OUR FRIENDS ELAINE and Kim spent a few days in the Cornish port of Looe. When we met them after their stay, they told us about the wonderful fish they bought in the town, and cooked in their accommodation. As we love seafood and had never been to Looe on any of our many visits to Cornwall, we decided to visit the town with the aim of buying fish there.

A man working in the crowded car park close to the bridge with many arches that crosses the River Looe, which runs through Looe, suggested we visit a fishmonger called Pengellys. And what a splendid suggestion that was. The shop is small but filled with a wonderful display of fresh fish and other seafood.

Pengellys was established in 1946. The friendly man, who served us, explained that because the firm was started so long ago, all of the seafood (except the salmon) sold in the shop is only a few hours old. Pengellys are able to buy their seafood directly from the fishing boats that dock in Looe. Other fishmongers, which were established more recently, are unable to do this – they have to buy their stock from wholesalers in Newlyn and/or Plymouth. Therefore, the seafood sold by Pengellys has spent less time travelling between ship and shop than that sold at other fishmongers. He told us that the mackerel fillets, which we purchased, had been caught less than two hours before we entered the shop. He explained that one could tell how fresh they were by the green sheen on the skin. This tends to fade the greater the time since the fish was caught. We purchased mackerel and plaice fillets, as well as scallops and samphire. Each of these items were as fresh as fresh can be, and were delicious when fried briefly in butter. Pengellys have certainly caught us as customers – hook, line, and sinker.