Beaks and Suckers Everywhere!

I've been thinking lately of Pastor Longshore's description of Italian food,  "They put squid in everything.  And beaks and suckers everywhere.  Hope she likes it."

Calamari Stew from the Italian Food Forever blog

The she in his comment of course, is Louisa, since she will be traveling soon to Italy.  And one of her primary reasons for wanting to go is the food.  Since we eat mostly gluten free here, she is eager to eat plenty of pasta and bread.

Pastor Longshore, I suspect, would admit he is not a very adventurous eater.  He was, after all, loth to try Joe's sauteed milkweed pods or picked fish. 

OK, so maybe those are rather extreme examples. 

My Louisa is not a very adventurous eater, either.  So I'm going to tease her a little bit with this post.

Louisa, my dear, I don't know how the Biancos cook.  I don't know what kinds of foods are common in their area of Italy.   Pastor Longshore said that he spent time in southern Italy, but on the Adriatic side rather than the Tyrrhenian.  So perhaps you will never get the opportunity to try the squid soup he described.  I have no idea, in fact, if the stew I have pictures is anything like what he ate.

But I do so very much like this particular phrase of his description, "...beaks and suckers everywhere."

I found an online guide to cleaning and cutting fresh squid.  Too bad there is not more time before you leave to find fresh squid near us.  I'm sure your dad would be eager to try his hand at it.

Fresh Squid, notice the beak off to the side on the lower right

I know you are greatly disappointed.  I understand how you love all your dad's experimental culinary delights.

But I also know, Louisa, that you have a little bit of that spirit of culinary adventure yourself, albeit in a mostly different direction than your dear father.  The recipe for the Calamari Stew pictured above, should you ever decide you'd like to try it, can be found at the Italian Food Forever blog.  It is Gluten Free, so you could make if for your dad.

I love you, my dear oldest daughter, and I will miss you intensely when you are gone.  I hope all the Italian food is wonderful!