Fishy Business - About Fish
01708 224556

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 24th year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Christmas Turkeys
As well as fulfilling orders for fresh fish and shellfish over the festive period, we are also proud suppliers of top quality fresh Turkeys, and have been for the last 10 years!

Our prices for 2017 are as follows:

4 - 5kg - £5 per lb / £11 per kg
5.5 - 6kg - £4.77 per lb / £10.50 per kg
6.5 - 7kg - £4.54 per lb / £10.00 per kg
7.5 - 8kg - £4.32 per lb / £9.50 per kg
8.5 - 10kg - £4.09 per lb / £9.00 per kg
10kg + - &pounbd;3.85 per lb / £8.45 per kg

Crowns - 2-5Kg are £5.50 per lb / £12.10 per kg. For Bronze Black turkey, add £0.75.

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.

The sea provides the vast majority of the fish that we eat. Mostly, fish are broadly classified by their habitat, with pelagic fish like mackerel, herring and sprats swimming close to the surface while demersal fish such as cod, haddock, plaice and sole sticking close to the seabed. Naturally this variation in habitat leads to a wide variance in the character of the fish on our plates.

Seafish are also commonly classified as white fish and oily fish depending on where they store their body fat. White fish only store their fat in the liver while oily fish store theirs in the liver and throughout their bodies.

With fish oils being rich in omega-3, many health experts recommend eating fish at least twice a week and taking a balance of white and oily fish. Here are some examples of white fish:

• Cod
• Coley
• Haddock
• Hake
• Halibut
• Monkfish
• Plaice
• Sea bass
• Skate
• Sole
• Whiting

• Anchovies
• Carp
• Eel
• Herring
• Kipper
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Swordfish
• Trout
• Tuna (fresh not canned)

The variety of freshwater fish is truly amazing, although very few species are actually brought to the table in this country. At Fishy Business we pride ourselves in offering a freshwater selection of high quality salmon, trout and eels.

If you do want something a little different or special such as Vietnamese River Cobbler, tilapia or catfish we will do our very best to get it for you. We are only a phone call away.

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 23rd year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Christmas Turkeys
As well as fulfilling orders for fresh fish and shellfish over the festive period, we are also proud suppliers of top quality fresh Turkeys, and have been for the last 10 years!

Our prices for 2011 are as follows:

4 - 5kg - ?4.41 per lb / ?9.72 per kg
5.5 - 6kg - ?4.20 per lb / ?9.25 per kg
6.5 - 7kg - ?4.01 per lb / ?8.85 per kg
7.5 - 8kg - ?3.81 per lb / ?8.40 per kg
8.5 - 10kg - ?3.63 per lb / ?8.00 per kg
10kg + - ?3.45 per lb / ?7.60 per kg

Crowns - All sizes are ?5.00 per lb / ?11.00 per kg

History of Fish and Chips
In the United Kingdom, fish and chips became a cheap food popular among the working classes with the rapid development of trawl fishing in the North Sea in the second half of the nineteenth century. Before then, fishermen had used long lines to target only large, high-quality demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish, especially valuable sole. Trawlers, on the other hand, landed a mixed catch of high-quality "prime" and cheaper "offal" fish, most of which fishermen initially threw back into the water due to the lack of a market. However, as railway charges fell, it became viable to transport this cheaper fish inland, and demersal fish became a mass-market commodity rather than a costly luxury.

Deep-fried "chips" (slices or pieces) of potato as a dish may have made their first appearance in Britain about the same period: the OED notes as its earliest usage of "chips" in this sense the mention in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities (published in 1859): "Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil". (Note that Belgian tradition, as recorded in a manuscript of 1781, dates the frying of potatoes carved into the shape of fish back at least as far as 1680.)

The modern fish-and-chip shop ("chippy" in modern British slang) originated in the United Kingdom, although outlets selling fried food occurred commonly throughout Europe. According to one story, fried-potato shops spreading south from Scotland merged with fried-fish shops spreading from southern England. Early fish-and-chip shops had only very basic facilities. Usually these consisted principally of a large cauldron of cooking-fat, heated by a coal fire. Unsanitary by modern standards, such establishments also emitted a smell associated with frying, which led to the authorities classifying fish-and-chip supply as an "offensive trade", a stigma retained until the interwar period. The industry overcame this reputation because during World War II fish and chips remained one of the few foods in the United Kingdom not subject to rationing.

