Our customers can be all over the board when it comes to their preferences. Some want squid tube length over 8 inches, while others prefer them to be around 5 or 6 inches long. For the buyer who filets flounder, they are going to want the bigger ones, while the chef who is doing a whole fish preparation will prefer the smaller, plate-sized fish. Some insist on jumbo mackerel, while others will say the smaller ones have a better flavor.
And we’re thankful for them all, because we see all shapes and sizes of fish and squid here.
For so long, there’s been an assumption that bigger is better. And, in truth, there may be more flexibility in what one can do with a bigger fish. But the little ones offer a unique opportunity as well.
One of our favorite fishes here is whiting, or silver hake. Some whiting can be over 5 pounds and offer a nice filet. Other whiting can be quite small and not worth the effort of a filet knife. For those whiting, we recently learned about merlan en colere, a French preparation in which the fish is deep fried whole with its tail secured in its mouth. Not only is it delicious, the resulting circular shape offers a unique presentation opportunity.
So, size does matter. But, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to fish.
