The “cork-in-the-squid-water” myth
I have had some excellent calamari fritti at various restaurants over many years, as I’m sure you have. When done properly — which is actually quite rarely — the resulting morsel can be exquisite if the light breading is very crisp and the squid rings perfectly cooked with the slightest “toothsomeness” inside. You might also enjoy a mildly spicy aioli and some greens with Asian spicing to accompany.
Though a relatively simple dish to prepare, a good plate of fried calamari requires a deft hand to get it together like that. It got me thinking about the technique and the hoary old myth that I’ve heard, and which literally bobs around, about plopping a wine cork into the pot of boiling water in which the squid is being cooked. Have you heard it?
It has seemed to hold some truth among a number of different kitchens of the world that as they prepare calamari dishes a cork in the water prevents the squid from becoming “rubbery,” the term usually applied to squid that has been overcooked. There is little rationale for the myth other than someone proclaiming, “My Nonna did it in her cucina.”
But just so you know, I have done an experiment to test the myth. Using real and man-made corks, and trying to keep it as “scientific” as possible, I boiled off a few batches of squid.
I then sampled each batch of squid—including one that was cooked sans cork—and found no difference in the tenderness of the calamari at all.
So, here’s what I simply suggest: drink the wine while you’re cooking your squid — toss the cork to recycling. It is, however, a fun so-called kitchen hack and culinary myth to think about. But remember: always, always toss a bit of salt over your left shoulder if you knock over the salt shaker.
