It's funny. A lot of cooks who instinctively know exactly how to cook a delicious chicken or steak are baffled when it comes to the subject of fish. It may seem intimidating at first, but trust me: it's not at all difficult to go from fish mystery to fish mastery.

When it comes right down to it, there are about a half dozen basic ways to cook fish, and once you know what they are, you can cook pretty much anything in the market.

Sautéed Fish Fillets
Braised Fish Fillets
Baked Fish Fillets
Broiled Fish Steaks
Pan-Fried Fish Fillets
Citrus-Marinated Fish Steaks
Dill-Marinated Fish Steaks

4 skinless fish fillets (about 3/4-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the fish fillets and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until it is just done. Serve the fish immediately, garnished with the parsley and lemon wedges. Serves 4.

This basic recipe works with absolutely ANY type of fish fillet. If your fillets are thinner than 3/4-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

*Jazz up this basic recipe by adding 1 cup of cubed tomatoes and 1 chopped garlic clove to the pan before adding the fish. Let cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then continue with the recipe.

1 tbsp olive oil
3 scallions, finely chopped, including green tops
1/4 cup dry white wine, fish broth, clam juice, or water
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
4 skinless fish fillets (about 3/4-inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring, until they are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and parsley and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Add the fish fillets, cover the pan, and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover, turn the fillets carefully with a spatula, and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, or until this fish is just done.

Transfer the fish to a serving platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt. Serve the fish immediately, topped with the pan juices. Serves 4.

This basic recipe works with absolutely ANY type of fish fillet. If your fillets are thinner than 3/4-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

*Jazz up this basic recipe by adding 1/4 cup chopped celery or red bell pepper to the pan along with the scallions, and 1/2 tsp dried thyme to the braising liquid. A garlic clove, chopped, is also nice to add with the scallions.

2 tbsp butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 skinless fish fillets (about 1-inch thick)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Grease a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
Sprinkle the salt and pepper all over the fish fillets and arrange them on the buttered baking sheet. Brush the fillets with the melted butter. Bake the fish fillets until they are done to taste, about 7-10 minutes. Serve fish with the parsley and lemon wedges as a garnish. Serves 4.
This basic recipe works with absolutely ANY type of fish fillet. If your fillets are thinner than 1-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

*Jazz up this basic recipe by scattering 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion and/or 3 tbsp chopped black olives over the fish before baking. Substituting chopped fresh dill, mint, or cilantro for the parsley is also a tasty variation.

6 fish steaks (about 1-inch thick)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Preheat the broiler to high. Brush or drizzle the olive oil on the fish steaks, then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

Place fish steaks in a broiler pan, and broil, turning them once with a spatula, until the steaks are golden on the outside and done to taste inside, about 4-6 minutes per side. Serve immediately, garnished with the parsley and lemon wedges. Serves 6.

This basic recipe works with absolutely any type of firm fish steak. If your steaks are thinner than 1-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

*Jazz up this basic recipe by mixing 1 tsp red wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp dried oregano with the olive oil before brushing it on the fish. Or, add 1 tbsp tomato paste to the oil with the oregano.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup cornmeal
6 skinless fish fillets (about 3/4-inch thick)
Oil, for frying
Lemon wedges, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Place a baking tray in the oven to warm it.

In a shallow dish, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs until they are frothy. Place the cornmeal in a third shallow dish. Dip the fish fillets first into the flour mixture, coating them lightly on all sides. Then dip the fillets into the eggs, shaking off any excess. Finally, dip the fillets into the cornmeal.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4-inch of oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking (it should register 375ºF on a deep-fat thermometer), add as many of the fish fillets as comfortably fit in the pan (usually 2). Cook the fish for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until it is golden and just done. Transfer fish to the baking tray in the oven
and continue frying the rest of the fish as directed for.
Serve the fish immediately, garnished with the lemon wedges. Serves 6.
This basic recipe works with firm, white fleshed fish fillets.

Marinade:
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice (1 orange)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 fish steaks (about 1-inch thick)
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives (or substitute parsley or
cilantro)

Preheat the broiler to high. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Place the fish steaks in a nonaluminum shallow dish. Pour about half of the marinade over them (reserve the rest of the marinade). Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.

