SC - Confectioner's sugar

[Nikki McGeary]

Elaine Koogler wrote:
> 
> I don't have a clue as to which crab this is...we mostly have access to those
> lovely blue crabs that populate our Chesapeake Bay.  However, when you get the
> recipe redacted, I'd really love a copy, along with any suggestions.  I would
> love to do these for a feast, but, unless I were to do them as an appetizer, the
> cost would be prohibitively expensive.  But....that doesn't keep me from making
> them for me!

I thought about this for a few minutes, and originally assumed something
was wrong. I mean, how much could a dozen blue crabs cost right in the
epicenter of their range? It seems to me that I'd pay perhaps 5 or 6
dollars for a dozen, and while blue crabs do occur locally, I suspect
that at least some of what we get in the markets are actually from the Chesapeake.

Now, to add to the confusion, it should be considered that there are
true Chesapeake Bay people who will think nothing of eating from eight
to twelve crabs at a sitting. My son is good for about six, if he can
find a suc-- I mean adult to help crack them, and I might go through
seven on a good day. Of course, if I were only cracking the shells of my
own crabs, it might be different... ;  )

I guess a part of your cost prohibitions have to do both with the actual
amount of meat on a blue crab, ranging from, very little if you're not
prepared to dig for it to some extent, on through some/not bad at all,
if you're an old hand at it. Then, also, there's the time factor. I'm
picturing SCAdians in garb eating blue crabs at an event. Depending on
the length of your course in minutes, versus the time allotted for most
SCA feasts (never mind that for the most part they don't represent
reality), the question of whether this is a great idea remains.

Kiri, have you thought about one large buster or soft-shelled crab per
person? Would that be any better on a practicality scale? They'd cost
more than ordinary blues, but would require less work and have more
accessible meat; you'd need less of them. [For those not familiar with
these beasties, many arthropods -- I assume-- grow by beginning to form
a new, larger shell under their old exoskeletons, and then burst out of
the old, smaller shell, which leaves the new shell somewhat soft, like
the shells of small shrimp. Standard practice is to remove the eye,
mouth and gill structures of soft-shelled crabs, flour, crumb, or batter
what's left, then saute or fry them. (I guess they could be
honey-stuffed and steamed.) The whole thing is eaten, more or less in
one piece, in presentations ranging from "on a bun with tartar sauce" to
"with roasted shallot white wine sauce monter au beurre". But no Spam.
They _don't_ suck. The main drawback is their seasonal nature.]      

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com