Marylanders know Crabs

Having grown up in Maryland since the age of 4, blue crabs have always been a staple meal, per say, in the summertime, whether it's in the form of cakes or just good ol' crackin' fun; I prefer the latter. Aside from revealing and adding cuts to your saturated hands, crab feasts are perfect for family and friendly gatherings. It is important to know the basics of how to eat crabs so no one is excluded.

Here's my strategy. First, pull/twist all the legs off the crabs, including the claw. I try to twist it off as close to the body as possible in hopes to drag along a chunk of meat. Great for dipping. All the legs can be broke in 1-2 other joints revealing more gamey but delicious meat. Next, turn the crab over and lift the tab thing as it leads to the top shell. You want to dig your finger under the tab and pull off the top shell; it should come off fairly easy. Clear away all the gills. And the "mustard" if you wish. Personally, I love the "mustard." And the roe (the orange mini cube-like stuff), but that's only in the females of course. Break open the rest of the shells covering the meat inside and dig away. Here's where your fingers may get cut up if you revert to atavistic methods. Really though, it's the only way to eat crabs. I save the claws for last. You can either crack them with the various tools or risk chipping a tooth and lightly bite into it. Voila, now you're addicted and will be at the table for hours. The best dipping sauce is vinegar mixed with Old Bay seasoning.

As scrumptious crustaceans may be, it is important to remind ourselves of animal ethics when cooking. Recent studies have shown to the contrary that crustaceans may in fact feel pain. The goal of the studies was to determine if crabs can sense pain. Hermit crabs were shocked while in their shell. It is known that hermit crabs change shells when they are uncomfortable with the shell they have. The hermit crabs that were shocked were much more likely to change shells than those that were not. And not only were they negatively affected by the shock, they remembered the stimuli from being in the old shell. Before changing shells, the crab would inspect it very carefully as to not fall in a similar situation. This behavior is linked closely with the pain threshold of animals. Not convinced? Skip the rest of this paragraph if you have a weak stomach. Another study revealed that when the leg of a crab was broken off, they died within seconds from the shock of losing a limb. Another study shows crustaceans rubbing their antenna after being burned by a small dose of acid-- similar to mammalian behavior when encountering painful stimuli.

Whether these studies provide enough proof that it is likely crustaceans feel pain, it is better to err on the safe side and take simple precautions during preparation. While employed at a seafood restaurant for an agonizing two months, I learned a few tips. A trick to calm--sometimes inducing them to sleep--lobsters: gently stroke the micro-hairs in between their eyes. You'll see their limbs flop down instantly as they drift off into a comatose-like state. When cutting them open, you want to dig the knife in between their hind legs and immediately slice towards and through the head. For crabs, you want to plunge something sharp--an icepick or a sharp knife--right under the mouth and above the little flap you pull when opening up the body. This goes straight through the head. Of course, from what I remember, none of this was practiced in the kitchen. We stroke the lobsters' "heads" to keep them calming whilst giving them one last tour of the restaurant riddled with curious, carnivorous kids.

Sorry if I'm a Debbie Downer, but overfishing is a serious problem. Let's remind ourselves to consume seafood in moderation and try to keep it seasonal. Each and every cog in a wheel is as important as the next. Not for the overpopulated deer. Unlucky for them, hunting season is approaching! (Not as exciting when you've never been..) Venison recipes will be welcomed!