Transfer the fish steaks to a broiler pan and broil, turning them once with a spatula, until the steaks are golden on the outside and done to taste inside, about 4-6 minutes per side. Drizzle with the reserved marinade, garnish with the chopped fresh chives, and serve immediately. Serves 6.

This basic recipe will work with any type of firm fish steak. If your steaks are thinner than 1-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

Marinade:
2 tbsp melted butter or olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 fish steaks (about 1-inch thick)

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients.

Place the fish steaks in a nonaluminum shallow dish. Pour about half of the marinade over them (reserve the rest of the marinade). Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Transfer the fish steaks to a baking pan and bake until they are golden on top and done to taste inside, about 6-9 minutes. Drizzle the steaks with the reserved marinade and serve immediately. Serves 6.

This basic recipe will work with any type of firm fish steak. If your steaks are thinner than 1-inch, reduce the cooking time slightly. If they are thicker, increase the cooking time.

When cooking fish, to test for doneness, poke it with a fork at its thickest point and take a look (poke the piece of fish that you plan to serve yourself, or garnish it well to hide the poking). Perfectly cooked fish is nearly opaque (except for tuna and salmon, which can be served quite deliciously rare in the center if very fresh), and should be very moist. It should flake in large chunks if at all. Fish that easily flakes and looks slightly dry is overcooked. Undercooked fish looks raw.

As everyone knows, freshness is essential to good eating. From lettuce to chicken to bread, the freshness of our food is directly linked to its quality. With fish, freshness is even more important. Fish are fragile creatures, and their quality begins to deteriorate within minutes of being hauled from the water. That's why being able to choose the freshest fish in the market is tantamount to choosing the best.

But choosing fresh fish can be tricky, especially today for us Americans, since most of the fish we buy is already cut up into fillets and steaks. While this makes cooking fish a snap, it also means that we need to pay attention before we buy. Here are some guidelines for helping you choose the freshest catch in the market.

Choosing where to purchase your fish is every bit as important as choosing which fish to buy. Whether you shop at a specialty seafood shop or in the neighborhood supermarket, make sure that it's a place with a high turnover. Sometimes a gourmet seafood store, even if they have dozens of varieties for sale, isn't as good a choice as the corner market, simply because fewer people may shop there. If you shop at a place with a lot of traffic, you are guaranteed a high turnover, which almost always guarantees fresh fish. On the other hand, just because your supermarket does a bustling business in every other department doesn't mean they sell a lot of fish. A good way to tell is simply to watch the seafood counter while you shop. Is it crowded? Are other shoppers looking carefully over the refrigerator case, being choosy about what they take home to their families? Crowds, especially discriminating ones, can be a good sign.

Presentation is also key. Are the fish beautifully (or at least neatly) on display, surrounded by ice? The little plastic signs which list the price per pound should be stuck into the ice (or a lemon half if the store is fancy) next to the fish, not into the fish itself. The counter and surrounding areas should be sparkling clean, without pools of murky liquid collecting. Pools of murky liquid are also bad signs when collecting underneath the fish.

Other ways to tell if your store is a good one is to watch the counter people in action. How are they handling your dinner? Are they carelessly flopping the fish into the wrapping, holding the steaks or fillets by a thin edge (which can tear the flesh), or dangling your snapper by the tail? Fish are not as hardy as chickens, and need easy handling
(although you probably wouldn't want your butcher lifting your chicken by its drumstick, either).

Odor is also a telltale indicator. When you walk into a fish store or approach the fish counter if you're in a supermarket, are you greeted with the crisp clean scent of salt and ice? This is what you should smell. If the air is at all rank, vaguely foul, or even somewhat less than fresh, something could be amiss. If this is the case where you buy
your fish, think about changing venues.

Checking Out The Merchandise Once you've chosen your market of choice, choosing which fish is the freshest should be as easy as asking the fishmonger. But, if you want to choose your own dinner, here's what to look for:

How Much is Enough? While we believe that you can never have enough seafood in your life, here is a more precise estimate, per main course serving:

Whole fish:                   3/4 to 1 pound
Fillets and steaks:         5 to 8 ounces
Shrimp and scallops:    5 to 7 ounces, shelled
Clams and mussels:      3/4 pound
Oysters:                        1 dozen
Squid and octopus:       6 to 8 ounces
Lobster:                        1 1/2 pounds in the shell

Storing
As a rule, it is best to cook and eat seafood on the same day of purchase, but that isn't always practical. In a pinch, here's what to do to prolong your catch's shelf-life.