Deep-fried fish and deep-fried chips have appeared separately on menus for many years, though potatoes did not reach Europe until the 17th century. The originally Sephardi dish pescado frito, or deep-fried fish, came to the Netherlands and England with the Spanish and Portuguese Jews in the 17th and 18th centuries. (History credits the Portuguese with introducing the dish to Japan: see tempura.)

The dish became popular in wider circles in London and South East England in the middle of the 19th century (Charles Dickens mentions a "fried fish warehouse" in Oliver Twist, first published in 1838) whilst in the north of England a trade in deep-fried "chipped" potatoes developed. The first chip shop stood on the present site of Oldham's Tommyfield Market. It remains unclear exactly when and where these two trades combined to become the fish-and-chip shop industry we know today. Joseph Malin opened the first recorded combined fish-and-chip shop in London in 1860 or in 1865 while a Mr Lees pioneered the concept in the North of England in Mossley, Lancashire in 1863. For more information go to the Wikipedia fish and chips page

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 24th year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Christmas Turkeys
As well as fulfilling orders for fresh fish and shellfish over the festive period, we are also proud suppliers of top quality fresh Turkeys, and have been for the last 10 years!

Our prices for 2017 are as follows:

4 - 5kg - £5 per lb / £11 per kg
5.5 - 6kg - £4.77 per lb / £10.50 per kg
6.5 - 7kg - £4.54 per lb / £10.00 per kg
7.5 - 8kg - £4.32 per lb / £9.50 per kg
8.5 - 10kg - £4.09 per lb / £9.00 per kg
10kg + - £3.85 per lb / £8.45 per kg

Crowns - 2-5Kg are £5.50 per lb / £12.10 per kg.

For Bronze Black turkey, add £0.70 per Kg for crowns or whole birds.

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 24th year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Christmas Turkeys
As well as fulfilling orders for fresh fish and shellfish over the festive period, we are also proud suppliers of top quality fresh Turkeys, and have been for the last 10 years!

Our prices for 2017 are as follows:

4 - 5kg - £5 per lb / £11 per kg
5.5 - 6kg - £4.77 per lb / £10.50 per kg
6.5 - 7kg - £4.54 per lb / £10.00 per kg
7.5 - 8kg - £4.32 per lb / £9.50 per kg
8.5 - 10kg - £4.09 per lb / £9.00 per kg
10kg + - £3.85 per lb / £8.45 per kg

Crowns - 2-5Kg are £5.50 per lb / £12.10 per kg.

For Bronze Black turkey, add £0.70 per Kg for crowns or whole birds.

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

Tuna Cubes with Toasted Black and White Sesame Seeds

1 Tablespoon mixed black and white sesame seeds
3 ounces Ahi or Bluefin tuna (or other sushi-quality tuna steak)
2 Tablespoons organic soy sauce
3 Tablespoons sesame oil

Put the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan and toast over medium heat for about 30 seconds or until fragrant and the white seeds start to turn golden. Transfer to a small, shallow bowl and allow to cool completely. Cut the tuna into six 1/2-inch cubes. To serve, coat one side of each cube with the sesame seeds and place on a small plate with the coated side facing-up. Drizzle soy sauce and sesame oil over the cubes.

For hundreds more fish recipes, go to The Seafish Industry Authority website at www.seafish.org

Served as an hors d'ouvre or party snack, these tuna cubes look striking and the sesame seeds really help to bring out the flavour.

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 24th year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Over the years we have built up a trade with which we are extremely happy, our regular customers keep coming back to us and many travel some distance because they know that we will always go the extra mile to make them happy. If you want it, we will try and get it wherever humanly possible.I look forward to seeing you in the shop, or hearing from you online. We have tried to offer some useful information in our website, but we believe that nothing beats the personal touch, so if there is anything you need to know about fish, just pick up the phone.

