shingling

Back east on Cape Cod, where once upon a time my shingling trade migrated, the occasional red cedar roof comes along in the wealthiest of ocean-view neighborhoods.

Top each with two thin slices of ham and the cucumbers, shingling the cucumbers neatly on top of each sandwich.

That way, you don’t smear and upset the beautiful work you’ve just done neatly shingling out your fillings.

But although some of the details vary, the essential strategies are always the same: Start at the bottom and overlap each higher layer, just as when shingling a house.

Still, I think it’s a thrill to know how to butcher a whole one properly, breaking down a 12-to-15-pounder without any shingling or chiseling, without losing the portion closest to the gills.