Forward-looking kippers
The comedian Steve Punt put his dry humour and nasal voice to good use in a BBC Radio 4 documentary that investigated industry awards ceremonies. It’s not just over-excited luvvies who love receiving gongs and getting sloshed: everyone’s at it. Of course, not only do you get a pat on the back and loads of booze, but there’s lots of lovely food. Lovely, that is, if you have an open mind.
Everyone from risk-conscious Health and Safety officers to devil-may-care tightrope walkers (bankers?) love chicken. But venison and sea bass are problematic. Apparently they’re seen as ‘forward looking’ dishes and are only for the adventurous.
It seems that Deptford market has some forward thinking elements. The fishmonger, Codfathers, is run by Don Cod-eone. The man has an mermaid tattoo that Amy Winehouse would give her last bag of horse for, and sells sea bass, amongst other avant guard fruits of the sea. In a rush of giddy foolishness, we bought some.
For the really ker-razy Codfathers has some delicious kippers. The Don is also keen to point out the proper way to eat the fish: Put them on the plate upside down, this means the skin should be on the top and then scraped away to get to the fish beneath. That way you avoid most of the problems with bones. “Some old gels who come down here have been eating kippers for fifty years. They been doing it wrong all this time,” said the Don in broad South London.
Tags: BBC Radio 4, Deptford market, industry awards, Kippers, Sea Bass, Steve Punt