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

Seafood Paella. Ingredients:
500g live mussels
8 tbsp Olive oil
150g Chorizo, sliced
2 Onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 Tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
270g paella rice
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Turmeric
800ml chicken stock, hot
500g Monkfish, cut into 2cm cubes
6 tiger prawns, whole, raw and unshelled
2 Lemons, cut into wedges
1. Check if the mussels are alive - put them under cold running water. If they close they're good to eat, if they remain open, throw them away. Clean the live mussels, by scrubbing their shells and pulling off any beards.

2. Heat a large paella pan or heavy-bottomed frying pan, about 30cm in diameter, over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When hot, fry the chorizo until crisp. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes and red pepper, cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir the rice into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add the paprika and turmeric, followed by the hot stock, and leave to simmer for 10 minutes without stirring.

4. Scatter the pieces of monkfish over the rice and push under the surface with the back of a spoon. Then lay the mussels and prawns over the top and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Cover and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the mussels have opened completely and the prawns are pink. Serve with lemon wedges.

We should really eat more paella in Britain, it can make a great outdoor event and a fascinating alternative to barbecueing. Pans come in varying sizes and it is really simple to make great-tasting food while still enjoying your own party.

The variety of shellfish and crustacea is truly amazing, from lobsters and crabs through oysters and mussels to exotic delicacies, we always have a great selection.

If you like a good sized portion, we specialise in huge prawns and king crabs when available, as well as prepared squid and all the old favourites such as cockles, winkles clams and scallops.

If we don't have it in stock, we will do all we can to try and get it for you, so please don't hesitate to ask if you have a special requirement.

The picture opposite was provided by courtesy of The Seafish Industry Authority, whose website at www.seafish.org holds a wealth of information about the fish that we eat as well as how to choose, prepare and cook it.

Fried Whitebait. Ingreidents:
Vegetable oil for deep frying
100g flour
Sea salt
Good pinch cayenne pepper
400g Fresh whitebait
100ml milk
Lemon wedges, to serve
Tartare sauce, to serve
Method
1 Preheat about 8cm of oil to 160C-180C in a large heavy-based saucepan or deep fat fryer.
2 Mix the flour with a good pinch of salt and some cayenne pepper to taste. Dust the whitebait in the flour, shake off the excess then dip them in the milk, then back in the flour.
3 Fry the fish for 2-3 minutes in batches, until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and serve.
For hundreds more fish recipes, go to The Seafish Industry Authority website at www.seafish.org

Whitebait is one of my favourite starters, or just serve anytime as a snack. Accompanied by a nice glass of white or rose wine, nibbling these while watching the sun go down is one of life's great pleasures. Drizzle with lemon juice or dip in freshly made tartare sauce to taste.

Welcome to the Fishy Business website. We are now in our 24th year with the business and much has changed in that time. When we took over in 1993, we thought the name 'Fishy Business' was a nice, catchy one so we kept it. As well as quickly building a great reputation locally for service to retail customers, we very quickly got into supplying hotels and catering outlets. This was influenced by my wife's family who have been in the fish trade for generations and who supply most of the major hotels in central London. It was a natural progression for us to keep up the tradition.

Over the years we have built up a trade with which we are extremely happy, our regular customers keep coming back to us and many travel some distance because they know that we will always go the extra mile to make them happy. If you want it, we will try and get it wherever humanly possible.I look forward to seeing you in the shop, or hearing from you online. We have tried to offer some useful information in our website, but we believe that nothing beats the personal touch, so if there is anything you need to know about fish, just pick up the phone.

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

Fish is very rich in protein and vitamins, particularly A and D. Different types of fish also add a wide spectrum of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) to our diet, particularly omega-3, which is much in the news lately. It almost seems like there is a weekly update from the science community on newly discovered benefits of omega-3, which is now being added to all sorts of foods like spreads, yoghourts and breakfast cereals. However, the most important natural source is oily fish.

Many leading health experts suggest that we should all eat more fish. This is because fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly, once or twice a week, may reduce the risk of a wide range of diseases from childhood asthma to prostate cancer.

Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include:

• Asthma ? children who eat fish may be less likely to develop asthma.
  
  
• Brain and eyes ? fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids can contribute to the health of brain tissue and the retina (the back of the eye).
  
  
• Cardiovascular disease ? eating fish every week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing blood clots and inflammation, improving blood vessel elasticity, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood fats and boosting ?good? cholesterol.
  
  
• Dementia ? elderly people who eat fish or seafood at least once a week may have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
• Depression ? people who regularly eat fish have a lower incidence of depression (depression is linked to low levels of omega 3 fatty acids in the brain).
  
  
• Diabetes ? fish may help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
  
  
• Eyesight ? breastfed babies of mothers who eat fish have better eyesight, perhaps due to the omega 3 fatty acids transmitted in breast milk.
  
  
• Inflammatory conditions ? regular fish consumption may relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and autoimmune disease.
  
  
• Prematurity ? eating fish during pregnancy may help reduce the risk of delivering a premature baby.
  
  

Thai King Prawns For the dressing:
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp palm sugar, or raw brown sugar
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic
100ml coconut cream

For the saffron rice:
175g basmati rice
1 tsp ground turmeric
a few strands of saffron
2 tbsp desiccated coconut

Thai PrawnsFor the prawns:
6 large raw king prawns in their shells
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger
1 small fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2?3 kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk lemon grass, finely chopped
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 bunch fresh coriander, coarsely chopped
1 bunch fresh mint, coarsely chopped
Method
1. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients and leave to steep.

2. Prepare the saffron rice. Mix the dry rice with turmeric, saffron and coconut. If you want to steam the rice, add 250ml water to this mixture, then steam over boiling water for 20-25 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times to ensure the saffron is mixed in. If preparing on the hob by the absorption method, put the mixture in a saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid, add 300ml boiling water and cook gently until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Fork through once to fluff and separate grains, and keep warm.

3. Towards the end of the rice cooking time, peel the prawns, leaving their heads and tails intact. Put the garlic, ginger, chilli, lime leaves and lemon grass in a pan with the oil and heat. When the oil is hot, add the prawns, and saute very quickly, turning them once.

4. Scatter over the chopped coriander and mint. Remove with slotted spoon. Place on a bed of saffron rice and pour over a little dressing. Serve with remaining dressing in a bowl on the side.

This is just one example of what can be done with good seafood and a few simple spices. For literally hundreds of free recipe ideas, visit The Seafish Industry Authority website at www.seafish.org

With great responses from local customers and a growing wholesale business with restaurants and hotels, there was not much time at our disposal. However, many customers had been asking advice on dieting and cholesterol control for a long time. There seemed to be an air of apprehension about cooking fish and many people were unsure of what was best.

Our next development is taking shape too. With the small number of professional fishmongers in these troubled times, the difficulty of getting to out of town superstores and the cost of transport, we have recognised a need for regular local deliveries of fresh fish.

In time this service may also be extended to our barbecue marinated fish. Our range of tuna, tiger prawn and monkfish kebabs all marinated in different fresh herbs as well as sardine and red snapper fillets have become incredibly popular over the years, so deliveries could well be in great demand.

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.

History of Fish and Chips
In the United Kingdom, fish and chips became a cheap food popular among the working classes with the rapid development of trawl fishing in the North Sea in the second half of the nineteenth century. Before then, fishermen had used long lines to target only large, high-quality demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish, especially valuable sole. Trawlers, on the other hand, landed a mixed catch of high-quality "prime" and cheaper "offal" fish, most of which fishermen initially threw back into the water due to the lack of a market. However, as railway charges fell, it became viable to transport this cheaper fish inland, and demersal fish became a mass-market commodity rather than a costly luxury.

Deep-fried "chips" (slices or pieces) of potato as a dish may have made their first appearance in Britain about the same period: the OED notes as its earliest usage of "chips" in this sense the mention in Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities (published in 1859): "Husky chips of potatoes, fried with some reluctant drops of oil". (Note that Belgian tradition, as recorded in a manuscript of 1781, dates the frying of potatoes carved into the shape of fish back at least as far as 1680.)