Keeping it Cool
First of all, the only shelf your fish and seafood should ever see is your refrigerator shelf.

After buying, wrap fish in waxed paper or place in a covered dish and refrigerate. It is important to cook as soon as possible, although fresh fish can be refrigerated for a day or two. Frozen fish may be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

You can store live clams in the refrigerator in an open container covered with a moist cloth for up to 2 days. Shucked clams may be stored in their liquor (the liquid surrounding them) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Refrigerate live crabs, covered by a damp towel, until just before cooking. They should be used the day of purchase. Leftover cooked crabmeat may be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Canned crabmeat may be stored, once opened, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Store live mussels in a single layer on a tray covered with a damp cloth for up to 2 days. Shucked mussels may be stored in their liquor in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Refrigerate shucked scallops for up to 1 to 2 days.

Before storing uncooked shrimp, rinse them well under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Cooked shrimp can also be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Unless you are lucky enough to live by the sea and purchase whole fish bodies flung straight from the fishermen's nets, you probably won't be doing much gutting or filleting yourself. Top-notch fish markets allow you to peruse a selection of whole fish, then select one which they fillet before your eyes. While you may never suffer the occasion to gut and cut a fish yourself, in order to be an educated consumer, and in case you ever do have the good fortune to come upon a whole fish (fish in its entirety keeps fresher longer than in parts), you'll benefit from knowing a thing or two about the cuts of fish and how to make them.

First, you will want to at least familiarize yourself with a few essential preparation tools. Fillets, in this country at least, are by far the most popular cut of fish, and are made possible by razor-sharp, highly flexible filleting knives. Unless you're dissecting a whole marlin or tuna, a nine inch blade should do the job. Any large, sharp chef's knife should enable you to cut through bones. And those needlelike, all-invasive tiny fish bones are extricable with a
strawberry huller, set of needle-nose pliers, or a pair of tweezers. Fins can be removed with heavy-duty kitchen scissors. A fish scaler is one of those fun but probably superfluous gadgets that just take up space in your kitchen drawers.

Dressing (Or Is it Undressing)
Filleting Fish
Skinning Fish
Making Steaks
Preparing Other Seafood

Scaling Round Fish
While the delicately-scaled salmon do not require scaling, other fish bear plate armor that requires some buff and polish to prevent a mouthful of roof shingles. Below are our tried and true, easy to follow, step-by-step directions for doing the job.
(NOTE: Use this paragraph as an introduction to the section already in place about scaling fish; the point by point list is helpful).

After the fish has been scaled (although as previously stated, salmon, especially when grilled, does not really require a scaling), wash the flesh thoroughly, and with your kitchen scissors, either trim the tail into a neat V-shape or remove it altogether. (Many chefs prefer the V for purely stylistic reasons; it is of little culinary import); then
scissor off its fins. Once the fish has been clipped of fins and tail, place the fish on one side, station it in place with your hand pressingdown on its side, and with the sharp blade of your heavy-duty chef's knife, slit the fish up the belly from base to head, being extra careful not to cut too deeply. (Inside the fish's belly, its "viscera" or
intestines contain bitter acids that might contaminate the fish's delicate flavor if pierced by the knife). If you've ever caught a fish on a camping trip, you may well remember the next, arguably unpleasant task of gutting the fish. With a little finesse and wherewithal, however, this chore can be accomplished with speed and relative ease.
Just reach up and into the fish's belly with one hand, and pull down and toward the tail on the aforementioned viscera, which should detach cleanly. Look inside the fish, and you'll see the kidney -- a small white sack lodged against the backbone - which you should scrape out with the knife. Then run cold water inside the bared belly, scraping away any clinging blood or membranes. If you (like most Americans) prefer your fish headless, cut straight through the backbone to remove this offending member. Now your fish is ready for preparing whole.

You can dress a flat fish such as flounder in much the same way, washing and scaling it, removing the tail and fins; lucky for you, however, if you intend to prepare the whole (unfilleted) fish, you can simply "off with its head" and then press on the body to force out those ever-irksome innards. Rinse the cavity well to remove any lingering
blood.

