by M. J. Joachim

Created on: July 25, 2009   Last Updated: July 26, 2009

Buying seafood at the supermarket can be a little intimidating. It's difficult to determine when it was caught, how it was frozen, or even if it is fresh. What's a shopper to do? Sure you can look for obvious signs and sniff to your heart's content. But even with all of your fine-tuned, savvy investigative skills working overtime, you still might not be able to tell if the fish you want to purchase is good or not.

What's a person to do when they are craving luscious shrimp scampi, or mouthwatering crab salad? How will you know which fish is your best bet just by looking at the selection presented on the ice in front of you? You have another option, aside from using your usual techniques to determine what seafood to buy at the supermarket. You can make friends with the butcher staff, ask every question under the sun, and probably learn the most delectable recipes for your choice of fish in the process.

Butchers know meat and seafood. They spend their careers learning about it, and then practice their skills daily in a valued position at the store. When you make friends with them, you get to pick their brain about what fish is in season, which school produced a bad crop this year, and even get the scoop on warnings before they hit the news. By building a relationship with your butcher, you give yourself access to seafood expertise, which can be critical when purchasing fish at the supermarket.

Getting to know your butcher has other benefits too. They can help you save money when you buy your seafood by alerting you to upcoming sales. They know what is currently overstocked, and which selection isn't being purchased as much. As your friend, they will more than likely give you the choicest filets and freshest fish in the store, as well as the best deal on them. Friends help each other out all the time in that way. They appreciate the value of strong relationships built on trust, and they work together forming a team of support for one another.

As you get to know your butcher, and learn everything he or she has to share with you about prime cuts of meat and purchasing the best seafood from his/her store, you will become educated about what to look for when purchasing fish. You will recognize the obvious signs of fresh seafood: clear bright eyes, moist tender flesh, vibrant color, and a pleasing odor. But you will also become familiar with some tricks of the trade: package dates and codes, freezing techniques used, processing information, and manufacturer reputation. These are the skills you will develop by becoming friends with your butcher, and they will be invaluable to you whenever you purchase seafood at the supermarket.

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