A scallop is not always what it seems. There are two kinds you can buy -wet and dry - and often it is not noted which is which.

According to Gus Nikoletsos, high priest of fish purveyors in Toronto and owner of City Fish (2929 Dufferin St.), dry scallops are taken straight from the shell and are all natural. Wet scallops have been soaked in a preservative to give them a longer shelf life. Guess which ones you want.

Wet scallops "don't cook as well," Nikoletsos says, "because the water leaches out and you can't get good colour on them. Dry ones not only look better, but they taste much better too."

Wet scallops are more commonly available (if they are sitting in some milky liquid, they are usually wet scallops). Although cheaper than dry ones, you are paying for a percentage of water. If you want the dry ones, you'll often have to ask the fish monger.

When it comes to cooking, scallops are sweet, meaty and pair well with strongly flavoured spices as well as meat. Scallops with bacon are an old favourite, but swap in luscious pork belly to take the dish to new heights.

I have also had scallops with rich oxtail, but my favourite way is paired with chorizo. The smoky hotness of the chorizo balances the scallops' sweetness beautifully. If you can find the large U10 dry scallops, two for each person is plenty. Use three if your scallops are smaller.