" FISH &SHELLFISH "

At one time, fresh fish was enjoyed only in limited areas—along the
seacoast and, to a lesser extent, around lakes and rivers. Today, thanks
to modern refrigeration and freezing technology, fish products are
enjoyed much more widely.
For the cook, the difficulties of understanding fish and shellfish
are, in some ways, the reverse of those for meat. With meat, we are
presented with only a few animals, but a bewildering array of cuts from
each. With fish, we see only a few cuts but hundreds of species, each
with its own characteristics and cooking requirements.
For this reason, it is especially important that students learn the
basic principles of structure, handling, and cooking so they can utilize
the many varieties of seafood in a systematic way.
Fish products are divided into two categories: fin fish, or fish with
fins and internal skeletons, and shellfish, or fish with external shells but
no internal bone structure. Because they have many differences, it is
helpful to look at them separately....