Forman & Son
Producer: Forman & Son, London
Product: H Forman & Son Royal Fillet
Region: London and South East
Category: From the sea, artisan
What they do:
H Forman & Son are the oldest producers of smoked salmon in Britain, and have been filleting, smoking and curing fresh salmon in East London for more than 100 years.
Unlike many other smokehouses, H Forman & Son only use sustainable fish from the wild or RSPCA-approved farms. Using fish that is as fresh as possible makes a big difference to the taste so they have a tight deadline of receiving wild fish within 24 hours of being caught (within 48 hours for farmed salmon).
Forman’s is a waste-conscious, quality-driven producer: their off-cuts are used for salmon jerky, trimmings become pâté or fishcakes, and fish bones are used to make stock.
Their London Cure Smoked Salmon has just been awarded PGI protected food name status by the EU, an accreditation also held by Champagne and Parma Ham.
What they judges said:
H Forman & Son’s history struck a chord with the London and South East judges. The panel admired the company’s commitment to keeping generations-worth of skills and knowledge alive, recognising that British smokehouses championing traditional methods are increasingly hard to find these days.
Visit the website: Forman & Son