"squid" news and stories

When one sets out to create a list, it is important to set standards. What criteria will be used to rule out inappropriate items? Why is this item on the list in the first place? The BBC's list of the top 50 things to eat before you die seems to be lacking some of these standards. Apparently, viewers and readers voted on food items, which were narrowed to a field of 50 based on the number of votes received. The top 10 were:

1. Fresh fish
2. Lobster
3. Steak
4. Thai food
5. Chinese food
6. Ice cream
7. Pizza
8. Crab
9. Curry
10. Prawns

Source

It's a fancy word, "cephalopod," but it's really just squid and octopus at the sushi bar.

Octopus is called "tako," and is usually cooked, which might be more appealing for people who are squeamish about eating raw fish, but than again, it is octopus. Though some talented sushi chefs may know of some secret way to tenderize octopus, I have found that it is pretty bland as well.

"Ika" is squid, and this one is usually raw. It looks harmless because of it's plain white, slippery smooth texture, but like octopus, even raw, ika is fairly tough to chew. However, you may also recognize ika by cross-hatch knife cuts on the squid, which a sushi chef's attempt to make it a little more palatable. Like octopus, I usually skip the squid as well.

Previous lessons at the School of Fish:
Saba - holy mackerel!
Hirame - white fish, sometimes halibut
Tai and Suzuki - snapper and sea bass
Maguro - tuna
Toro - fatty belly of tuna
Shiro Maguro - "white" tuna, aka albacore
Ahi tuna
Hamachi - amberjack, aka yellowtail
Sake - salmon
Gai - the bivalves, i.e.clams, scallops, and oysters
Ebi - shrimp

I still remember with exceptional clarity the most disgusting thing I ever ate. Just to be clear, we're not talking about drinking spoiled milk on a dare or being a contestant on Fear Factor, but rather ordering off a menu with no coercion whatsoever. I was in an izakaya, a Japanese pub, in Manhattan and decided it was time to try something new. I am by no means leery of outlandish foods. I have gleefully savored ceviche, sweetbreads, and calf spleen sandwiches. When it comes to Japanese food I am a sushi purist who warmly embraces uni as well tuna and natto handrolls. As for izakaya grub I have no problem with liver sashimi, although I'm somewhat less enthusiastic about okra and raw octopus.