I admit that I have been very gutless when it comes to purchasing fish. Ages ago, a Timorese gave me instruction on the fish inspection and purchase process.
Always in the morning as the fish sit out in 30+ degrees heat all day. Check the eye colour and the colour of the gills. I forgot the details and have never been brave enough to purchase myself. Any thoughts of me becoming a doctor went out the window based on my dislike of the fish gutting and filleting process. Yet I like eating fish but don’t like getting really crook like I did early last year.
The result is I buy all meat and fish frozen from one of the supermarkets. (I don’t like butchering an oxe either !)
Maybe I have been asleep for a while, but I noticed the fish vendors near the Lita supermarket are now using ice. These guys have only been selling from here for a month or so (or 3) and join the fruit and veg merchants who finally returned here after a long break courtesy of the events of last year.
Maybe it is time to reconsider fresh fish purchasing. A lot of the time, the fish are quite small (about 150mm in length) and probably not what most expats look for. Fresh squid hanging from a tree is not exactly the greatest look either. But if the boys provide a good selection (say 200 to 400mm length), put it on ice and offer a gutting service, I’m in.
Nice to see you back again.
When buying fish:
Eyes should be clear, no ‘mistiness’.
Gills inside should be red.
If the fish smells of fish, don’t buy it. It should smell of the sea.
enjoy….
Am going through a phase when I don’t know what to write about. I have drafted a couple of posts but … too naff (unstylish, outmoded). Everything seems to be going political so fish seemed to be the most appropriate response. To be a fly on a few walls …
Did you mean my eyes should be clear and no redness around the gills ?
I know what you mean about what to post. I’ve got very self-indulgent and am clutching at straws. I’ve even just put up a ‘5 things you don’t know about me’ thing.
I thought your eyes were naturally red around the gills….
I just returned from a cooking class here in the land of plenty and yes indeed, fish (and blog writers, I might add) should have clear eyes, gills that can be read, and not smell fishy. Carry on – you & FOS are my favorite news reads for the day. Beats the same old, redundant US media blather.
Worried Mama
Worried Mama, stop it. You are embarressing me.
And if you don’t already, you should start a blog of your own. I liked the ‘gills that can be read’ thing….. very smart.
x x
FOS