every day i am more and more into fish. although i miss the variety and quality of fish from back home, i try to eat as much local fish, lobster and conch as possible.

when buying from the local fishermen, here in provo, i know its fresh, as i see them arriving to the dock – you can’t get fresher than this!

but when buying from the fish mongers or supermarket, i always find it hard telling if the fish is fresh. so i found a few jamie oliver tips on this;

USE YOUR EYES

• Fresh fish has shiny almost slimy skin like it’s just come out of the water.
• Scaly fish like salmon, sardines or red mullet should have all their scales intact not half rubbed off.
• Fish should have bright clear eyes, not cloudy or glazed over, and healthy red gills. filets of fish should be shiny and look wet. The flesh should not be flaking apart.
• Look at the display of fish. If they’re neatly laid out on the ice it shows that the fishmonger cares about what he’s selling. If they’re carelessly thrown in a pile so the filets are bent and flaking apart, be wary. Just imagine what the fridge in the back must look like!

USE YOUR NOSE

• Fresh fish never ever smells fishy. It smells of the sea.
• Don’t be afraid to get close to the fish and take a good sniff. Trust what your nose tells you.
• Strong fishy smells in a fishmonger’s are a bad sign, and if you smell anything like ammonia, it’s time to turn around and walk out the door!

USE YOUR HANDS

• Reach out and touch the fish if you can. It should be slippery and wet like it’s just come out of the sea.
• Press it lightly. It should be firm and slightly rubbery to the touch.
• Fish that has hard, dry skin or is squishy and soft to the touch is fit for the bin, not your frying pan!

more on how to tell if fish is fresh

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