One of my favorite parts of Robert of Cross Keys' fine Free Market Friday guest post today is that he felt he had to include the word "accidentally" in the last sentence. Here's RoCK. EL
On a recent trip to Portalli's in Ellicott City, I step out of my normal menu routine and order a whole fish. ...
I go with the bronzino, which is frequently served whole. There is something to be said for this preparation. Not only does it preserve the texture and the flavor of the fish, but also there is a primitive satisfaction in eating something in its natural form … well, minus the guts.
I will admit that when eating a whole fish I’m not the most efficient eater. I’m picking off a little here and a little there, trying to get at the more accessible parts and making at least a half-hearted attempt at accessing the cheek.
The wife, even less familiar with whole fish, dives right in and ends up with a mouth full of bones. She immediately proclaims that whole fish should be filleted tableside.
If the fish were filleted, I have no doubt that more fish would end up in me than on the plate. Actually, the last time I had fish filleted tableside more fish did end up on me than on the plate because the server accidentally dropped the fish in my lap.