The Fortune family started the business back in 1872 and it remains largely unchanged to this day, the distinctive smokey aroma is a familiar greeting as you stroll along the cobbled street.
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A tiny smoke house and shop sits amongst the higgledy piggledy cottages of Henrietta Street, in the shadow of Whitby Abbey. A sign in the window tells customers if they are open or whether the day’s supply of smoked kippers has run out and to return tomorrow.
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If you don’t already know, a kipper is a smoked Herring. Fortune’s smoke kippers the traditional way, the fish are gutted by hand by Barry and Dereck, William Fortune’s Grandsons, before being hung in the smokehouse to be cured.
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We purchased some kippers and headed along to Whitby beach to cook them two ways.
Jugged Kippers
Bring a pan of water to the boil
Remove the head and tail from the kippers using a sharp knife
Place the kippers vertical in the hot water and leave off the heat for around 6 minutes.
Benefits of jugging the kippers are it reduces the smell in your house if you’re cooking at home.
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Grilled Kippers
Add a knob of butter and grill for around 5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish is hot
You can wrap the kippers in foil if you wish to retain more of the natural oils.
Serve with a chunk of brown bread and real butter. We chose a Botham’s of Whitby stotty.
Mark is wearing the Berties of Bay Whitby Gansey in orange, which is based on the traditional working garments worn by Whitby Fishermen.
Images: Ceri Oakes Photography
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