Seafood is one of the best delicacies of life, and while it offers unbeatable flavor, it also gives extreme nutrition for your body, too. So, if you are a chef, or just like to cook at home, or just enjoy seafood shopping, here is what you can do to make the best of your shopping experience, whether it be choosing the best quality fish, or knowing where to go.
Know Your Sources
The idea behind having good resources is not to go to the middleman, but to go to the direct source.
Local Fish Markets
Often, local markets offer the best freshly caught fish.
Reputable Fishmongers
Try to look for a supplier or fishmonger who has a good reputation, and book them for future deliveries. Also, try to have good connections so that you can get some discounts.
Online Seafood Retailers
Some online retailers sell quality wholesale seafood that they get through first-hand sources, without any middleman in between. When you place a bulk order, you cut costs as you get a lot of discounts, and you can also be content that the supply is going to be consistently good. So, especially if you are a restaurant owner, find retailers who have a track record of selling fresh seafood directly from the best sources.
How to Spot Fresh Seafood
If you want to become an expert at buying the best quality seafood, learn certain signs of spotting it right away. For instance, you can pay attention to the smell as fresh seafood has a distinct oceanic smell, as if it were in the seas not too long ago. On the other hand, old fish have a sour-smelling odor and smell overly fishy (pun intended).
Furthermore, fresh fish right out of the sea have crystal clear, marble-like eyes that are protruding, shiny, and wet, and the pupils are dark, and the corneas are clear. If you see fish that have eyes that are sunken, hazy, pink, or dry, do not get that fish, as these are indicators that the fish has aged. Checking the eyes is one of the main indicators of detecting old fish, and the easiest way to detect them.
Other than that, you can look at the scales of the fish, which should be undamaged and clear, lie flat against the body, and firmly attached to the skin. If the scales have lost color, yellowed, or have the appearance of blood or bruising, then it indicates that the fish is old. Ideally, fresh fish have a bright color, or whatever color their species is.
Ask the Right Questions
Ask questions from fishmongers of all types, like you can ask them about where they got the fish from and how long since they have put it out on display. Also, ask them if it was farm raised and bred in a sustainable environment. Ask them if they can clean it for you and ask them for recommendations on how to cook it.
Store It Properly
Even if you manage to find premium quality, freshly out of the sea fish, it does not mean that you do not have to take care of it which is why you should carefully understand whether you need to refrigerate or freeze it and preserve the nutrients and enjoy the delicious flavor fully.
Sustainability Solutions
Over the past many years, overfishing has endangered many species of fish and has hurt the ecosystem of the ocean. In fact, more than seventy percent of the shark population has been wiped out due to overfishing in the past 50 years. Such and many other similar stats should make people feel accountable for their actions.
When purchasing fish, be mindful and go for sustainable options to prevent more stats like these. So, look for fish that have been farmed sustainably because if everyone became careful of their choices, it would eventually ensure that ecosystems are protected, marine life is unharmed, and that future generations can also enjoy the delicacies of seafood cuisine.
Conclusion
If you want to have a good fish shopping experience, perfect your technique on figuring out the freshest type of fish by analyzing the eyes, skin, and by smelling the fish, and finding a reliable fishmonger who can sell you seafood that has only recently been caught. If you want to order fish in bulk, carefully choose the right supplier to have a consistently good supply, and also remember to follow sustainable practices, and only purchase fish that has been grown in an eco-friendly environment.
