....Back to the previous page
This page should answer almost all questions about the way we operate our
service, but if you still need help you can ring our freephone number above
during the week and we will be happy to help.
Can you deliver to xxxx
We deliver all over England, Wales and Scotland to just north
of Edinburgh. We can't at present deliver to the Highlands of Scotland, Ireland
or the Islands around the coast as we can't guarantee delivery within the 24
hour deadline. For the same reason we DO NOT deliver to overseas destinations,
as the refrigerated transport required, is not yet able to cope with domestic
deliveries. We do take orders from all over the world for deliveries in this
area to friends and relatives. If you are not sure, ring us on 0800 027 2066
(free phone uk), or +44 1637 889168 (international) and we will be happy to
help.
How much is your
delivery charge I thought it was explained ok but we have been asked so I
will repeat it, we have no minimum order, and the default charge is for priority AM delivery.
Delivery charge is £7.95. Top^
I
won't be home for the delivery what should I do.
We use an overnight courier who, provided they have an
instruction from us, will leave your parcel wherever you have a safe place. If
you are out to work you could have it delivered to your work address, just let
us know. They do find a contact telephone number for the recipient is very
helpful in case of problems, like they can't find your address (maybe in the
middle of the moors). Top^
Will
the fish/shellfish be ok till I get home
Your fish will be packed in an insulated container with
sufficient Ice to ensure the temperature is stable for at least 24 hours after
leaving us. We have tested the system over a 48 hour period very successfully.
If you have any doubts when you open the box, ring us straight away. Top^
Why do you use
Ice and not Gel Packs
There are several good reasons, the main one being that ice
by it's very nature regulates it's temperature very close to 0 Deg C far better
than any thermostat ever could. As a storage medium for fish it is perfect for
keeping the fish in peak condition without freezing it. Gel packs need to be
frozen to a very low temperature in order to store sufficient energy to do their
job. Even the most modern of Trawlers use ice on the fish, even though many of
them have refrigerated fishrooms, the extra refrigeration helps to hold the
temperature down, but the ice does the important job of cooling the fish
straight from the sea. Top^
How does the Ice work
To convert water into ice takes two stages, the first is
normal refrigeration to cool the water to 0 deg C, the second stage converting
the water at 0 deg to Ice at 0 Deg uses many times more energy than the cooling
process. This extra energy is locked into the Ice until it starts to melt. When
the melt starts, the ice releases some of this energy to lower the temperature,
and it tends to re-freeze some of the melt water forming a skin and further
insulating itself. Since Ice is good insulator, the cycle can continue for quite
a time. In a Fishing boat hold, allowing the excess water to drain and keeping
any draft away from the Ice, means the fish gradually encases itself and the
fish inside, and keeps the temperature stable. Top^
Why don't you use Dry Ice
Dry Ice is solid Carbon Dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and is at
a temperature of -80 Deg C, it would obviously freeze fresh fish. The frozen
fish would benefit, however some carriers will not handle it, it is on the
dangerous chemicals list for good reason. Freezer burn from Dry Ice is worse
than a 4th degree burn from heat, and without a sealed un-breakable, double
insulated container is very risky to use. For the safety of both our customers
and the drivers we won't use it. The real answer in the long run is a
refrigerated courier network that can do domestic deliveries at an economic
cost, perhaps someone out there would like to invest in it, much better bet than
the dot.com fiascos. Top^
What do you mean by
FRESH Fish
Unfortunately some organisations have taken advantage of the
lacking in Law of a definition of FRESH. It is perfectly legal to sell frozen
bread, for example, which is then cooked, as being fresh. Some have now taken to
describing food as being "Chilled" as a means of differentiating it
from the previously (maybe) frozen. Why not have a look at our page on Choosing
Fish which is the best definition of fresh fish I have found.
We have a very simple system, we have a separate section for frozen
products and if a frozen product appears elsewhere it is marked as
"previously frozen" as in the case of Smoked Yellow Haddock. When we
say FRESH we use the traditional, sensible meaning of the word, it has never
been frozen and it has not been hanging around in the back of a lorry or
wharehouse.
Our fish comes to you as near straight off the boat as is
possible, where we have to buy from the local market, we buy on quality and not
purely on price. My years of experience catching it gives me the experience to
very selective over what is good enough for my customers, only the best.
Shellfish such as Lobsters and Crabs.
Is your
Fish suitable for home freezing
The simple answer is yes. While you cannot beat the taste and
texture of really fresh fish, my customers tell me that our fish freezes
exceptionally well and with little discernable loss of quality. Freezers are
just like Computers "Rubbish in Rubbish out", but give it good stuff
and you won't be disappointed. Do have a look at the EEC recommendations on our Frozen
Facts page and our recommendations on
this page. Top^
Why don't
you sell your fish as portions
While some people would find it easier to buy in ready made
portions, I believe it to be not only open to abuse but also ILLEGAL, unless the
weight and price are clearly shown. I am surprised that the Trading Standards
Authority have not jumped all over the traders on the Net that are selling in
that way. You may have noticed that even the Supermarkets clearly mark the
weights, even if sometimes they are a bit peculiar to make a particular price.
