Fish shop

[Captain_Zero]

I went to the local fish shop to buy some fillets for dinner. I chose sweetlip fillets.I had my 4 year old daughter with me. Would it be reasoable to expect that the employee would point out that there may still be some bones in the fillets or suggest something else, especially given I had a small child with me?

What do you think?

Cheers

Chris

[bennykenny]

not necessarily, maybe if you asked him what fish would be best or less chance of having bones in it for the kids he could have suggested something, poor bloke cant really read minds.With most small size fish you are going to have to be pretty careful with bones, gets eaiser when you get to the larger fish like tunas and marlin and swordfish. the only one with a no bone guarantee is shark or flake.

[charlie09]

Sounds reasonable to me Captain. However, maybe the employee assumed that the child wasn't going to eat the fish or that you would make sure that there were no bones in it. When my children were young i used to break up the fish for them almost mash to make sure there were no bones in it.

Cheerd

[fisher28]

i reckon all the fish should be sold as boneless as possable,you certainly pay plenty for it compared to what the fisherman gets.i like to catch diver whiting and i butterfly fillet them,but when i give them to my 2yo i only give the tail half,just incase!!i hope your young one is ok.

[Angla]

How do you butterfly fillet the whiting. It is something I want to learn.

Cheers
Chris

i reckon all the fish should be sold as boneless as possable,you certainly pay plenty for it compared to what the fisherman gets.i like to catch diver whiting and i butterfly fillet them,but when i give them to my 2yo i only give the tail half,just incase!!i hope your young one is ok.

[Angla]

That's probably why Victorian staple fish diet consists of Flake. I was practically brought up on the stuff.

Common sense would have to prevail here. You are the parent and as such you will make decisions that affect your kids. Choose wisely next time and don't rely on others to blame when things do not turn out perfect.

Cheers
Chris

[sleepygreg]

When ever i prepare fish fillets before cooking I ALWAYS double check them for bones....whether it be fish I have caught myself, or fillets purchased from local fish monger. If it is a fish I have prepared regularly I can ALMOST promose no bones, if it a fish I am not entirely familiar with - I will always warn guests and diners - I have made every efort to to eliminate the bones but no guarantees. If kids are going to eat the fish then I will only use a species that I know intimately (through regular usage so that I KNOW where the bones are). Though I grew up on eating bream, flathead, luderick, tailor.....and i reckon I can prepare a fillet of any of the above to be bone free....I would not be feeding them to anyones kids who have not been 'educated' that fish can have bones. Rather give them fish fingers or nuggets..a lot safer. From experience..the last person I would be relying on to guarantee no bones would be the counter jockey at the local fish shop. Had an experience at a very prominent northern suburbs fish joint (which also has a restaraunt, takeaway, and trawlers tied up out the front). Had a family member with me who asked the counter jockey can you guarantee boneless fillets...advised that the 'cod' (SA Hake) was boneless.....I wanted to get the Ling fillets (i know where the bones are in them)...but said family member insisted on the cod. I wasnt cooking that night......and the second mouthfull of fish I had was full of bones. (btw....the ling would have tasted much nicer). Like has been said....the only fillets that don't have bones at some stage in the process is flake (shark).

[Noelm]

I am not too sure why everyone is so paranoid about fish bones, it is almost as if a bone gets in your mouth, you automaticaly choke to death, almost all fish have the same skeleton setup, get familiar with it and bones will no longer pose a problem, and just be careful when giving fish to little kids, but don't scare the bejesus out of them.

[Noelm]

OH, and I might add, people have this thought that "fillets" do not have bones! wrong, a fillet is simply a side of the fish, it does contain bones, unless it has been "deboned" and this entails, removing the belly/rib bones, and then the centre bobes that need to be also cut out.

[Captain_Zero]

I prepared the fish myself. The recipe called for small pieces and I removed the bones before putting the batter on. I made sure my daughter did not get any bones also after the fish was cooked. I think the only one that got a bone was me!

I take your point that I shouldn't assume the fillets will be boneless. I will specifically ask next time. I was just checking whether my expectations were unrealistic and maybe they were.

The fish was very nice.

Cheers

Chris

[daki23]

It's good to teach kids that fish always have bones, as it makes them aware, and I got it off my parents as we did a lot of fresh water camping :).

People selling the fish might not be experts so it's hard for them to know, and there are probably legal issues guranting the bonelessness, as it can't be guaranteed. so it's safe to assume and teach kids to expect bones and eat little chunks :).

cheers
daki

[Captain_Zero]

A quick update. I went to the same shop at Cannon Hill again this week, with my 4 y.o. and was served by the manager/owner. I told him the recipe I was doing (macadamia crusted fish) and he suggested a couple of options and then offered to de-bone the fillets without me having to ask. This is the pro-active service which I was exepecting first time (rightly or wrongly).The fish was beautiful.

Cheers

Chris

[Shawn 66]

A quick update. I went to the same shop at Cannon Hill again this week, with my 4 y.o. and was served by the manager/owner. I told him the recipe I was doing (macadamia crusted fish) and he suggested a couple of options and then offered to de-bone the fillets without me having to ask. This is the pro-active service which I was exepecting first time (rightly or wrongly).The fish was beautiful.

Cheers

Chris
G'Day Chris,
Not having a dig , however it is possible if you tried this approach on the last occasion , you would have ended up with the same response .
Shawn