"the smell of not-so-fresh seafood really nauseates me.."
Me too. But over the years of diving, and spearfishing, etc. I've learned something. Frozen fish, if done soon after the catch, is far better tasting than what the restaurants will claim is "fresh". The reason is , at least in Calif, restaurants and markets are allowed to claim "fresh" up to a certain amount of days. I'm not sure the total days but it's significant because as soon as the fish is caught it actually begins to decompose. The cells begin to die almost instantly. Moreover, in order to kill the bacteria in fish -at least in California- the fish, if sold to the public, are required to be frozen first. That takes care of the bacteria but the fish should be eaten quickly as opposed to letting in sit for days after thawed. In sum flash frozen fish is far better "fresh tasting" than fish frozen and then laying around in a restaurant that can legally claim it is fresh.
Another lesson: When and if you decide to freeze fish you need to get all the air out. One way is to have a freezer that is NOT frost free. In a frost free freezer-which most are these days-you cannot keep frozen fish long before it spoils because the air will eventually get in. If it's the old fashion freezer the frost freeze prevents that and you can keep fish for a year or so.
Now you all owe me a bunch of dough.
