Day 34 - March 27, 2015 - How We Choose a Fresh Whole Fish For Baking - Πώς Διαλέγουμε Φρέσκα Ψάρια Για Ψήσιμο

Just over two weeks are left in our Lenten Journey, and we are blessed to learn something new every day.  Some days, it is not that we have learned a new fact, but a new perspective.  Today was one of those days.  We were getting ready for our fish dinner for the March 25th Feasts (yiortes), and we had gone to the market to choose the fish we were going to prepare.  There were so many choices, as there always are.  But, we had a budget in mind, and an idea of how we wanted to cook the fish, now it was a matter of choosing the type.  

We went to the fish market where a dozen other people were shopping doing the same thing, asking questions, choosing specific fish.  For sure, these folks were all Greek and they were all going to cook their fish for the celebrations of the day-- or not.  We don't know, but we were looking at all of our options trying to decide which fish?

Later that day, after having settled on our purchase, returning home with cleaned, gutted fish, we were talking on the phone with our nephew, Alex, and he asked a question that made us want to elaborate and answer with pictures.  Alex asked, "How did you choose the fish?"  The most basic answer we were able to give is, "We like snapper."  But, that wasn't really Alex's question, and he asked again, "How did you choose those fish?"  Ahh, now there is understanding.  In the brief words of an inquisitive and thoughtful teenager, what our adult minds translated to was, "How do you know which are the fish that are good, fresh, and okay to buy?"  Well, here is our answer.

How do you know if the fish is fresh?  Well, the first sign is the smell.  Fresh fish should not smell fishy.  There is something very fishy about smelly fish!  When you walk into a fish store, or near a fish counter, there is usually that pungent odour that can be rather offensive.  Sometimes, this is understandable, because the stores and the counters have a lot of scrap and waste circling through there, a slight smell is understandable.  But, you want to particularly smell the actual fish-- the body of the fish.  That is how you will know which individual fish is fresher than the other.

Next, the eyes tell a story.  The eyes of the fish should look fresh.  They should be clear and bulging a little, to make it look like the fish is still alive.  The cloudiness that appears in the eyes shows how a fish is not so fresh, because the more cloudy the eyeballs are, the older the fish.  The bulge of the eye is the other indicator.  When the fish is alive, the eye sticks out a little from the head.  Once caught, the eyeball sinks in slightly and will sit flush with the head.  That's what you want-- an eye that has not sunken into the head.  As you are looking at the fish, the fish is still looking at you!

Lastly, the flesh tells a lot about freshness.  Fresh fish should be shiny on the outside.  Yes, many fish are shiny while sitting in ice under those bright lights.  But, fresh fish have a slight film on them.  You want that film to be on the fish.  They dry up as they age, so they lose shine.

Also with the flesh, the feeling of it should be firm and plump.  If you get a chance, poke the fish.  Does the flesh bounce back after being poked?  It should.  When a fish sits for a long period of time, it loses some of the moisture; and, of course, the more moisture lost, the drier the fish will be.  A moist, plump, yet firm fish is fresh, and by feeling it, you will know.

Lastly, the easiest resource for finding fresh fish is to ask the sales person.  We buy fish from vendors who we know are reputable.  Many times, we know the fish monger and believe that he would carry some of the best product on this side of town.  The simple act of asking, "Which fish came in today?" will lead you in the right direction to choosing the right fish.  Otherwise, you will have to go fishing and take it out of the water yourself to get the freshest product.  Now, it is your turn to "Go Fish!"

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

"On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, “Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces."

Luke 9:10-17 (English Standard Version)
Source of quote: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+9%3A10-17&version=ESV