Good buddies
The headline isn't what you might think, because we're just going to talk about herring. You may be wondering what on earth herring has to do with Thailand? Admittedly very little, but since our compatriot Pim Hoonhout, who lives in Hua Hin, imports herring, the Thai and many long-stayers also enjoy this piece of seafood.
Herring test
The Algemeen Dagblad has for the 34th sent its herring professors out again this year to assess the quality of the Hollandse Nieuwe at the various fishmongers. The herring test carries a lot of weight. The winners are winning and can't get the pegs dragged on. The customers are standing in line. The fishmongers who come off badly hide their sorrow. The herring test is the longest existing test of the AD and, together with the oliebollen test, also the most well-known. If we are to believe it, the fishmongers are awake at night because of this. The layman will hardly understand it, but with herring a lot of professional knowledge is involved. Fat content, temperature and salt content largely determine the quality. Has the skin been removed properly, what is the color like, not to mention the smell? Does the inside of the herring look good and are the parts easy to separate?
For twelve days, two inspectors were on the road to inspect the fish at some 150 herring sellers. The Netherlands has about 1800 points of sale, so you don't have to travel the world to eat a herring.
The outcome
The AD of Saturday 25 July was opened with a throbbing heartbeat by many fishmongers. “Skinny fish, vette score,” the newspaper opens. The herring supplied is mostly of mediocre quality. Still, never before have so many fish addresses scored so well on the National Herring Test. Even the number 50 on the ranking still gets the final grade 8. This year's winner with the highest grade; a 10: Fishmonger Gebroeders Simonis in Scheveningen. The numbers 2 to 6 scored a 9 ½. The grade 9 was awarded to the numbers 7 to 17 with a rating of very good. A good rating of 8 and 8 ½ was received by 33 fishmongers. More than satisfactory with a rating of 7 ½ and 7 was awarded to 24 shops and a satisfactory 6 ½ and 6 was awarded to 23 points of sale. Nevertheless, no less than 39 tested cases were classified as insufficient, bad, very bad, unsaleable.
The inspectors did not have a good word about herrings tested at the supermarkets. Of the seventeen supers assessed, spoiled herring was purchased at ten outlets. Not one supermarket achieved a pass.
Hollandse Nieuwe is an extremely vulnerable product and, especially at temperatures above 4 degrees C, increasingly susceptible to spoilage.
Fat content
The fat percentage in the fillet averaged 9.9 this year compared to 11.6 percent last year. In 2009 the average was still above 13, in 2010 it was 12.3, in 2011 9.3 percent. The last three years the start has been postponed because of the lean fish. Could the pollution of the sea and therefore too little plankton, the food for the herring, be the cause of this?
Pim's herring
Let me first say that I do not pretend to be a herring connoisseur, but I am a taster and perhaps also a connoisseur. To be honest, I didn't think much of Pim's herring until last year. The transport and the Thai climate must be too much for a herring. But I came back to that. Last year I was present at the Dutch Embassy on King's Day and was more than pleasantly surprised about the quality of Pim's herring. It turned out to be the most expensive herring I've ever slid in, but the proceeds were for a good cause. I had assured myself of a copy in advance through a fun auction. For the registration fee of 500 bath I was offered the harin by a charming lady. Pim is a real fishmonger because to serve such a tasty herring in Thailand you have to be a professional. Undoubtedly, Pim would also have done well in the AD test.
With or without onions or perhaps with sour and cut into pieces, as the Amsterdammer often prefers? Hard or soft herring? A larger or smaller copy? All chatter because it's very personal. Just follow your own taste.
I heard from a good source that in years gone by many Amsterdammers had little to do. They could not afford a whole herring and therefore bought a half 'herringkie' cut into pieces. That is why in the Netherlands' capital you can still get herring cut into pieces at the fishmonger's today. Incidentally, we will not soon have a shortage of herring because after 2 to 3 years the herring is ready for spawning. From July to October, roe and roe are formed, which are deposited in December. The fertilization goes outside the herring in the sea. A female herring can produce more than 100.000 eggs. Spawning roe and roe costs the herring energy and becomes lean. In May there is plankton again and it feeds itself again and we get the well-known buddy herring again.
