half dozen commercial species of sea urchins with average diameters of 2.5–5 in/6–12 cm They’re almost entirely enclosed in a sphere of mineralized plates covered with protective spines, and are collected mainly for their golden, creamy, richly flavored reproductive tissues, which can account for up to two-thirds of the internal tissues Both testes and ovaries are prized, and are hard to tell apart Seaurchin gonads average 15–25% fat and 2–3% savory amino acids, peptides, and IMP In Japan, sea urchins are eaten raw in sushi or salted and fermented into a savory paste; in France they’re added to scrambled eggs, soufflés, fish soups and sauces, and sometimes poached whole Preserved Fish and Shellfish Few foods go bad faster than fish And until recently, few people in the world had the chance to eat fresh fish Before refrigeration and motorized transportation became common, fish were harvested in such numbers and spoiled so rapidly that most had to be preserved by drying, salting, smoking, fermenting, or some combination of these antimicrobial treatments Preserved forms of fish are still important and appreciated in most parts of the world, especially in Europe and Asia It’s true that their flavor is much more assertive than the mild fresh fish that are now the U.S standard But preserved fish aren’t just an inferior relic of preindustrial necessity They can be a delicious alternative, and they offer a taste of history Dried Fish Drying foods in the sun and wind is an ancient method of preservation Fresh fish is about 80% water; below 25%, bacteria have trouble growing, and below 15% molds do too ... fermenting, or some combination of these antimicrobial treatments Preserved forms of fish are still important and appreciated in most parts of the world, especially in Europe and Asia It’s true that their flavor is much... more assertive than the mild fresh fish that are now the U.S standard But preserved fish aren’t just an inferior relic of preindustrial necessity They can be a delicious alternative, and they offer a taste of history... and they offer a taste of history Dried Fish Drying foods in the sun and wind is an ancient method of preservation Fresh fish is about 80% water; below 25%, bacteria have trouble growing, and below 15% molds do too