Softening, the hard way
There are many varieties of octopus but these days no more than 100 kinds are marketed: from the small octopus eaten in Thailand to the large ones that reach Spanish markets from the Atlantic Ocean.

In discussing this delicacy the first thing that comes to mind is the tradition of beating it to soften the meat. But that is only necessary if you buy it fresh. Women working the fish markets of Galicia used to wrap up the octopus' head in order to beat it until it became tender.
But this technique is no longer used. Most of the octopus sold has already been frozen because before this not even six hours of boiling would soften it.

The tiny octopuses of the Mediterranean used to be more tender but they were less sought-after, even though they are quite tasty when baked or served with all i oli, a kind of garlic mayonnaise.

Slow cooking
One of the fundamental characteristics of this sea creature is that it changes the color of its skin whenever it wants. It also likes to slip into amazingly small holes, is a skilled hunter and even eats smaller specimens of its own kind. It is considered the most intelligent invertebrate on Earth.

The most common way to eat octopus in Spain is the a feira style. Just cook the octopus after beating it (although we have said you yourself need not do this), immersing it four times in boiling water with rock salt from the sea and a few bay leaves until the meat is tender. It used to be said that the cooking had to be done in a copper pot, but this is no longer possible for reasons of hygiene.

Using a knitting needle, if we poke at the octopus and find we can pierce it easily, it's time to turn off the heat and let the octopus cool. Be careful not to overcook the octopus because it will be tough. The cooking time depends on the size of the octopus: from 45 minutes to as many as three hours. So it's best to get a knitting needle and watch over the cooking, taking a poke now and then.

Served it with a trusty potato
Once the octopus is cooked, you must cut it up. And when it comes to serving it, you must blanch it briefly in boiling water so it will not be cold. As for seasoning, sea salt, paprika to taste and a good splash of high-quality olive oil. And a potato for those who want it. But I have a feeling this custom arose so that diners who talked too much will have something to eat when they realized everybody else has quickly gobbled up all the delicious octopus.

There are myriad recipes for octopus. Don't forget to try potatoes stewed with octopus, a version of the Spanish fish stew called marmitako, only with the eight-tentacles cephalopod as its centerpiece.�

The ways of presenting octopus are also many: in cold pickling sauce, roasted, grilled, Mediterranean-style, or, my favorite way, which is the Catalan-style fideua, with semi-thin noodles and clams, all stewed in fish broth seasoned with a bit of pepper.
People attending the World Cup in Korea and Japan will be able to enjoy octopus Asian-style, which is also delicious. I remember eating fried octopus with a sauce of smoked oysters.