DATE: Wednesday, March 26, 1997             TAG: 9703250136

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F2   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE:    Ruth Fantasia

LENGTH: 33 lines

BUYING FISH

Bluefish was the best buy during our Richmond shopping trip with Jimmy Sneed. But that won't always be the case.

Fish is a very seasonal product,'' says John Georgiadis of George's Seafood Market in Norfolk. But spring and fall can be the best times to buy seafood because of the variety available. In addition to the fish Sneed used, Georgiadis recommends tautog, black sea bass, Boston mackerel, butterfish, shad, croaker and trout this time of year.

Always buy whole fish,'' says Sneed. ``Check the gills. They ought to be ruby red and slimy. As the fish gets older, the gills fade to tan and then gray. If the gills are losing their color but they're still slimy, that's OK.

The first thing a fish monger will do (as the fish is getting old) is gut it and take out the gills. If it still doesn't sell, they'll fillet it and wash it,'' Sneed says.

If you want to buy a whole fish but don't know how to clean it, ask the market to clean it for you. Some fish markets in Hampton Roads charge a fee for this service (10 to 50 cents per pound of fish), but others will clean fish purchased at the store for free. Here are a few area markets that clean fish for no extra charge.

A&A Seafood, 3108 High St., Portsmouth. 393-1928.

A&B Seafood, 31 Alabama Ave., Portsmouth. 397-2722.

Bay Seafood, 1304 E. Princess Anne Road, Norfolk. 625-6862.

Bluewater Seafood & Take Out, 6661 Indian River Road (424-9200) and in the Woods Corner Shopping Center (479-2823), both in Virginia Beach.

George's Seafood, 3347 Chesapeake Blvd., Norfolk. 858-5502.

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