[Sca-cooks] Butchering/ fish heads

[Nicolas Steenhout]

>That said, I really want someone to teach me how to deal with fish.  You
>know, the ones with the heads still on them?  How do I cut them up? Do I do
>this before I serve them, or does each person cut their own at the table?
>If someone delivers fresh caught fish to me, what do I do with them?!!

Did I mention that I did a 6 month stint in the fish department of a fancy
hotel? :-)  I could help you with all those.  It's a lot of fun, and not
really difficult, actually.

Can't quite explain in words, it's one of these things that need to be
demonstrated, but depending on the fish you have, you will use different
techniques, some you bone before, some you bone after, some you don't bone...

The chef poissonier I worked with used to say:  "Un poisson sans arrete,
c'est comme une putain sans cul!".  In English, it's "A fish without bones
is like a hore without an ass"...  He was a little opinionated, and very
rude, but a lot of fun.  That said, he followed the customer's preferences
and we'd bone the things.

>Also, I can hack up a turkey, but have no idea where different parts of what
>are on any other animal.  So, yes, please to any classes on butchering in
>Atlantia!!

Simple enough...  You have the breast, you have the leg, and don't forget
the ever present *chicken lip* :-)  Seriously, that's a good idea to
consider names of both muscles and cuts.  And shall we talk European cuts
or American cuts? :-)

Have knives, will travel.  I'm in the Midrealm (Chicagoland), have no
trouble with the concept of going out of my way :-)  And don't let this
silly goose named Finnebhir scare you, I have never skinned or cut one of
my students or apprentices...  Well...  Not hard anyway...  Well...  Not to
leave permanent scars and damage anyway...  Well...  Not to those students
I liked anyway...    errrr, well, you get the point <evil grin>

Muiredach mac Loloig
Rokkehealden Shire
aka
Nicolas Steenhout
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry