SC - Toys for Tots and other comments

[LrdRas@aol.com]

Platina has an entry on crabs.  After describing several varieties and 
their habits, he says:

All these should be cooked with water and vinegar and with a lot of salt.  
The ought to be left to boil so that they foam over from the pot two or 
three times.  When they are cooked and set on dishes, they are eaten 
with vinegar.  The hollowed-out shell is also stuffed with the ground meat 
of its own tail and claws, and ground almonds, raisins, egg yolk and 
ground cheese, if the season permits, finely chopped parsley and 
marjoram.  When they are stuffed, they should be fried in oil over a 
gentle flame.  I should think one could do likewise with crayfish, which 
are quite small and tender, taken from the shores of lakes as well as 
seas.  These should be cooked in the same way as above."
Platina, _On Honest Indulgence_ (Falconwood Press edition)

Granado has quite a few crab recipes (though he mentions that lobster 
is better).  Here's one:

Para freyr las pulpas de los Congrejos, y Langostas
Source: Diego Granado, _Libro del arte de cozina_ (Spanish, 1599)
Translation: Brighid ni Chiarain (Robin Carroll-Mann)

To Fry the Flesh of Crabs and Lobsters

Take the flesh after they are cooked, and cut them into slices the 
thickness of a finger, moisten them in water, and dredge them in flour, 
and fry them with oil, or purified cow's butter, and serve them with fried 
parsley, and orange juice, pepper, and salt on top, and after they are 
fried you can also serve them with garlic sauce, and green sauce, and 
other flavors.

note: orange juice would be the juice of sour oranges


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net