Lynton:
>ever since i read of the Eskimo burying fish to age it, i wondered at the
>actual process involved.

>>to get rid of parasites in raw fish, maybe one way is to keep the fish
>>at room temperature in an airtight box for app. 3 or 4 days. Of course
>>it will smell awful afterwards.

>so some people do it cold, and others out in the open.
>What is important about the 'airtight' box? Do we want to exclude oxygen? or
>is it to keep the air we breath breathable while the aging is happening?

I don't know. I have never done that.

>Also, what does this do for the parasites? how do they feel ;)  Does the
>smell drive them away also? ;)

It gives them a chance to hatch and/or grow, theoretically I guess. I know
of no research that supports such an idea. In the years that I have been
eating raw fish I have never seen a parasite, except once: tiny thin white
worm-like things. They didn't seem at all grusome so I ate them along with
the fish. Maybe I shouldn't have--I don't know. It was a couple years ago.

>And what happens to the brave person who tries this for the first time?  Is
>it best to try a bit at a time?

Stefan mentions a "histimine" reaction in some folks. Otherwise, if there
is an attraction, the only thing that happens is that a fellow has a fine
meal and knows the "pleasure of the Eskimos" ;)

>>To make the fish eatable, you would have to dry it then.

>seems like this is optional, but what are the implications for wet or dry?

My guess is that many bacteria which probably exist on the surface of a
fish fillet are "deactivated" after the outside surface becomes dried out.
The inside is then "sealed in" this crust and continues to age, softening
and developing a stronger flavor and becoming even easier to digest (my
opinion) than fresh raw fish--wich is already notoriusly light and easy to
digest. Storing a fish fillet (or cut of meat) wrapped in the fridge is IMO
opinion folly since it continues to leak juices which provide a medium for
bacteria, which aren't bad in and of themselves but often produce
unpleasant off-flavors. Even if I was planning sashimi in a few hours after
purchase or catch, I would put the fillets out to dry for those few hours.

When aging a whole fish (which I think is what Stefan is talking about) it
is trickier. Anyone who has filleted a whole fish knows that it takes a
little effort to keep the guts from getting everywhere which often taints
the flesh with off-flavors. This problem is much worse with an aged whole
ungutted fish since the guts liquify and become _very_ strong with aging.
Further, the flush is softening as well, so when one goes to fillet a whole
aged fish it can be a messy disaster. Much more trouble than aging a fillet
for a couple days infront of a fan, me thinks.

>Like, what kinds of fish does this apply to?

Any saltwater fish from relatively unpolluted waters. There is some talk
about avoiding freshwater fish (pollution, more parasites) and in my
experience they taste inferior to ocean fish (though I ate lots of walleye
roe early on, which some say is poisonous). Most instinctos favor fatty
fish (wild salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, etc) though halibut, red
snapper, and other white fishes are sometimes very tasty. Wild
Pacific/Alaskan salmon is now in season and available across the country:
the pinker it is the fattier, in general. King and chinook are usually the
fattiest but it depends on where it was caught in its migration cycle.
Though fillets seem more "sanitary", the "steaks" are usually made from
portions closer to the head and contain more excellent belly fat (at the
end of the "flaps" on the steaks. I usually take the skin off before drying
(though I leave it on mackerel and sardines). The "necks" and heads are
greatly prized for the abundance of fat and extra flavors in the
head--probably not for a beginner). Myself I always get only never-frozen
fish which tastes superior to me and ages "properly", but I have heard of
rawists doing well with frozen wild salmon. One advantage of frozen is that
any parsites would supposedly be killed.

Unless you live on a fishing coast it is hard to find fresh mackerel,
sardines or herring (I have never found herring yet :(). Fresh mackerel is
more likely to be found at asian fish-mongers than anywhere else, but then
you are dealing with a whole fish and may end up filleting it
yourself--probably not advised for a "Raw Fish" ignoramus ;)

>I guess the bottom line is:  Is it  _healthy_ ?

Long tradition of raw fish consumption in Japan (though fresh) and of
course the Eskimos thrived on it. Many native Americans have traditions if
raw seafood consumption. The fish oil/EPA research finds important
nutriment in fish oils. But in the end, you'd have to decide for yourself
after some experience. See the books Native Nutrition (Schmid), Nutrition
and Physical Degeneration (Price), and Enzyme Nutrition (Howell) for
support of raw seafood consumption. Read the AMA stuff for fear of raw fish
and all raw foods it seems.

>Please have mercy on a Raw Fish ignoramus, but I do have a rather open mind
>when it comes to food.

There is more in the archives. Happy exploring...

Cheers,
Kirt