We were at a potluck hosted by some wonderful friends and could hardly believe all the amazing food that was spread on top of the table. One of the relatives brought over a huge platter of crabs. What amazed me was the fact that they were excited about eating the WHOLE crab, not just the legs. It had never occurred to me that you could eat the whole crab, body and all, minus the shell. They were coaxing me to try, saying I can't know if I'm not going to like something unless I try it first.
There was a brief moment when I thought I should. I really did think I would. But, on second thought didn't know if I could. Remember, I'm the one who didn't want to eat okra. Then I saw them take the crab apart and pull off the bottom shell to reveal the guts, and I lost all resolve.
I'm afraid I didn't eat any of the crabs' innards. Waste not, want not just didn't work for me.
Did I tell you I'm not a great fan of tomatoes either?
Nought for me, either. (Btw, if you annotate your pics and save them in png format, the text shows up better)
ReplyDeleteI thought it was dangerous to eat crab innards? I can't eat crab at all - it doesn't agree with me.
ReplyDeleteGreat spread, though:-)
Not for vegetarians like me .
ReplyDeleteI am not a tomato eater either...and crab innards would be a real stretch.
ReplyDeleteEwww! I guess it's important not to waste any creature's contribution to a meal, but I'll pass. Why don't you like tomatoes? The squishy seeds?
ReplyDeletewell I wouldn't either...lol!
ReplyDeleteHi Kay,
ReplyDeleteI like crab's miso.
we call the brain miso.
it's delish:)
and these days I often eat tomatos.
because I hardly eat spinach also green vegetables. it's contained radio active materials.
why tomato is OK is that we can get it that is raised in Kyushu area, southern Japan.
I could never eat any creatures innards. But, what is it with tomatoes? Please don't tell me something gross that never occurred to me before!
ReplyDeleteWe eat all of the MEAT from dungeness crab, but not the "butter" - in guts. The meat is in the legs and the body, and is wonderfyl. I don't see how you eat soft sgell crabs, shell and all, and definately the innards.
ReplyDeleteHome grown tomatoes are wonderful!
I never eat crab unless it is already shelled for salads. Never the guts! And I don't eat raw tomatoes unless it is in a sandwich. Never in salads.
ReplyDeleteWhat a feast! I remember my mum stuffing Dungeness Crabs - not sure of the spelling. She loved them but I wasn't too keen at the time.
ReplyDeleteWe were so spoilt when we were teenagers. We lived beside the ocean, and Dad had a friend who was a crab fisherman. Dad could buy a bag of crab meat (just meat, no shells, no innards) for a dollar. It was the most wonderful treat!
ReplyDelete— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
Did other people eat the crabby innards? When you eat a whole lobster the green "tamally" is the liver and supposed to taste the best. Not for me. Crab brains? Not sure about that either! Try slices of homegrown tomatoes with a little sugar sprinkled on them. DrumMajor
ReplyDeleteI can't bring myself to eat the innards of a lobster, so I know I couldn't eat a crab's innards, either.
ReplyDeleteTomatoes are a different story. I love them. They're my favorite garden crop. Yum.
Better a baby caterpillar than bedbugs, Kay!
ReplyDeleteWe all have our food preferences and inexplicable "yucks"
Just part of being human; you must be :)
Aloha from Waikiki :)
Comfort Spiral
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Ummm. Brains. Where do you think all those zombie movies came from? :) Brains are very high in fat and therefore have a lot of essential nutrients. Traditionally you just mix in some hot rice and stir it up in there and use the shell as a bowl and scoop it up. It doesn't taste bad, if you like seafood you'd probably like the taste. Don't worry, it's not all brains, there's a healthy dose of gonads and digestive tract and other stuff mixed in, very rich stuff.
ReplyDeleteOn the lower body, the fuzzy stuff that looks like sponge strips are the lungs, these aren't edible. Below them are compartments of pure meat, and lots of it. Probably as much in those compartments as in the legs... and just as tasty. These are Dungeness, a cold water crab. You should try Kona crab, which are unique to Hawaii and taste even better than Dungeness. Each species has a distinct flavor. By far the sweetest meat comes from Samoan crab, but their meat is also the most fragile and this species is much harder to find in the stores. The meat deteriorates very quickly when they die, within minutes, so this species cannot be eaten unless they are still alive when cooked... which is part of the problem, since they are VERY combative. Not to mention they are heavily armored and require substantial work to get the meat out.
walt
I have eaten the meat from the body, but rest assured I want my crab cleaned before it gets to my mouth!
ReplyDeleteI don't eat any innards of anything but I love tomatoes. My older sister would eat only the canned tomatoes. I guess this is what makes the world go around.
ReplyDeleteSomething in me rebels at the sight of big gobs of food laid out that way, although I know it's local style. Especially when I consider how much of it's imported from the Mainland.
ReplyDeleteBut as to tomatoes: My cooking would be unthinkable without tomatoes.
Yikes, I'd have to pass also. Crabs are too much like sea spiders to me.
ReplyDeleteI actually LOVE whole crabs. Well, not the innerds, but the backs are quite fleshy and flavourful, as well as the claws and legs.
ReplyDeleteYour story makes me think the rabbis were right for declaring crabs and such unkosher.
ReplyDeleteBut tomatoes? What do you have against tomatoes? :)
well I've never eaten crab at all, I know everyone just loves it,, theones with the shell are a little scary to me.It was a beautiful table of food and sounds like you had a great time,,
ReplyDelete