If you intend to stuff a whole fish, you'll need to remove its backbone. Start on one end of the fish by inserting the filleting knife between the flesh and the outside of the rib bones, and work your way around to the other, separating flesh from bones. Then slide the knife under the backbone and pull it out, rib bones attached, and proceed with stuffing your fish.

To fillet a whole fish, first rinse it off under cold running water. You'll need a sharp chef's knife to cut through thick bones and flesh, and a thinner, more flexible knife to slice your fillet away from the bone. Lay the fish with its dark side down on the cutting board; you may wish to leave this bottom layer of skin on, since fish cooked (particularly grilled or poached) with some skin left on is less likely to flake apart. With your free hand, press down on the fish to pin its slippery form to the board, and with the other, slice down the backside of the head, just beginning to cleave the fish into its two halves.

Arrange the knife inside this cut, positioned neatly between the fish's bones and its flesh, and cut from head to tail, keeping the bottom of the blade tight against the bones so that these are separated from the fillet. Rather than sawing closely back and forth, which could result in a jaggedly edged cut, use your sharpest blade to make long, even strokes. The flatter you keep your knife, the sharper its blade, and the more sweeping your strokes, the neater your fillet will appear, and the better it'll keep its shape during cooking.

When the fillet is all but freed from the fish, hold it in one hand and snip it loose at the tail, holding the knife blade tilted downward for this last cut. Cut away the "comb" of tiny bones that will edge your fillet.

Once one fillet has been cut from one side of the fish, turn the animal over and proceed with the dark side up. Begin by making a shallow cut in the top of the fish's head, bringing the tip of your knife blade just shy of the backbone, and continue as you did with the first fillet, using sweeping knife strokes to cut the flesh from the bone, keeping
your blade level until the last downward swipe to free the meat.

Once you've cut the two long fillets from your whole fish, you'll need to eliminate any (all, if possible) bones that you see in the meat remaining. First start by cutting out the rib bones, those that will run perpendicular to the front of each fillet. Simply slice under whatever bones you see, keeping the blade tight against them so as not to sacrifice tasty meat in the trimming process, and pull up gently until they detach and you can pull them out with your fingers. Fish also contain tiny "pin bones," that you'll find by rubbing from head to tail with your fingertips, massaging gently to detect their sharp edges. Typically, these run down the fillet's center, and you can eradicate them by cutting on either side in a shallow V, and removing this narrow strip of meat, bones included. (Appropriately, this is called a V-cut). For any stray bones, use your fish tweezers or needle-nose pliers and as with splinters, grab careful hold of the stray edge and pull firmly but with a gliding ease so that the whole bone comes out rather than breaking and leaving some portion embedded in the flesh.

If you wish to skin a whole fish (rather than just removing a bottom layer from a fillet), make a shallow incision at the base of the fish's tail, without cutting through any meat. Then, scraping with the blade of the knife, free enough skin so that you can grasp it firmly with your fingers. With your free hand, hold the fish's body down, and with the
other, pull the skin toward and over the head (almost as if you were literally undressing it).

Lobster
Lobsters live on both US coasts, although the Maine variety are perhaps the best known of the American species. Their flesh tastes richer than crab, and can be savored boiled with butter and lemon, in a sweet seafood bisque, as part of a stuffing, or in any number or equally satisfying concoctions. In the water (their native, salty waters, that
is) lobster shells look bluish brownish green, but boiled they turn a vivid coral color that tinges their whitish flesh.

Killing: Because lobsters lose their sweet freshness shortly after death, they are customarily cooked within a short space of time after being killed. Contrary to what softies in this country may believe, lobsters do not scream as they meet their scalding death, plunged into a pot of boiling water. Occasionally, a slight, shiver-inducing whistle
can be heard emanating not from their mouths but from the contracting of their shells, but this is no cry of anguish. If you persist in feeling sorry for the beady-eyed critters, however, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends placing the live lobster in a pot of cold water, and gradually turning up the heat until the water
reaches a tepid 104 degrees, which will successfully stun the lobster into a stupor without cooking it, and it will painlessly pass into that watery night. Then you can boil it with an easy mind.

