flex, flat, out

That was our mantra today for cutting fish. Besides coming back to my dorm and immediately starting the process of defunking my clothes, hair, and skin, fish today was awesome. There's just something so exciting about food that despite being 5 a.m. when I walked into the Fish Room (and it smelled just like you would imagine a fish room to smell) this morning, I still got that giddy feeling in my stomach. Its similar to the feeling I get when I see a boy I like, or when I know I have really good plans for the weekend. Or the feeling I woke up with on prom morning, or my birthday. It's just a downright good, exciting feeling. That's how I know I'm in the right place.

My chef is also a very interesting man, he loves fish, has strong opinions, and knows a lot of information. Another reassuring sign of a good school is good instructors. He shared some interesting facts with us that I'm eager to pass along:

• American consumption of fish has declined from 16.6 lbs/person annually in 2004, to 14.8 lbs/person in 2006, today in 2010 the consumption hovers somewhere around 14 lbs/person
  
• The number one reason that 67% of seafood is eaten in restaurants is that people don't like the smell of seafood in their house
• This could be the last year we are able to catch Bluefin Tuna because they are being caught at an outrageously alarming rate, and they are disappearing fast (check out this link to learn more about Bluefin Tuna: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/11/60minutes/main3700644.shtml)