It’s Friday, and I Smell a Fish
I smell a fish, … and it makes my mouth water. If you’ve ever passed by the Plumstead Fisheries on the corner of Victoria and Main Road, Plumstead, you will know what I’m talking about.
An institution in Plumstead for 59 years, the fisheries has been the source of countless takeaway dinners in the local and surrounding suburbs since it opened its doors in 1950.
I recall the glee that the fish and chip parcels were greeted with in our household on the odd Friday night. Our family favourite was the snoek fried in batter, and a pile of slap* chips with salt and vinegar. That parcel fed our entire family of six; my mother, father, his mother, my two older sisters and me. Today, those family parcels can still feed a family of that size, no matter what inflation says!
The smell of fish and chips from Plumstead Fisheries immediately takes me back to my childhood. I can see myself at the dinner table with my sisters. My mother made sure that we were indoors from half past four in the afternoon, to be bathed and in nightgowns by the time our father came home from work. Each sister had a turn to lay the table, wash up and dry off after dinner. The one to have a turn on the fish and chip night was lucky, there was a whole lot less cleaning to do!
In my adventurous twenties, working around the corner from the fish shop, I decided to broaden my late-blooming palate and try fish other than snoek, kingklip, angel fish and tuna. I was told by a customer of the Plumstead Fisheries that they sold the most heavenly calamari. The thought of eating a squishy eight legged sea monster terrified me just a little at the time. I will never forget the moment when I finally opted to try the calamari instead of their chiproll for lunch – I think I fell in love! My teeth sunk into the soft white flesh that simply melted in my mouth, while the aroma wafted up my nose and filled my being with the sense of being at the ocean. After that, I was hooked…
I’ve come a long way since then – not in age, just in tasting different fish, (and confess that I may have turned into a bit of a sushi addict along the way); but the most important thing I’ve learnt is that there are not that many fish in the sea! If you’re on the same wave length as I am, and feel passionate about the environment and sustainability, check out my post script for some links to fantastic fish facts…
It’s Friday today, so it’s no wonder my colleagues left the kitchen smelling like a fish shop. Whoever thought that smelling something fishy could be so pleasant?
Glossary: *slap – pronounced: slup. Description: chips that are deep fried, soft and soggy, often slathered in salt and vinegar, sometimes dusted with peri-peri or other spices depending on the takeaway outlet
Post Script: If you are in South Africa and care about the environment, then I would recommend that you stick to eating fish on the Green List provided by WWF SASSI that names the fish that are legally caught and sold, and are from the healthiest and most well managed populations. Be aware that the following Orange List outlines which fish populations are under strain. Please pay particular attention to the Red List – the fish listed here are ILLEGAL TO BUY OR SELL in South Africa. Some may be protected, or reserved for recreational fishing only – which means that you need to obtain a valid permit to catch them, and you have to follow specific regulations. So when I encourage you to eat fish carefully, it’s not just to look out for the bones, but also to support Sustainable Seafood!
