Another Food Law That Gets My Goat

[hc4361]

Having ranted about the widespread sale of Halal meat on another thread, I cannot understand why restaurants, pubs and take aways are no longer legally required to specify the type of fish that is hidden in batter when advertised as 'fish and chips' or 'traditional fish and chips'.

If you ask the staff they won't know. Some people are allergic to Panga (also known as Vietnamese River Cobbler and other names), I'm not but I don't like it yet it is being commonly substituted for cod or haddock.

Panga is dirt cheap and they are charging cod prices for it. Google it and you'll find plenty of reasons not to eat it.

It is illegal to sell meat pies, meat sandwiches etc without specifying the type of meat.

Do you care what's inside your batter when you eat fish and chips?

[ichkeria]

Yes of course I'd forgotten about Macdonalds delectable filet-o-fish :-) Those hideous chain restaurants probably mass produce their menus first and worry about the type of fish later

[hc4361]

You might like panga, jth, I don't.

People can be allergic to it without knowing
http://metro.co.uk/2011/01/24/teacher-luke-marvell-almost-dies-eating-fish-and-chips-632667/

[hc4361]

Even my local independent pub sells 'white fish' even though it is described as traditional fish and chips.

[shaneystar2]

They had rock salmon this morning at the farmers market ..All local from a chap who fishes off the coast here. I love rock salmon . We're lucky to have local fishermen,although only a few,but well worth supporting and a fishmonger What's served up round here is mostly caught locally .
I wouldn't eat in a Harvester or any place that just serves "white fish ".

[emmie]

we always had rock salmon, it's one of the tastiest white fish i know

[shaneystar2]

It's delicious ,probably because you get that bone .They say the nearer the bone the sweeter the meat .

[hc4361]

Rock salmon is dogfish, I think. I like it.

[emmie]

it was never expensive, but last time i had some almost 6 quid with chips.

[boxtops]

Ah - basa's the one they've started selling in Morrisons, I remembered it was a catfish, a scavenger.

[netibiza]

Not too bothered, if I ask for cod and I think it's cod, I don't really mind.

[shaneystar2]

Skate wings are nice too hc4361.They had some of those this morning and dabs which are really nice .The cod there was 11 quid a kilo ..that's proper cod .
I bought a dressed crab and some plaice fillets :)
.

[Jeza]

Has anyone tried Coley? We love it. Morrison's sell it and it's half the price of Cod.

[emmie]

i used to love skate wings, grilled with a little butter and lemon.

[LyndaB]

The last time I bought fish and chips from the chippy it was very very expensive and the batter was horrid. I vowed there and then to learn how to make proper crisp batter or die in the attempt, and I did (and no beer or soda water involved either). Most Fridays, we now have home cooked haddock(our personal favourite) with chips and peas, sliced white bread and a cup of tea. Food for the gods!

[diddlydo]

Why this working class British obsession with having bread and butter with fish and chips? Never mind the pot of tea.

[shaneystar2]

Why not ?
We always have bread and butter and a cup of tea ,sometimes we even have mushy peas :)
What are you then upper class?
I suppose you have champagne and nibbles.Then again you may be really lower class and eat it out of the paper with a can of Stella ...lol ....

[LyndaB]

Who could possibly resist the urge of the chip butty - not me that's for sure. And a cup of tea - especially when slurped out of a saucer - completes the working class experience. The ferrets love it too ;-)

[naomi24]

I don't know any restaurant that doesn't specify the type of fish it's serving - or any fish & chip shop. How odd!

[twix123]

We always used to have bread and butter with soused herrings to help swallow any bones that were missed.

As a youth I worked in a fishmongers, where we only sold coley as cat food, not for human consumption (but of course we didn't know if customers ate it themselves!).

[diddlydo]

Why have 2 lots of stodge i.e. potatoes/chips and bread, AND butter on the bread to add to the amount of fat you're already consuming in the fish and chips? No wonder there's a problem with obesity in this country.