Cephalopods
Cephalopods
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Cephalopods are an amazing seafood category. Part of the mollusk family, these animals form a category unto themselves. The three main types of Cephalopods are: Squid, Octopus and Cuttlefish also known as Calamari, Pulpo and Sepia. There are a wide variety of products available in the market from many different countries of origin. All cephalopods are wild caught. However, the most amazing cephalopod story occurs with Squid.
Squid is a cephalopod that in less than 20 years has become a mainstream seafood item. Originally an ethnic specialty, Squid was introduced to mainstream USA in the mid 1980s in its cleaned form as “Cleaned Calamari.” Now you find Calamari, (bypassing the common name of squid) featured on most restaurant menus and is a consumer favorite despite being “SQUID” or bait. It has transcended from squid to Calamari and the fact that Calamari is squid has become a distant memory for most consumers. Calamari is sold primarily in cleaned form: Tubes and Tentacles, Tubes Only, Rings and Tentacles, Rings Only or even as Steaks. Cleaned Calamari is 100% useable, with no waste. Cooking applications range from fried and grilled, to stuffed and sautéed. Price point, cooking ease and the U.S. love of fried food makes calamari a natural winner.
There are many different types of squid with their own particular characteristics that we will explore in future discussions. However, regardless of the type, Calamari or Squid is one of the best seafood values out there!