Smoking by mouth

Happening to be passing through Bookham yesterday, we thought it was time we called in at Fowler's again, not having visited them for what is probably several years. We left with one Arbroath smokie and three Scottish kippers, much paler and rather bigger than the Craster kippers offered by Waitrose. Hopefully they will not prove to be too oily.

Started snacking on the smokie at breakfast this morning. Very good it was too, although I don't suppose one would want too much at once.

The state of play at the end of breakfast, having done a bit more than half of one side. Taken with brown bread, freshly thawed from the freezer. And although I say it myself, it thawed rather well, the result, I maintain, of putting it in the freezer before it is completely cold.

Having drawn a purchasing blank in psmv4, I find from reference 2 in psmv3 that we made an almost identical purchase from the same shop, just about five years ago. A smokie which we took hot, unlike that this morning. More blanks in psmv2 and pumkinstrokemarrow.

But there is the Finnan haddock story of reference 3. Having worked his way to the right name from Loch Fyne Haddock, it being after lunch, Mr Fowler told us yesterday that he could get Finnan haddocks for us, to order, a good deal cheaper than those here. Something to try next year.

That apart, there used to be a fishmonger in Bridge Road, opposite Hampton Court railway station, from which we have bought the odd smokie in the past. The butcher in Bridge Road has gone too. Maybe time to go and see how the fancy off-license is doing. Presently called Vineking, having been through several incarnation in our time. At one point, even going so far as to offer a decent selection of cigars.

PS: 14:20: kippers mostly done for lunch, having been simmered for about 10 minutes in the fish kettle. Firm, dry and neither greasy nor oily. A little blander than the Craster kippers, perhaps just as well as they were a good bit bigger. Half a kipper left for BH to do something with tomorrow. Maybe flaked and arranged on a bed of rocket?

References

Reference 1: Ron Fowler & Son, 6-7 Grove Corner, Bookham, Surrey, KT23 4LP.

Reference 2: https://psmv3.blogspot.com/search?q=smokie.

Reference 3: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2021/01/a-fishy-story.html.

Reference 4: https://thevineking.com/.