[Sca-cooks] period crab recipes

[Stefan li Rous]

Kiri commented:
  <<< What we see here in southern Maryland is that we get softshell  
crabs for
a couple of months in the late spring/early summer...then hardshelled
ones for the remainder of the crabbing season.  While softshell crab
dishes are popular here during that time, the most famous way crab is
served here (other than steamed with Old Bay seasoning..invented in
Baltimore) is in crab cakes. >>>

I've not had the chance to eat many crabs and most of what I've had  
has been in crab cakes.

With soft shelled crabs, do you eat the shells? Or does this stage  
just make them easier to get through the shell to the meat? There are  
some oriental restaurants here which serve a dish of whole shrimp,  
including heads and shell, that I believe you are supposed to eat  
without peeling. Rather messy otherwise since they have a coating of  
spices and such. I'm still trying to get used to the texture.

I do remember getting whole crabs on a Florida vacation one time.  
These were the hard-shell kind and eating them seemed to be rather  
difficult. Reminded me very much of dissecting various critters in  
High School biology class. A lot of trying to figure out what was  
what and whether it was edible or not. Rather "gooshy" and not for  
the squeamish. I can see why many folks prefer King Crab legs and  
claws. Difficult to get the meat out of, at times, but less  
dissecting and figuring out what is edible.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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