a plate of fried calamari
What Part Of The Squid Is Used For Calamari?

NEWS

By SARAH MOORE
a tray of small whole squid
Calamari is the culinary word for squid and the pieces come from several main parts of the fish. The first part is the tentacles, which are cut off where they meet the body.
fried calamari rings on a tray
The two arms on the squid are also edible, but the most recognizable part is the mantle. The loose outer covering is cleaned and cut across to create rings or cut into strips.
a hand reaching for a calamari ring
If the piece of calamari has suction cups, it’s a tentacle and usually has all of them attached. If it’s a thick, noodle-looking thing, it's the arm, and the rings are the mantle.