Fresh Fish

Lunch in the kitchen today consisted of fish caught last night by Giorgio, one of the waiters. As it turns out he is a bit of a fisherman himself and sells some of what he catches. However, the less popular fish are often difficult to sell so he either brings them home or to Pierluigi for staff lunch. Among these fish were two bluefish, which I did not think existed in the Mediterranean. luckily I was wrong. Just as in the States, bluefish do not often make it to tables in restaurants here because they are not fish they keep well at all. After the first 24 hours, if not 6 hours, they are a completely different fish. They are very oily and quickly develop that "fishy" taste many people don't like. However, when truly fresh, I don't know that there is a better fish out there. We had them grilled with a little salt and oil and then a lemon wedge squeezed on top and they were delicious. I asked Giorgio when he's going fishing next and he says he goes a few times a week and I'd be welcome to come on his next trip. I've got my fingers crossed this will lead to a somewhat regular supply of lesser known fish.

The rest of the morning went as usual, did the tomatoes, cleaned and then stuffed squash blossoms, chopped tuna scraps, peeled potatoes, helped with the pastas during the lunch rush etc. After the lunch rush came through I helped Alfredo, the fish guy, with the fresh squid. Before frying them you have to remove the small piece of cartilage that is sort of like the spine. It's incredibly mindless work, but goes a lot faster with two people. At one point Alfredo leaned over and said "Fa sonno, no?" (Puts you to sleep huh?). I agreed and we started talking a bit after that. He asked when I was going back to America and when I said probably after the holidays. He looked slightly confused and asked why. I told him about my tour guiding business and wanting to stay around for the one time in the winter when there will likely be tourists in town. He agreed with my logic. He asked a few more questions and was surprised to learn that I had finished college, something most Italians are always in the process of doing.

I saw this as a good opportunity to ask a bit about his past. He is from Peru and graduated from university there in 1999 with a business degree. After two years of looking for work in Lima he gave up and came to Italy. He had some friends and relatives who were already here and could find him work. He came in 2001 and started working as a dishwasher in a large restaurant that did banquets and weddings and the like. He slowly worked his way up the culinary ladder and is now in charge of fish at Pierluigi.

As we were pulling the cartilage out of the baby squid we were also sorting out the cuttlefish that were in same bunch. I asked Alfredo about the differences in cooking them. He said the most important thing about either one is that you remove the ink sack if you're going to do anything other than fry them (hot oil seals the ink in and you don't have to worry about it). He then grabbed one of the cuttlefish, removed the bone, tore the head off and turned the rest of the body inside out, revealing the location of the ink sack, which he expertly removed. The sack itself was about the size of a tear drop, just tiny, but he found it and pulled it out in seconds without rupturing it. He said that one little sack like that could turn a bowl of pasta for four people entirely black. An interesting twist if you're trying to do it, but unpleasant otherwise.