Squid

A mollusk, squid (families Ommastrephidae and Loliginidae) more often appears on menus and in the market by its Italian name, calamari. The ommastrephids are the major commercial species around the world, but the American market depends mostly on the California squid fishery plus some caught off New England. That modern Americans know calamari at all is owing to immigrants from the Mediterranean who introduced its use in the twentieth century and provided recipes for its preparation. Battered and deep-fried calamari rings cut from the tube-shaped body are common fare in seafood restaurants, and prepared and frozen calamari is available for salads, stews, and stir-fries. The fishery for wild calamari is still abundant.