The featured image for this post is from the Mercado de Abastos in Conil. More than thirty Dorados caught by local fishermen in day boats, that morning. It serves to remind me how difficult it is to buy fresh fish in Oxford. Invariably this will involve a visit to the local supermarket, (Waitrose) to pick up some farmed Gilthead Bream from Greece or Turkey (more than 60 per cent of European production).
Juveniles are reared in hatcheries and fed on live crustaceans and plankton, then released into sea cages at high stocking densities. They are most likely treated with vaccines and antibiotics. It is thought that farmed fish is more fatty than its wild counterpart. Inevitably the supermarket fish will be several days old.
I used to buy Black Bream, caught in the English Channel, from Hayman’s Fisheries in Oxford covered market but they have shut up shop.
Charles Hayman started the business in 1928, and continued to work until he retired in the late 1960s. Hayman’s was bought by a consortium of Oxford tradesmen, who owned it until 1983 when the current owner took over. The Alden family has run Hayman’s since 1989 and has been involved with the covered market for over 200 years. They left as a 15 year lease came to an end.
The market, opened in 1774 is owned by the city council and they say they will try to bring in another fishmonger.
I have only just discovered that the firm (Hayman’s), which has been selling meat in Osney Mead since 1999 has created a £1m fish market in 2010.
At Osney Mead industrial estate, they cater to the restaurant trade as well as serving the public. There is also a seafood restaurant. Time for a visit!
A Taste of Summer
The arguments for choosing farmed or wild fish are complex and there are pros and cons on both sides. Personally I would prefer to avoid farmed fish. In spite of my “whinging” the Waitrose fish was lovely. We baked them with florence fennel, onion, tomato and some dried oregano from Conil. Bream can easily become dry when over cooked. To avoid this we usually start baking the vegetables in advance as they usually require more cooking time.
A guilty pleasure? The aroma as the the fish is taken from the oven transports me to the seaside in summer!
I finally visited the fish market at Osney – not for me I am afraid.