General Chat

It's very sad indeed that our fishing communities have nearly all gone.
My Maternal side of the family were all Northumbrian fisherfolk,my Granma and her three sisters all fisher lassies and men foyboatmen or on trawlers.
So I remember how plentiful the North sea was for fish, and going down to North Shields fish-quay on market day there were literally hundreds of boxes of any kinds fish you'd like to buy.

One of the stories I've passed onto younger family members is of when we would come home from school and find assorted fish (some very expensive now) lying in the bath! (no fridges then) too many fish for us to eat so Mam would give some away to neighbours...who in return would give back their home baked stotties :-D...
I often think my ancestors would turn in their graves if they could see how things have turned out for the fishing industry :-(

Our seas around our coast are becoming more and more fished out. Cod is struggling hence having to buy atlantic cod and not local.

The fish quotas (which I believe are being changed) also have an impact.

So in many cases the costlier fish is that which is in short supply.

I have often been to the Ship Inn on the corner of Tregoney Hill and the Harbour Tavern which has had a terrible time due to flooding - I think the landlord is leaving

Erroll,
I didn't live there long - about 18 months, I was 9 or 10. however, I loved it. School was run by the widow of the late headmaster, almost like a 'Dame' School. I used to collect Trolls and buy clothes for them.
I went to buy something in October, and the woman who ran the shop said to me 'You'm still here then?' 'Yes', I said, 'I live here'.
'Oh', she replied, 'Then them dolly clothes b'aint be 2/11, if you'm be local they're 2/6'!!
When, much later I started genealogy, I discovered my grandmother's family had ben tin miners (both men & women) lived for generations in the Kea/Probus/Ruan Lanihorne area.
We went on a family holiday back to the area a few years ago. Unfortunately both the old squint fishermans cottage we lived in, just off Tregony Hill and the fish factory next door had been demolished and replaced with new flats.
But, my nephew & I found the graves of my great grandmother and her brother. :-D

Maggie - Mevagissey is one of my favourite places on the planet.
I have spent a lot of time around the Charlestown area.
I love the Rising Sun at Portmellon and over the other side I always enjoy regatta week at Fowey when I am usually found at the aptly named Galleon pub on the terrace at the back overlooking the estuary

Can't remember which programme it was on but somebody was demonstrating about fish (may have been country file). She held it close to her face and said 'you can smell it from her, that is fine'. Then she held it down low towards her knees and said 'but if you can smell it from here it is not'.

I make my own fish pie, but I guess you'll be ok John if you have survived so far after eating FF fish pie. Actually it is called 'Admiral's' pie so maybe......????

Hi John,
I know what you mean about 'fresh' fish.
Rule of thumb - if you can smell it - don't buy it :-|
I miss not living by the sea/a fishing port, I could live on fish.
When we lived in Mevagissey, every morning, when the boats came in, our cat would go down to 'welcome' them. She'd come back, fish in mouth and give it to one of us to cook it :-0
It was duly put in a pan, cooked, and, if we left it to cool for too long, there'd be a 'clunking' noise from the kitchen as she pushed the lid off the pan and removed 'her' fish :-D

When I lived in Shetland, one place we lived, we were on a voe, 16 miles from Lerwick, and had 2 buses a week - but it was a 3 mile walk to the bus stop :-S
One week, I couldn't be bothered going shopping, so harvested mussels and seaweed from the rocks. It was delicious :-D

Maggie. I do try to have fish once a day and it has made me the man I am today. And I like tinned mackerel on toast and Admirals Pie, both of which are considerably less than £1 for a decent meal.

I also like to buy fish bargains in Morrisons. And there are so many different flavours to enjoy and so many different ways to cook it and serve it. I try to avoid farmed fish, as that seems very unnatural to me. Frozen at sea fish seems best - waters are cleanest in far north, and they are filleted and frozen as they are caught.

Best if you have access to a sea fish port and know the local fishermen and can buy direct from them. But many of us buy "fresh fish" which is a long way (and sometimes time) from swimming round and has not been kept frozen or filleted immediately. Bit like eating mouldy cheese and cuting the mould away and believing it is ok :-(

Maggiewinchester, I know what you mean. I would not eat Admiral Pie, if it was given free, and I was starving, and I do mean that.
I make fish pie, with white fish, smoked fish and prawns, not cheap I know, but at least I know the contents of the pie. Similarly I make fish fingers and fish cakes, but from real ingredients. If I want crab, I buy a crab, not paste.
You get what you pay for, and I would not be seen dead in F*** F***s.

Julia in Still Very Snowy Derbyshire

It's fish, John, but not as we know it :-D





...used to make crab paste too........

I used to buy fish fingers and fish cakes. I don't now, wonder whats in them. and your fish pie john.

Yes, Youngs, Maggie. I dread to ask the next question :-( :-( :-(

Does taste lovely, mind. And only 15/- :-D

Is that made by Youngs, John?


.........I used to work for them in the Shetlands.....

I don't eat Youngs....... :-|

I quite enjoy frozen Admiral's Pie. Just whack it in oven for 40 minutes and you have a nice satisfying meal with plenty of fish.

But it is only 75p in my local Farm Foods. And that is not a promotion price - it has been 75p for 18 months.

So where does the fish come from? What is it? I am wondering (horror orf horrors) if it is seahorse :-0 :-0 :-0

Monkfish used to be called the working man's salmon, I think. Fishermen used to throw it away :-(

I love sea fish, but won't eat cod.
In the Shetlands, it's known as 'Worm fish' - for good reason :-D

This is also why I don't eat Sushi

Like Errol I wait until the clearace shelves are full with bargains. Yesterday I bought smoked cod tail ends for £2.20 reduced from £4.00 and they were beautiful.

GP

purple,
I love fish don't eat as much as I used to due to the price. have been looking at river cobbler. I may give that a try, its cheaper than cod. jean x

I find you can get some really good deals towards the end of the day near closing time at supermarkets

Yum indeed, Jean, but my o.h. hates them and complains of the smell lol I also eat a lot of salmon when he is on the late shift but again, he doesn't like the smell when he gets in.


When my son was young, from about two years old he would enjoy a piece of cod grilled with peas and carrots or corn, I would buy it for him two or three times a week, as we had a fishmonger/greengrocer very close to our house. It was affordable then.

Fish and chips isn't a cheap takeaway, it costs us nearly £9 for two medium sized portions of fish and some chips from our favourite chippie.

Lizx