The modern fish-and-chip shop ("chippy" in modern British slang) originated in the United Kingdom, although outlets selling fried food occurred commonly throughout Europe. According to one story, fried-potato shops spreading south from Scotland merged with fried-fish shops spreading from southern England. Early fish-and-chip shops had only very basic facilities. Usually these consisted principally of a large cauldron of cooking-fat, heated by a coal fire. Unsanitary by modern standards, such establishments also emitted a smell associated with frying, which led to the authorities classifying fish-and-chip supply as an "offensive trade", a stigma retained until the interwar period. The industry overcame this reputation because during World War II fish and chips remained one of the few foods in the United Kingdom not subject to rationing.

Deep-fried fish and deep-fried chips have appeared separately on menus for many years, though potatoes did not reach Europe until the 17th century. The originally Sephardi dish pescado frito, or deep-fried fish, came to the Netherlands and England with the Spanish and Portuguese Jews in the 17th and 18th centuries. (History credits the Portuguese with introducing the dish to Japan: see tempura.)

The dish became popular in wider circles in London and South East England in the middle of the 19th century (Charles Dickens mentions a "fried fish warehouse" in Oliver Twist, first published in 1838) whilst in the north of England a trade in deep-fried "chipped" potatoes developed. The first chip shop stood on the present site of Oldham's Tommyfield Market. It remains unclear exactly when and where these two trades combined to become the fish-and-chip shop industry we know today. Joseph Malin opened the first recorded combined fish-and-chip shop in London in 1860 or in 1865 while a Mr Lees pioneered the concept in the North of England in Mossley, Lancashire in 1863. For more information go to the Wikipedia fish and chips page

Throughout the borough of Havering, including Upminster, Hornchurch, Romford and Cranham, Fishy Business deliver delicious fresh fish every Wednesday. You can either call us with your order on the number shown on this page, or very soon order online from our wide range of filleted, whole, smoked, frozen or shellfish.Our delivery service is due to commence on November 19th 2008. Order before midday on Tuesday for delivery on Wednesday (10am - 1pm or 2 - 5pm), or order any other time for delivery on Saturdays (1-5pm)

Reduce your carbon footprint with Fishy Business.
By ordering your fish for delivery, you can cut down on one journey in your car, and because we deliver to dozens of households in a day, that means that dozens of return journeys are replaced with one efficient round trip journey. It may not make the fish taste any better, but every little helps when you think about cutting pollution.

Out of our delivery area? Wednesday not the best day for you? Ideas to improve our fresh fish delivery service are always welcome. Click here to make your suggestions.

Man has eaten fish since the beginning of our species, making it one of our most natural food sources. The variety is immense both in terms of fish from the sea and from our rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Shellfish are harvested all over the world and provide a rich palette of flavours, textures and nutritional values.

Fish is versatile too and can be cooked in so many ways from baking and steaming through grilling and barbecueing to poaching in water or milk, shallow or deep frying. Fish can be smoked, dry cured or salted as in bacala to help it keep longer and survives freezing well.

Nutrition information and image for this page are provided courtesy of the Seafish Industry Authority, www.seafish.org

There are good seasons for many types of fish, for example, fresh cod roe is lovely in January-March, sprats are at their best between August and March while native lobsters are best in the summer. Canadian Lobster is also very good in its season. In shellfish, oysters are generally good all year round, although like mussels, many people associate their best season with months that have an 'r' in their name.

In the summer, nothing beats the taste and family spirit of cooking outdoors on a barbecue. Fish is a natural choice for barbecueing as it is healthy, tastes great and is usually very easy and quick to cook, so nobody has to wait too long while the delicious smells taunt their eager tastebuds.

At Fishy Business we specialise in supplying fish for the barbecue already steeped in our own top-secret marinade. All you have to do is pop it on the grill and enjoy.

When we started, some 23 years ago, we only used to sell tuna, swordfish, scallops etc. at weekends in the summertime. Now tastes have changed and we sell them 5 days a week 52 weeks a year.