I Am A Fishwife - Shopping for Calamari

As I continue to mature…ahem…I realize that the events that often bring me the most energy and excitement and make me feel “young” are the ones where I venture into something unknown and try something new!  Saturday morning was such an event for me.

When we first moved to PV Shores, our good friend and painter, Themis Americas (a transplant from the city of Kalamata on the Greek Peloponnese peninsula) came to our house with a huge bag of fresh (read uncleaned) squid.  “Calamari” I exclaimed!  Not only did he gift me with squid but he showed Jay and I how to clean them and told us…shhhhhh…where to buy it!

 

Jay with Themis

Christmas is coming, I am Italian, I am preparing the dinner for Christmas Day, I need a vegetarian dish…Calamari!  So Saturday morning Jay and I set the alarm, got up early, and headed down to the huge building at the harbor where many fish mongers sell their catch to the public. 

Many of the doors were closed and we realized that those who want the best choice are there at 3 am.  It was already just past 7:30 and many had folded up shop!  But the last shop, the LA Fish Company, was open and we ventured in.  Fortunately we knew enough to wear old shoes because the floor was totally wet from the ice and water used for the fish.   

 

And what fish they had and what prices!  I was fortunate that when I entered a friendly woman shopper took pity on me and became my guardian angel.  Sue lived in Carson and came here often for fresh fish.  She swore this place was the best! 

Jay and I stood in awe of the variety displayed…all fresh (read uncleaned). 

 

Look at the blue lips on the parrot fish!

Then I spotted the little squid I was looking for in a large box with the price written on a piece of cardboard…50 cents a pound! Sue showed me how to get the plastic gloves on and where to get the large plastic bag and we both dug into the treasure trove.  She had never prepared this so I told how I cleaned them and how I prepared them.   

Finally a had my selection 

Weighing and paying!

but before I left, Sue pointed out her favorite fish to me…pompano…and told me how she prepared it. So I selected two fresh ones (read uncleaned) and then she said… "They will clean them for you for about $1 a fish!"  So I gave them to one of the men working on the tables along the side and received them back cleaned and butterflied!  He didn’t want any money… "Merry Christmas” he said…so we tipped him instead!

We were so energized after the experience that we treated ourselves to breakfast at the Pacific Dinner

and talked about the task ahead of us for the afternoon…cleaning that bag of squid and getting it packaged for the freezer…and the recipe I would use to prepared it for Christmas Day.  I went home feeling at least 10 years younger!