Humans everywhere have always been fascinated by octopuses squid and cuttlefish known
biologically as cephalopods. They evolved hundreds of millions of years ago and are related to
molluscs such as mussels and snails. They can grow to an enormous size with eyes as big as
footballs but they still live for only a couple of years. They mate once in their lifetime and
die shortly after. They have blue blood and three hearts and they can shoot out jet-black ink.
They have a brain and have behaviours that could be interpreted as signs of intelligence even
though more than half of their brain is distributed in their arms. They are colour blind but
they can change the colour of their skin in a flash. They are masters of disguise and are able
to alter the texture of their skin and the patterns displayed on it at lighting speed. They can
also 'taste' using the suckers on their arms. They can move extremely fast thanks to a
jet-propulsion system built into their body cavity. Although they are soft-bodied and look
vulnerable cephalopods are formidable predators. Octopuses have arms that are so strong that
they can exert a force equal to hundreds of times their own body weight. Squid and cuttlefish
can shoot out a tentacle to capture prey at the speed of a javelin thrown by an expert
athlete.Cephalopods are however so much more than just fascinating creatures with strange
physical characteristics. They are a nutritious delicious protein source that has found a
place for thousands of years in many food cultures around the world. As squid cuttlefish and
octopuses are native to virtually all parts of the ocean they are an excellent and available
alternative to meat from terrestrial animals.This book is written to promote the overall place
of cephalopods in home kitchens and to inspire the uninitiated to add them to their diet. It
describes the many facets of their anatomy that play a central role in their potential use as
healthy diverse and interesting food sources with a particular emphasis on their taste and
texture. By way of an assortment of recipes the authors hope to dispel the myth that it is
difficult to prepare delicious dishes using squid cuttlefish and octopuses. In addition
there are contributions to the on-going discussions about how marine resources can be exploited
more responsibly in a sustainable manner.Ole G. Mouritsen is a professor of gastrophysics and
culinary food innovation at the University of Copenhagen president of the Danish Gastronomical
Academy and director of the Danish national research and communication centre Taste for
Life.Klavs Styrbæk is a chef and leader of the gastronomic enterprise STYRBÆKS which includes
a gourmet restaurant a cooking school a catering service and a product development branch.
