Robin Turner Talks About Christmas Seafood
Meet my old pal Robin Turner - a well known and respected figure in West Cornwall. Through my work as a newspaper journalist I have known Robin for many years. I first used to visit him at his seafood wholesale business in Newlyn from where he’d give me all sorts of advice on seasonal fish and news of other marine delights.
Now that I have returned to writing and editing the Western Morning News food pages each Saturday through the auspices of my work at RAW Food & Drink PR, I once again talk with Robin on a regular basis and he kindly fills me in on all the seafood news from the high seas.
What follows is an example of the kind of story we get from Robin - who now works with his partner Rebecca in their excellent company Indulgence Catering… Check out their website for more details http://www.indulgence-catering.co.uk/
As we begin to think about the festive season Cornish seafood expert, Robin Turner of Indulgence Catering, has some timely advice for those who like the idea of serving fish at Christmas…
“Ordering fish and shellfish now for Christmas will really help the region’s fishing industry during this lockdown because there is nothing worse than sending boats out if the catch cannot be sold," says Robin, who spent most of this professional career as an auctioneer and seafood wholesaler in Newlyn. “And the point is that a lot of fish and shellfish will keep very well for a month in a freezer as long as it is set at minus 20 degrees Celsius.”
Rebecca and Robin preparing something delicious at Indulgence Catering
Ordering in advance not only helps the fishermen, it can also help bag you a bargain for Christmas.
“The prices of most live shellfish, for example, increase substantially the nearer we get to the third week of December,” says Robin. “There are exceptions - such as live oysters, mussels, clams and black queens. These are harvested sustainably from licensed beds or shellfish farms and can normally be ordered in advance to collect fresh on the last day of fish shop trading.”
Of course, the winter weather has the biggest say in the marketplace…
“Prices vary according to availability. But if you order crabs and lobsters towards the middle of November for delivery at the end of the month you can bag yourself prime shellfish at reasonable prices.
“Crab is in prime condition during October, November and December. Why no have them delivered and cook and freeze them for the festive season. This need not take anything away from the eating qualities, as long as you follow cooking instructions and your deep-freeze is up to the job. Shellfish will last a month at minus 20 degrees Celsius. But always contact your fishmonger for advice.
“Crab and lobster prices can double within a week during December,” says Robin who also recommends ordering king scallops in advance for freezing as long as the meat is cleaned and removal from the shell…
“The variety of fish species we have is phenomenal, but there may be things even the keenest foodie does not know about fish - spawning seasons etc - and what gives the best quality for the table.
“For example, plaice start spawning in December. This means large plaice are developing eggs (roe) for reproduction in January and February. The majority of large plaice are female - male are mostly smaller. This means females will have a percentage of their normal meat content reduced by the space required to carry the eggs.
“Added to this, the smaller males are in top condition as they will have to fight to get to the eggs to fertilise them. The meat content of a male plaice in December can be 55% and bones etc 45%. Whereas the females can have 38-40% meat and 60-62% bones etc.
“Fish spawning seasons vary species to species, so most other fish will be in good condition working from now through December to the middle of January. Then things change again, so I will be back in these pages to chat about the fluctuating fish seasons soon.”
