Northern Ireland's oldest fishmongers
We put the spotlight on the oldest fishmongers in Northern Ireland. Somewhere so famous that the owner’s portrait hangs in a gallery…
A 100-year-old philosophy
Ewing’s Fishmongers on the Shankill Road in Belfast is the oldest fishmonger in Northern Ireland. Opened in 1911 by the current owner Walter Ewing’s grandfather (as the photo above shows), the shop and business (which now looks like the photo on the left) have evolved over time but maintained the core value which has sustained it for over a hundred years: supplying the community with fresh and local seafood.
Walter remembers working there with his mum and dad after school where he would listen to the hustle and bustle of the visiting housewives. Now it’s run by Walter and his two sons, Crawford and Warren, and the trio want to ensure that the craft of the fishmonger continues to thrive in today’s fast-paced culture; not just in Belfast, but worldwide.
The best fish in the world
Walter counts himself lucky to be a fishmonger in Ireland. “We have the best fish and seafood in the world,” he said. “The day boats are out and back in the same day, so I can get the fish from sea to plate in no time.”
It's his experience and long-standing relationships with the fishermen on the day boats around Portavogie and Kilkeel that give Walter the pick of the catch, a rich variety, and that guaranteed freshness.
In 2008 a portrait of Walter by Northern Irish artist Oliver Jeffers was used as the cover image on the invite to the British Portrait Awards. And after touring galleries around the UK and Europe, including a spell in London’s National Portrait Gallery, the portrait now hangs in the Deane’s restaurant in Belfast.
As for their specialty, Ewing’s has been smoking salmon for generations, using techniques that date back to Walter’s grandfather’s time. Ewing’s organic smoked Glenarm salmon is a treasured ingredient used by Michelin starred chefs today.
Interviews provided by Seafish. For more tips and fish ideas, check out www.fishisthedish.co.uk
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