Fish catch up on bed of ice
Scotsmans ice tips the scales at Sam Stoller and Son
There are 85 varieties of fish to be found at Sam Stoller and Son in Golders Green, but no shellfish. Sam Stoller is a kosher fishmongers; the Hebrew word 'kosher' means 'fit' or 'proper' as it relates to Jewish dietary law. According to the Hebrew Scriptures the only fish to be eaten must have fins and scales and the scales must be removable without damaging the skin. Shellfish don't fall into this category.
So the selection of fish is of paramount concern at Sam Stoller. To prevent contamination only kosher varieties of fish are allowed in the shop. This places a lot of responsibility with the fishmonger, but Kim Williams, who has been with Sam Stoller for 28 years, certainly knows how to select, prepare and display fish correctly.
It's an early start for Kim. The shop opens to the public at 7am so by then everything must be ready. Some fish is delivered daily from the fishing ports but Kim also goes to Billingsgate at 4am every morning for varieties not available from his regular suppliers.
"At Sam Stoller, we buy about 200-300 stone of fish per week and stock about 85 varieties including tuna, brill, dorade, and gilt-head bream," says Kim Williams. "But I always make sure we have a good supply of salmon; it's by far the most popular choice."
Before the shop opens the fish has to be prepared, iced down and displayed. Displaying the fish is an art in itself. The selected fish is carefully laid out on a thick bed of flaked ice and then topped off with a further liberal scattering of ice. Not too much to smother or freeze the fish, but enough to keep its skin moist and enhance the natural colours and sheen.
Ice is the ideal preservative for fish - it keeps the fish at just the right temperature without the need for monitoring devices such as thermostats. Throughout the day the ice in the display has to be replenished as it melts and drains away.
Kim Williams needs to have a constant supply of ice for the display to ensure the fish is in perfect condition for his customers, so the shop has two Hubbard Ice Scotsman MF51 ice machines running continuously. One machine has been steadily churning out ice for about five years, while the other was installed in February by Flowrite Systems.
"We are very happy with the Scotsman MF51 machines," says Kim Williams. "They are very reliable, good workhorses and leaders in their field. We have been using them for years and see no reason to look elsewhere."
The quantity of ice Sam Stoller needs is indeed impressive. They start each day with a 6ft bin full of flaked ice. A quarter of the bin is needed during preparation, half is used to fill the display, and the rest is used to top up the display as necessary.
The shop is open from 7am to 5pm Monday to Friday and in keeping with Jewish law it's closed Saturday but does open for a half day on Sunday. Fish are Kim's passion; he doesn't leave the shop until after 6pm and he endeavours to get fish to all his customers whoever or wherever they are.
"We supply anyone who wants fish", he says. "Caterers, restaurants, delis and private customers. We also deliver, so if someone wants fish we'll get it to them."
Eating fish is thought to be an essential requirement for a healthy diet. It is good for the eyes and brain and it is a rich source of essential amino acids. The original Sam Stoller is certainly a testament to this; he established the business over 70 years ago and is still alive today.