As another, perhaps more efficient method for the less guilt ridden, you might consider quickly killing the lobster with a knife. Hold its head down onto a cutting board with a kitchen towel, knock the back of its shell against the table top in order to stun it, then push the tip of a sharp chef's knife straight down through the pale cross configuration in the lobster's back until you make contact with the butcher block underneath. This will do it.

Preparing: To successfully cook a lobster and get at its meat, you'll need several tools. First, as usual, a well sharpened chef's knife is indispensable in every kitchen. You should also have a nut pick or paring knife handy for extracting meat, and a pair of sturdy kitchen scissors.

Extracting the meat: The tail and claws contain some of the richest, most flavorful meat on the lobster, and you'll need that nut pick or paring knife to dig deep and find every last morsel. The tail, in particular holds some prized lobster flesh, and can be prepared in a number of equally appetizing ways. To get at it, just use those kitchen
scissors to cut through the tough underside of the shell, and the meat will fall like manna into your eagerly waiting hands. This is a particularly easy and good method if you intend to cut the tail meat into medallions, or to dice or slice it for stuffing. Just cut it up and blend with other ingredients to form a light and delicious stuffing or sauce.

You can remove the tail vein by making a neat incision alongside it and pulling it out. If you will be "butterflying" the lobster tail and hence need the lower shell to remain intact, you can cut through the top shell, bisect the tail meat with your knife, and then remove the vein. A "piggyback" lobster tail requires that you cut away the top portion of the shell onto to the fan, remove the meat in one long piece, clean and devein it, and then rest it back in its shell for broiling.

To get at the claws, first twist them to free them from the body of the lobster, then pull the "thumb" like appendage from the claw. Now, since you'll want to aim to keep the claw meat in its intact shape, use the blunt edge of your chef's knife to carefully tap against the side of the claw; with any luck at all, this will dislodge the claw meat in its
undamaged entirety. To get at the meat in the legs, again use that blunt edge to crack them open, and then pluck it out with your nut pick.

Stuffing: If you intend to stuff the lobster, lay it flat on its back and using your sharp chef's knife, make a slit from tail to head, paying attention not to rupture the lobster's back shell. Reach in with your fingers to scoop out its "sand sac" (from the head), "tomalley" (its liver, which will looks like a greenish gray mound), and "coral" (eggs).
These last two -- the tomalley and the coral -- are considered delicacies, and you may wish to reserve them for your guests' to enjoy. Form a stuffing cavity by stretching apart the two halves of the lobster, rinse it out and pat dry. Before baking the lobster, gently crack its claws so that their meat will be accessible but their
attractive form remains intact: now your lobster is ready to receive whatever stuffing you've prepared for it.

Generally, crab are cleaned after they are cooked, and they are usually cooked whole, intact, with the one exception being the soft-shelled species. While most chefs are in agreement that their cousin, the lobster, ought to be cooked immediately after being killed, the vote is not yet in regarding the proper cooking time for crab. Some say to cook them live as well, while others grant the chef some time and discretion. In any case, it's never a good idea to wait more than a few hours before preparing a piece of fresh seafood. If you're worried about getting in a
(literal) pinch in the kitchen, you can refrigerate live crabs, which stuns but does not kill them. If and when the time comes for you to do the crustaceans in, you should always approach them from the back and with a kitchen towel in hand, pin their pinchers against the sides of their bodies to prevent war wounds. Then, either smack the crab against a firm surface like a cutting board or table top to stun it into submission, or dunk it straight away into a pot of boiling water.

Tools: As with the lobster, several kitchen tools will greatly alleviate the job of extracting meat from the crabs' highly compartmentalized bodies, legs and claws. First you'll want that ever-essential sharpened chef's knife, a nut picker or small paring knife (for digging out hard to access bits of crab), and a pair of kitchen scissors.

