Although less prestigious than other animal meats, and often seen as merely an alternative to meat on fast days, seafood was the mainstay of many coastal populations.
Meskipun kurang bergengsi dibanding daging hewan lainnya, dan sering dipandang hanya sebagai alternafif dari daging saat hari-hari puasa, hidangan laut menjadi andalan banyak masyarakat pesisir.