(Supposed) Traditional Fish and Chips

Doc_N

Pollycat wrote: »

Just curious - is rock salmon more popular down South?

I'm pretty sure I've never seen it in chip shops in my area.

It's a southern thing, mainly. It was stopped from being called Rock Salmon a while back (in case it was confused with salmon - as if!) but that seems not to be a problem now. Often called Huss or Rock Eel.

Still mainly Haddock in the north (not a lot of Skate around, as there is in the south) with Cod as an alternative. Haddock's much nicer than Cod - but that's just a personal preference.

Some (mainly southern) fish and chip shops are illegally substituting Pangasius/River Cobbler/Basa for the Cod and Haddock without telling their customers. It tastes just fine (much like Haddock) but there are widespread allergic issues with it - far more widespread than you'll ever find with the traditional Cod and Haddock, or Pollock for that matter.

Exile_geordie

Pollycat wrote: »

If I'm having fish then, yes, I would prefer to buy it from a chippy.

I'm not sure how that equates to 'smugness' as occasionally I do eat in similar establishments to the one the OP visited.
.

In the same vein as when fast food threads pop up - normally Subway - you always get the ones going

'Oooh I dont know why you waste your money. I take in sandwiches I made at home. Much cheaper and much better for you. OooOoooh'

Pollycat

Exile_geordie wrote: »

In the same vein as when fast food threads pop up - normally Subway - you always get the ones going

'Oooh I dont know why you waste your money. I take in sandwiches I made at home. Much cheaper and much better for you. OooOoooh'

Totally different scenarios.

I was just expressing my own personal preference between fish from a chip shop and fish cooked in pub/restaurants in response to Quoia asking 'What do you want?'

No smugness there at all.

I would never presume to suggest to another poster that they'd be better making their own sandwiches - unless of course it was on the DFW board and someone was asking for advice on how to cut down on spending - and I haven't told the OP he'd be better off buying Iceland fish fingers or going to his local chippy either.

peachyprice

hollydays wrote: »

What is rock salmon?

Yummy!

It's the one with one large bone down it's back, it has lovely moist meaty flesh and not at all fishy. It's also called rock eel or huss I believe.

peachyprice

Doc_N wrote: »

The consultant - an expert in this field - concluded that the problem was related specifically to the fish we are discussing here - Pangasius. Also commonly called River Cobbler and Basa.

His view was that the toxins might be present in one fish, but not necessarily all, depending on source. This fish is a common source of problems - far, far more than the Haddock and Cod which it is replacing.

Yes, that's what I said, she's allergic to this particular fish.

Pollycat

Doc_N wrote: »

It's a southern thing, mainly. It was stopped from being called Rock Salmon a while back (in case it was confused with salmon - as if!) but that seems not to be a problem now. Often called Huss or Rock Eel.

Still mainly Haddock in the north (not a lot of Skate around, as there is in the south) with Cod as an alternative. Haddock's much nicer than Cod - but that's just a personal preference.

Some (mainly southern) fish and chip shops are illegally substituting Pangasius/River Cobbler/Basa for the Cod and Haddock without telling their customers. It tastes just fine (much like Haddock) but there are widespread allergic issues with it - far more widespread than you'll ever find with the traditional Cod and Haddock, or Pollock for that matter.

Appalling thing to do.

I hope people are reporting them to Trading Standards.

LilElvis

Pollycat wrote: »

Just curious - is rock salmon more popular down South?

I'm pretty sure I've never seen it in chip shops in my area.

Haven't a clue as I've not been to a fish and chip shop in years.

Husband used to manage fish farms and is beyond picky about what fish he will eat. Most of the hideous chemicals they used to use in farming fish have now been banned within the EU, but he really doesn't trust that they aren't being used elsewhere. We have now come to an agreement that I can buy farmed fish from M&S and Waitrose as he is prepared to trust that they check their suppliers rigorously. Point blank will not eat salmon though - he never wants to see one again in his life after rearing thousands of the things.

Sea bass fillets for us this weekend from M&S. £5.50 for a pack of two, or three packs for a tenner - so reasonably MSE

wellused

On holiday abroad I have enjoyed eating catfish as it has a meaty flavour, I have heard that the downside of catfish is that it can be riddled with worms and if the chef isn't diligent enough to remove them then the diner gets just that bit more protein than he expected. I pass on the catfish option now as I am just that bit too squeamish, if I didn't know I would be non the wiser.

hollydays

SpammyTheSpammer wrote: »

Round my way, Rock was regarded as a good (posh) alternative to cod/haddock. If you have not heard of it, I have difficulty in believing that you ever frequented a chippy....

" She frequented a chippy"
I can think of better epitaphs
Reverse snobbery anyone?

NeverInDebt

I guess some people love a nice catfish