Smoking, or curing, is a centuries old way of preserving food, but sadly, smoking fish is an art which is dying. Fortunately, for those wishing to buy quality produce, prepared in the time old fashion, there still remain a very few who with skill and dedication in the art.

There has been a "Smoke Hole", or "Herring Hang", at The Smokery, on Dungeness Beach, for almost 200 years - since the fisherman who lived here used it to preserve his catch.

Jim Moate has been smoking fish for some 30 years and is a true expert. He learnt his art during his years as a fisherman living and working at Dungeness, both from talking to the older fishermen and from recipes found on the old site at Pearl Cottage.

Oak dust is used to either hot, or cold smoke the various fish. This gives the fish a distinctive flavour and natural colour. Jim would not stoop to using dyes, dips or preservatives as you'd find in the majority of supermarket "smoked" fish.

The Smokery was included in a series of TV programmes, Meridian Television's "Faces from the South" by Mike Field.

It is regularly visited by people from all over the country and indeed the world, including Americans who have heard about Jim either by word of mouth or from the various articles written about him and his wares.

Whilst you're visiting Jim at The Smokery, you might like to take a ride on the nearby Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, a popular and famous local attraction, or visit the old lighthouse and climb to the top to see the light, a good fitness session in itself.

The gravel beach is wide and long, perfect for summer days spent swimming and sunbathing, or join the fishermen casting their lines into the water from the shoreline.

So, the day out can be one for all the kids, big and small.

Jim's range of products includes, amongst other items:

He also has a good range of recipes you might like to try to make, to take full advantage of the unique flavour of his products.

(Please, as mentioned elsewhere on this web site, mention www.made-in-kent.co.uk as the place you discovered these quality producers or stockists of locally sourced produce.)