How do I know how
much to buy
Some of our fish is sold ready filleted Cod for example
because most people are used to it that way, and anyway it's difficult to get a
30 to 40lb fish in a box. The following general rules may help...
1. With Shellfish like Lobsters and Crabs, allow about 1/2Kg per person. Either
one small one or split a larger one.
2. Round Fish such as Cod, Pollack or Whiting allow 6 to 8oz about 200grms
per portion of filleted fish
3. Flat Fish is usually slightly less say 5 to 7oz about 180grms of
fillet.
If you cook your fish whole allow roughly double the weight.
Another way of deciding
1. 1Kg of filleted fish would give you app 6 X 6oz portions, or 4 X
9oz portions
2. 1Kg of whole fish will give you 2 or 3 portions depending on the
type of fish.
I'm not a chef and my portions would certainly be bigger,
depends how greedy you are.
Most fish can be filleted and will yield about 50% of the weight in
fillet, however if you cook it on the bone, Turbot for example, you will get
5-10% more flesh off it. You could try the Cooking
Grid page, bit slow loading, but in addition to times and methods of
cooking, it also shows suggested portion sizes. I hope this clarifies rather
than confuses, but if in doubt ring us. Top^
You
have a price of £0.00 on some items, what does that mean
As we genuinely sell fresh fish, we don't hold large stocks,
this inevitably means that sometimes some items will not be available. If I
believe the item will be freely available I will put a price against the item,
however if there is any doubt about availability of sufficient stock I don't put
a price on it. This does not mean it is not possible to supply it, if you want a
zeroed item then ring us to check we may be able to supply. Fresh fish is
subject to weather conditions, what the boats are concentrating on and of course
whether the boats are actually catching the species in question. Top^
What do I do if
something goes wrong
PLEASE, PLEASE ring us on 0800 027 2066 as soon as you can or
email me. None of us are infallible, mistakes can happen, fish and shellfish
are, or were, living creatures and it isn't possible sometimes to know there is
a problem. Shellfish in particular can be a problem at times, one of my
customers mentioned that the batch of Mussels she had weren't as full as usual.
I traced the batch back to it's source and identified the problem eventually,
but if the customer hadn't told me I couldn't have sorted the problem out.
Several other customers must have had some of the same, as they haven't told me
I can't refund them as the source has had to do to me.
Don't be too British, COMPLAIN, we can only do something about it if we
know about it. I firmly believe that complaints if they occur, should be treated
as an asset as it can save us loosing a customer without knowing it, and stop us
becoming complacent, which has to be good for everyone. Top^
Privacy of my Information
Your information is not stored on the Web Site server, but we
do keep some of it on our main computer system for a limited time. This Computer
is fully protected by a Firewall system and your information will not be passed
to any third party and will be treated as privileged information between you and
us.
1. Remove the "Documents Enclosed" envelope from the top of the
box, it contains your itemised Invoice, so that you can check your order. 2. Any external damage to your box, please sign for it as damaged, but if it was
left without a signature, please inform us as soon as possible. 3. Unpack your box, checking the items on your Invoice, and put the contents
straight into your Fridge or Freezer, as in the instructions below. 4. Dispose of the remaining Ice and the "jelly" substance, this is the absorbent
material used to collect any melt water. It can be safely disposed of on your
garden soil as we use drinking water to make the Ice, and the other material
will help retain moisture in your soil for your plants. 5. We can't re-use the boxes having been used for food, and the environmental
cost of returning it is far higher than it is if it is recycled at your end.
They make ideal cool boxes for that trip to the Supermarket, or Picnic, but most
of our customers use them in the garden, propagation boxes , cold frames with a
bit of clear polythene film over the top to protect the tender plants, or just
as filler in your pots to aid drainage. We have one in the garden with a brick
on top, to give hedgehogs somewhere to hibernate.
Recommended storage of your Fish:-
Live lobsters; Store in the bottom of the fridge covered with a damp cloth. If
they have expired during the journey cook immediately then treat as with cooked
lobster.
Cooked lobster & crabs; Store in the fridge & eat within 3 days or freeze
immediately if you want to eat it later.
Live cockles, clams & mussels, Oysters; Remove bubble wrap & store in the bottom
of the fridge no lower than 4 C (Oysters need to be cupped side down) and cover
with a damp cloth, eat within 2 days of receipt. DO NOT immerse in water. Discard cockles, clams& mussels that
do not close when tapped sharply once they are at room temperature
(More Info). Cook within
24 hours discarding any that have not opened and either eat or freeze. Oysters
are usually eaten raw, though there are some good recipes on the CD if you
prefer them cooked.
Fresh fish: Store in fridge & eat within 3 days
or, re-pack in freezer bags in portion sizes required, and freeze immediately if you want to eat it later.
Frozen fish & shell fish; Put in freezer as soon as possible. The fish may
appear a little soft to the touch but as long as there is ice in the box it
should be at or below 0 C and is safe to freeze.
(More Info) If the fish has thawed and is
still below 4 C place at the bottom of the fridge and cook within 24 hours. Once
fully cooked foods can be frozen and used within one month to get the maximum
taste and nutrition. The recommended frozen shelf life for fish and shellfish in
a domestic freezer, as
compiled by Leeds University is;
