So my husband, son, and I headed to Half Moon Bay, where we had lunch and took a walk along the beach in the rain. At Princeton Harbor, a few fishermen were selling live Dungeness crabs off their boats, and we debated whether to buy a few for dinner. Though that would mean boiling and cleaning them ourselves, we figured we were at the crab source, so we might as well take advantage of it.
We picked a boat with a pelican perched on the bow and a sea dog complete with white beard. The crabs were crawling around the bottom of a tank with seawater running through it. Buying off the boat takes a while because the fisherman has to reach into the tank and grab a crab by the butt without getting pinched by its friends. We bought two crabs at $5 a pound, which is close to what local stores are selling them for already cooked, but the sea dog threw in an extra crab because it had lost its pincers.
They flailed around, poking holes in a trash bag as we headed back home over the hill. Then it was time for Alex, 13, to learn how to prepare the local crab: Bring one stockpot of water to boil, add crab, cook until red. Let cool, then dismantle. Crack and pick out the meat at the table.
The crab was so sweet and fresh, so much better than precooked crab, we realized we’d walked off that pier with a great deal. We ate it simply dipped in butter or mayonnaise that first night. Because it was so fresh, we still enjoyed it the next day, as crab sandwiches for lunch, then crab cocktail with dinner.
We resolved to head to the coast as often as possible during crab season.
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Sister, let me testify to you about Half Moon Bay Crab. Oh...wait...you already know.
ReplyDeleteThe ones just-off-the-boat are the sweetest. We had two last Sunday caught by our friend and delivered to our door. Not bad the next day as well in a jalapeno vinagarette.
The possibilities consistent with the evidence would seem to be:
ReplyDelete1. Crabs just-off-the-boat are sweetest.
2. Crabs cooked live are better.
3. Crabs served warm are better.
4. Live or dead when cooking doesn't matter, but the time between cooking and eating does.
5. Customers who visit the boat get first pick and therefore higher quality.
6. Your emotional experience of visiting the pier heightened your enjoyment of the food.
Was the crab as delicious the next day? Have you tried purchasing live crab from Ranch 99 tanks to compare to live crab purchased in HMB?
No doubt that heading to the coast as often as possible during crab season is a good idea. Too bad the HMB concert series is dead.
We ate the crab cooled.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you say live or dead when cooking doesn't matter?
>Why do you say live or dead when cooking doesn't >matter?
ReplyDeleteThe list is composed of alternative hypotheses, not beliefs. I have proposed, "The explanation could be item 1, or it could be item 2 . . ." I haven't claimed that even one of the statements is true.