Monday, June 24, 2013

THAT IS FISHY

A charitable interpretation would be, that I reckon the sales assistant had wrapped the small packet of fish so efficiently, s/he could not see what it was when the job was done. 

The customer that came and bought the well-packaged fish, some time ago, was yours truly, me.  I bought it because I saw a label stating the contents were undyed natural smoked haddock.  When home, I put the packed fish as was, in a clear freezer bag and placed it in the freezer.  Today, rummaging around in the freezer, I saw the label ....just the thing, we'll have Kedgeree tonight.  Maybe, I'll prepare rice now, I thought, then I decided to do it later.  I left the bagged contents to defrost while went out to town pay some bills.

Salivating at the thought of the flavours of the meal to come, I got the rice out, but then, first, checked to see if the fish was ready for cooking.  Just as well I did.  As I took one bag off, then another, and yet another, the colour of the contents did not quite gel with the description on the label--natural-- undyed--this was looking decidedly orange-ish through a white plastic food bag.

Our evening meal became flash fried sweet chili - coated slices of salmon.





10 comments:

David Oliver said...

You bought a pig in a poke! Don't feel bad there was no way to know it should have been labeled "pig."

Anonymous said...

That's scary, buying something and discovering that it's different from what you chose to buy. I don't know if I would have had the courage to eat it...

ZACL said...

Hi David,

If a hoof had been in the bag, it would have been easier to work out by the feel of the thing that label might not have matched contents.

The meal was okay though, even if unexpected.
:)

ZACL said...

The aspect you highlight, Shimon, I agree, is scary.

As I live in a household where fish (except Salmon) usually comes home with the fisherman, upon examining the fish I had defrosted, there were no concerns about using it. The fisherman doesn't usually smoke Haddock or similar fish, suitable for a kedgeree. I might just suggest it though, weather permitting. The small fish smoker we have, has to be used outdoors and is therefore, weather dependent.

In future, I am definitely going to get pre-wrapped fish opened and checked, should I purchase more.

Snowbird said...

That's rather naughty isn't it? I do hope you complain when you go back, you may get some free haddock!

I don't get why things are so heavily packaged either, I'm constantly emailing supermarkets re packaging things like bananas in plastic....they must be sick to death of me!xxxx

Anonymous said...

Not a bad mistake as far as the type of fish is concerned but annoying never the less. Modern plastic packaging is a real pain at times. Flighty xx

ZACL said...

My considered guess regarding the number of bags the fish was wrapped in, was as much to do with reducing the fish smell as anything else. It was from the 'fresh counter' not on a sealed tray, Snowbird.

The number of 'smell reduction' white coloured bags also hid the contents rather well.

ZACL said...

You're right about the type of fish Mr F, not being a problem. The contents in the last of the bags was a surprise and could have been annoying if, I hadn't delayed cooking the other ingredients and checked exactly what I had first.

keiko amano said...

Because of the color-added problem, the super market I go to in the U.S. labels the salmon slices with the color-added sign, so I don't buy them. The natural salmon is more expensive and less color, but I'm not a fan of salmon anyway. So, I just buy fish that is white.

ZACL said...

We have natural salmon here, there's no need for adding 'make-up' to fish.

The only dyed fish I am aware of is a white fish we call Haddock, it is sometimes dyed yellow (with a smokey taste) instead of going to the trouble of smoking it and getting a lighter natural smoked colour and a decent flavour. I don't buy the dyed white fish.

The only thing added to the salmon I accidentally bought, Keiko,was the sweet chili sauce dressing.

You are very wise to take your fish without added false colour.