Supermarket employee here. We have a “fresh” fish counter selling stuff like whole mackerels and raw salmon fillets and the like.
Each and every one of these has been frozen at least once - this is a mandatory health hazard prevention thing (to kill off parasites etc) and also basically the only food-safe way to transport them in great quantities over long distances without them going bad. They get delivered frozen solid, get thawed behind the scenes and then put on display / on ice for customers to buy. And then they’re lying there all day long until someone happens to buy some … people still treat the pre-packaged fish from the frozen foods aisle as a second choice, even tho those have NOT been lying around half-thawed in the open air for 10 hours straight.
Long story short, “fresh” fish from the counter is less fresh than the frozen stuff, despite customers commonly believing it to be the other way around.
Given that the UK is largely surrounded by the ocean and is a mere smudge in comparison to some American states (Texas, California, …). The logistics of the fish coming in chilled is feasible. As you move more inland in the United States (Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas). Freshwater fish coming in chilled is just not possible or safe, unless shipped via overnight plane (very expensive!)
Some fish in the UK is still frozen because it comes from outside of UK waters. Like tuna. But that’s good, that means it’s safe to cook a tuna steak medium rare.
Ah, forgot to mention where I work … Southern half of Germany. To get to the coast, you have to either drive through all of Germany to the “other side”, or cross the border to France or Poland or whatever. Sea-dwelling fish like Mackerels just aren’t “fresh” here.
Along with this, just because you are going to a shoreline restaurant, doesn’t mean you are getting fresh seafood. The same frozen fish that gets deep fried in that quaint shore town is the same frozen fish served 6 hours inland.
Yep, I always ask for the bag of frozen shrimp, and smack my husband upside the head when he buys the thawed stuff. I’ve TOLD you, over and over, get the frozen bag!!
Supermarket employee here. We have a “fresh” fish counter selling stuff like whole mackerels and raw salmon fillets and the like.
Each and every one of these has been frozen at least once - this is a mandatory health hazard prevention thing (to kill off parasites etc) and also basically the only food-safe way to transport them in great quantities over long distances without them going bad. They get delivered frozen solid, get thawed behind the scenes and then put on display / on ice for customers to buy. And then they’re lying there all day long until someone happens to buy some … people still treat the pre-packaged fish from the frozen foods aisle as a second choice, even tho those have NOT been lying around half-thawed in the open air for 10 hours straight.
Long story short, “fresh” fish from the counter is less fresh than the frozen stuff, despite customers commonly believing it to be the other way around.
In the UK that’s not true here. I work at a supermarket distribution centre and fish comes in chilled not frozen.
Given that the UK is largely surrounded by the ocean and is a mere smudge in comparison to some American states (Texas, California, …). The logistics of the fish coming in chilled is feasible. As you move more inland in the United States (Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas). Freshwater fish coming in chilled is just not possible or safe, unless shipped via overnight plane (very expensive!)
Some fish in the UK is still frozen because it comes from outside of UK waters. Like tuna. But that’s good, that means it’s safe to cook a tuna steak medium rare.
Ah, forgot to mention where I work … Southern half of Germany. To get to the coast, you have to either drive through all of Germany to the “other side”, or cross the border to France or Poland or whatever. Sea-dwelling fish like Mackerels just aren’t “fresh” here.
Along with this, just because you are going to a shoreline restaurant, doesn’t mean you are getting fresh seafood. The same frozen fish that gets deep fried in that quaint shore town is the same frozen fish served 6 hours inland.
Yep, I always ask for the bag of frozen shrimp, and smack my husband upside the head when he buys the thawed stuff. I’ve TOLD you, over and over, get the frozen bag!!
Hit him with the frozen shrimp bag, maybe he’ll remember for the next time.
That’s what I pictured when I read it
Is that considered a form of foreplay in your house?
Otherwise, ouch!