the first fishmonger at 17 Elystan Street as William Warren, in 1922, then Frederick Hutton, in 1925, both tried their hand at the fish trade. In 1931 M Laport & Co. took both premises, keeping the trades in each the same. They left 10 Cale Street in 1933 and 17 Elystan Street in 1934. Currently all we know about Max Laport is that he was a Russian oilman who lived in North End Road in 1915. Mark Arkus, took 17 Elystan Street in 1935 and continued to run it as a fishmonger and also reopened 10 Cale Street, two years later, as a fried fish shop, in 1937. Both premises closed in 1941; maybe we lost Mark to the Second World War. Both shops stood empty throughout the war until Alfred Taylor reopened 10 Cale Street as a fishmonger. He stayed for 22 years until he was replaced by William Squires and Jim Reilly in 1965. Jim past away a few years later, but Bill, an institution in the world of London Fishmongery, stayed until he closed the shop in 1994. due to ill health. Rex Goldsmith took the shop a year later. 17 Elystan Street was never to sell fish again and opened as a greengrocer in 1949.
Bill Squires and Jim Reilley Circa 1970
An addition to Chelsea Green’s fish history is number 17 Cale Street. Records show a fish trader as far back as 1891 when Richard Bayne, a fishmonger from Walworth in Surrey, was in residence. This shop had 23 years of history, from 1902, as a fried fish shop. George Archer was the resident fish and chip trader until 1904 after which Mrs AmiliaCawthorne started her 10 year spell. In 1901, Amelia, born in Holberton, c1867, was living with her husband William Cawthorne who was a fishmonger from Raynham in Norfolk. The 1881 census shows William as a stable helper at 14 Lyall Mews, Knightsbridge and Amelia living with her widowed father, a farmer of 40 acres in Devon. By 1891 Amelia was a dairy maid at Wilton Park, Buckinghamshire, home of PascoeduPreGrenfell. William also worked at Wilton Park as the stable hand. William and Amelia married in 1895 in Kensington. In 1905, our new fried fish lady, now widowed, married her neighbour John Robert Royal, the shoemaker at number 19 Cale Street. After Amelia left, the fried fish shop continued until 1937 firstly under Sam Harris and then lastly Mrs Kathleen Lea. This shop ceased trading in fish in 1937 and stood empty until 1949 when it became a bakery.
What really infuriates me are people that preach about something they clearly do not understand. I am sure everybody gets this in their work place from time to time but in our industry everyone is and expert as they have just read the recent column in the Standard, or London Paper or seen a celeb chef on TV championing the cause of the next best fish.
“I hope that’s not unsustainable Bluefin tuna”, as a lady points to a line caught, tagged, Albacore Tuna from the Cornish MSC status fishery – “No madam, I do not, and have never, sold bluefin tuna” was the response – “Well I should think so, they are extinct so I am telling you must not sell them” she smugly replies “Now, do you have any nice swordfish”. So I guess substituting one well documented critically endangered species for a lesser known victim is fine. The customer left after being politely told she needs to find a fishmonger with swordfish and without a conscience. Additionally, why is it so right to use Pollack in a fish pie as ‘a filler’ as it is deemed a more ethical choice. When this is put to me I suggest maybe use another egg or handful of mushrooms as if you are only using tasteless Pollack as a filler surely its best left in the sea – the ultimate ethical choice. Ling, coley, bib and whiting also fit into this bracket. I guess I just can’t get my head around the incorrect use of ‘a sustainable fish’. All fish are sustainable, as are trees, whereas oil, coal and gas are exhaustible. People have to realise that the catch method or volume of capture is what should be deemed sustainable.
When you visit your fishmonger attempt to make an ethical choice – but be sure you understand what that is. You will get no help from your fishmonger on this one as most likely he has little idea or interest about the subject. You will probably get a pre-rehearsed response that helps a sale. There are few of us that really care, have the knowledge, insight and passion to understand the differences and I feel proud that I can stand and chat to interested customers openly and truthfully about the subject.
SW3 is quite the fashionable area and although it does not attract the movie stars of Hampstead, musicians of Camden or it girls of Notting Hill it does throw up a few interesting people. We squeezed oor heads to list the famous that have bought our fare.
The List, in alphabetical order, is as follows:
Donna Air Robin Anderson Jane Asher Tamara Beckworth Henry Blofeld Piers Bronson Sol Campbell Andrea Corr Bernie Ecclestone Sir Bob Geldof Zac Goldsmith Francesca Gonshaw Loyd Grossman Nigel Havers Felicity Kendall Frank Lampard Jean Marsh Liza Minnelli Jimmy Nail Sir Peter O'sullivan Mark Owen Micheal Parkinson Gerald Scarfe Claudia Schiffer Dudley Sutton Johnny Vaughan Terry Venables Helen Worth Carly Zucker
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