I feel called upon to respond to this article.
From my time when I still had a fish stall in Haarlem, we were usually real colleagues among ourselves.
We lived together.
With Jos Lijnzaat, an experienced hand in the trade, I often went out early in the morning to buy our fish.
He couldn't bake on the Grote Markt, so I did that for him.
He taught me the tricks of the trade and knew how to find every specialist.
Once Harm in the Cronjéstraat was once plagued by the AD
The man was known for his good herring, his reward was a 0.
Oh, how sick he was, he couldn't eat for 2 weeks and his stall was closed.
The colleagues have comforted him as much as possible and are always happy if they had not come to them with the test.
The customer will find out for himself what he likes .
I ended up in Thailand in 2003 but the profession kept gnawing at me almost every day after I visited a place in Bangkok where you could buy herring.
1 bite and I passed out.
Another 2 x I was at such a party where the (enthusiast was enjoying?).
First I grabbed 1 by the tail at a reputable store, the presentation did not look good so quickly grabbed the top before they were too hot on that scale.
You know it with 50 stacked on top of each other, that should not be, especially in Thailand.
What I was afraid of, a rat somewhere in a sewer must have enjoyed it.
After this event I decided to find a way to offer them here as a delicacy as well .
To this day, many people in Thailand are satisfied because I started this.
In addition , some people in Thailand no longer have a bad future .
Now to find a way to limit the import costs .
That's a separate story.
A question, is your herring also available in Chiang mai?
Herring in Chiang Mai: 'Dutch Snacks' http://www.dutchsnacksthailand.com.
Also in the left column is advertising van vis for pim, click on that!!! 😉
thanks, I immediately put it on my facebook page, recently there were Belgians here who were looking for Dutch fish products :)
Last Monday, July 13, we already had the third Dutch New Herring Party
here in Chiang Mai and like the two previous years, it was a great success this time too.
Dirk Dutch Snacks.
Dear Pim,
seems useful to me when you are back in Hua Hin that you let us know, via this site, where we can buy those delicious fresh herring.
thank you in advance
H
Hi Pim. We also stay in Hua Hin from November to March. Can you tell me where your fishmonger is located? Then we will definitely come and eat a herring at your place. We are also purebred Haarlemmers and have had a shop on the Grote Markt. So the name Jos lijnzaat sounds like music to our ears. Regards, Jeanine
Nice piece Pim, and heartily awarded.
Greetings Klaas and Nanda
I think, no, I'm sure that PIM does EVERYTHING to market and sell the highest possible quality in Thailand. But 10.000 km from the Netherlands, it is even impossible for PIM to offer its imported herring with the same quality as the prize winner, SIMONES, a good acquaintance of mine,
Also HOW the herring ends up on your plate is quite an art. Also with often Thai employees / staff to ultimately serve an edible herring to the customer is and remains an art!
I am sure that PIM does everything it can, but it also depends on many factors that often cannot be influenced.
PIM good luck with your MISSION!!
Pim you write: “Now to find a way that can limit the import costs.
That is a separate story.”
Recently I read an article or other forum, that the import of herring via Hong Kong to Thailand (FOB Hong Kong) is 50 baht…Minimum order 500 pieces..
Perhaps a suggestion to do so, because then the sales price will certainly drop for Thailand….
Jasmine.
I also read this through someone else.
He had responded to it and received no reply.
Whoever brought that story into the world certainly thought he could make his move with deception.
According to him, it says transport per herring, not that the herring is included.
Although there would be herring, who says what kind of herring, certainly not a 1st class buddy, who knows 1 bakbokking, that is also a herring that is caught 52 weeks a year, so purchasing costs little.
In any case, thanks for the response.
For that price I also want to deliver them, get the deep fryer or the acid ready.