Extracting the meat: To get at the honeycomb-like sections in the body of the crab, first grab hold of the top shell (keep a kitchen towel in hand for the best possible grip and leverage), and yank this off. Next, flip the crab over and pry off its "apron," the softish triangle on the belly of the crab's shell; this should reveal its spines, which you
should also extract. The crab has two soft, white, gill-like appendages near its face, called its "dead man's fingers," which should also be pulled off. Reach one finger into its mouth and scoop out and throw away the contents. Inside the body, you'll notice (if you're lucky), a golden glob the crab's viscera also known as "crab butter." This is
considered a delicious treat, and you might want to carefully extract it from the crab meat and spread it onto crackers for your dinner guests' to savor. Once you've cleaned out the crab's body so that all that remains visible is its white flesh, rinse this well under cold running water. To get at the meat, snap the body in half and begin a picking
with that ever-useful nut pick. Be careful to probe the body and leave no segment uncharted. Like on the lobster, the crab's claws contain some of its tastiest meat. Once you've snapped these off of the body, use the blunt edge of your chef's knife to crack the sides of the claws, and then you should be able to pluck it out with your nut pick.

If you feel the need to devein the shrimp (and whether you must is an issue in debate), just make a slit down either side of the vein running the length of the shrimp's back, and pull it out, or rinse it out under a cold running water.

Preparing: Oysters are renowned for their supposed aphrodisiac properties; whether or not there is any scientific truth to this claim, their delicate bite and sweet flavor combines to make them one of the sexiest foods around. A raw oyster bar makes a dramatic addition to any cocktail party, although you must handle and shuck them with a delicacy equal to their tender flesh and juices. First off, oyster shells often carry potentially harmful oceanic bacteria, so be sure to scrub them thoroughly before attempting to pry them open.

Begin by wrapping your left hand (if you're right handed) in a kitchen towel, and firmly cupping the bottom shell of the oyster. One of the oyster's shells should be rounder than the other; this is the one you should hold onto. Take care not to jostle or tip the oyster during the shucking, or those tasty juices (called the oyster's "liquor") will run
off, wasted on the unappreciative towel.

Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinged end of the oyster's shell, pushing it in, twisting ever so gently, working with care until you feel the shell's slight release. Just as you'll want to be careful not to drain any juice from the shell cup, take extra caution not to nick the pearl-like oyster body with the tip of your knife. (This means don't be overly-zealous or rushed as you open the oyster, particularly with the thinner shelled varieties).

Once the shell is open, you still won't be able to actually view (let alone consume) the oyster without clipping the muscle that holds it to the shell as well as keeping the two shells together; with your knife, gently probe against the upper roof of the shell until you feel resistance, and gently slice through the oyster's sinewy "umbilical cord." Remove the top half of the shell and examine the inside for any crumbled bits of shell; if you find any, be sure to fish them out (to avoid nicked teeth among your friends). As a last step in freeing the oyster, work your knife gently underneath it to cut the muscle holding it in place to the bottom shell. This is not an essential step in oyster shucking, but will allow your guests to slurp with their dignity intact. One tricky way of getting around unseemly nicked oysters is to flip them over in their shells; voila! You'll give the impression of being a shucking pro!

Once you've opened your oysters, place the oyster shells on leaves of lettuce or strands of seaweed on top of the bed of ice. (The greenery keeps them from coming into direct contact with the ice and chilling to the frozen side of refreshing, as well as creating an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to the pearly oysters and slate gray shells). Be sure, again, to keep them right-side-up, so that the tasty liquor does not run off and leave you with dry oysters. If you absolutely can't serve them immediately after the shucking, cover the plate with plastic wrap or aluminum foil but don't leave the dainty tidbits in this condition for long!

Next you'll want to remove the mussels' "beards," what's known in scientific terms as their "byssal threads," those same hard-working filaments that adhere the shells to rocks, docks and other sturdy surfaces. First try pulling on the beard with your fingers or a knife to wrench it off; if this fails, use a pair of pliers (but as with all shellfish, work with gentleness and care!). However, if you do not intend to cook the mussels immediately, hold off on this step; they die and begin to spoil as soon as that byssal thread is yanked off.

Shucking: Because mussel shells are some of the most fragile found in the sea, you'll want to pay extra attention not to squeeze or wrench as you shuck them open. No fancy tools are required for this process just a pocket knife and a kitchen towel. While oysters and clams open to the front, mussels are hinged at the side, so you should look to the side of the shell for the small opening in which to work the tip of your knife blade. Glide your blade back and forth, twisting ever so gently, and work the blade from one side of the mussel around to the other. To free
the flesh inside the shell, work the tip of your knife blade inside the top and bottom of the shell. Proceed as you did with the oysters, by laying the mussels in the bottom halves of their shell on a lettuce-topped bed of ice.