On Food and Cooking

People in many parts of the world enjoy
eating ocean fish and shellfish raw. Unlike
meats, fish have the advantage of relatively
tender muscle and a naturally savory taste,
and are easier and more interesting to eat raw.
They offer the experience of a kind of primal
freshness. The cook may simply provide a few
accompanying ingredients with
complementary flavors and textures, or firm
the fish’s texture by means of light
acidification (ceviche), salting (poke), or both
(anchovies briefly cured in salt and lemon
juice). And raw preparations don’t require the
use of fuel, which is often scarce on islands
and coastlines.
All uncooked fresh fish pose the risk of
carrying a number of microbes and parasites
that can cause food poisoning or infection (p.
185). Only very fresh fish of the highest
quality should be prepared for consumption
raw, and they should be handled very
carefully in the kitchen to avoid