Fish Kettle

Let's deep dive into this fish kettle, once used on Weighell Farm in nearby Appleton-le-Moors. This kitchen companion, with a handle at both ends and a snug-fitting lid, once had a regular place in many households. It held a secret to perfectly-cooked fish.

We know this particular fish kettle was used up until the 1970s for cooking and poaching whole fish. It’s made of copper to conduct heat evenly during the cooking process, whilst creating a flavoursome liquid around the fish that could be used for stock.

It also got us pondering some ‘fishy’ phrases and sayings that have tantalised our language for centuries. Have you ever wondered about the origins of expressions like ‘This is a fine kettle of fish we're in,’ meaning a messy or confused state of affairs? Though the exact origin remains a bit murky, some believe it might be linked to the aftermath of a fishy feast.

If our copper kettle is the catch for you, why not consider adopting it?