Canned Goods

In Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia, squid rings and arms are coated in batter and fried in oil. Other recipes from these regions feature squid (or octopus) simmered slowly, with vegetables such as squash or tomato. When frying, the squid flesh is kept tender by short cooking time. When simmering, the flesh is most tender when cooking is prolonged with reduced temperature. The direct source of the English name calamari is disputed, with Spanish calamar, Italian calamaro (plural calamari), and Modern Greek  kalamári being cited. Ultimately, all of these terms derive from the Late Latin calamarium, "pen case" or "ink pot", itself from the Latin calamarius, "pertaining to a writing-reed", after the resemblance in shape and the inky fluid that squid secrete; calamarius, in turn, derives from the Greek κάλαμος kalamos 'reed' or 'pen'.