🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2tai5h$jil@asgard.umiacs.umd.edu> hoel@umiacs.umd.edu (Erik Hoel) writes:
>
>For some odd reason, practically all my friends here in the DC area originally
>came from New Orleans.

All right, now we have a panel of experts gathered.
As you may know, around here we love our crabs.  In the winter months, as the
bay crabs subside, some of the crab houses bring stock from the southern states.

Depending on the month, they may be from South Carolina, Georgia, or in the
coldest months, Lousiana and other places along the Gulf.  Got to tell you,
the LA crabs are the biggest, heaviest, meatiest we've ever had.  Pricey, yes,
but worth it.  In January you can get the largest and best crabs of the year
(*Plug here for Harris Crab House, Kent Narrows*).

Last December my wife and I decided to take an extended weekend in NO.  
One of the things on our agenda was to try some of these great crabs while
there and avoid all the middlemen.  We struck out in search of the great
Lousiana crab.  After scoping the restaurants in the city and finding mostly
white tablecloths, we headed out of town a bit and stopped into every place
that looked promising.  The standard answer was "we got shrimp, we got
crawfish", but no crabs.  After driving halfway around Lake Ponchartrain,
we were directed back to Deanies, in Bucktown.

"Yes, we have crabs."
We saw a lot of fried seafood being served, so we thought we'd be careful.
"Steamed, right?"
"No, boiled.  You can't steam a crab.  It'll lose all its flavor."
News to us.
"Fine, we'll take a dozen."
"Oh, we only sell dozens in the carryout.  In the restaurant here, they're sold
singly.  They're a dollar apiece."

We laughed smugly at our find.  At home, a dozen of these things would be
in the $40s.
"Ok, we'll take 12."

Gotta give the place credit.  For an appetizer, they served boiled new potatoes 
that were heavily seasoned with cayenne, or tabasco, but they were hot and good.

Here came the crabs.  They were no larger than 4-5 inches.
Then I grabbed for one at the same time my wife did and words were not
necessary.  They were from the refrigerator.

We looked at each other and started to open them.  They were all females.
I don't know about other parts of the world/country, but around here you
don't serve female crabs to someone you like.  They're for soup.

We picked at one apiece and left the rest alone.  When she saw that we weren't
eating, the waitress offered to take the rest back and not charge us.  We were
nice - we said we had filled up on appetizers.  I guess there was no harm
done - they would just sit back on the refrigerator shelf.

So, my questions for you transplanted New Orleaners:

Where were the crabs?
Are they not considered the delicacy that shrimp and crawfish are?
Do they ship them all north for resale?

Are steamed crabs unheard of?  What about Old Bay?  I know that's made
locally, but what do other places use?

And finally, what would people there think of the way we prepare them?

-- 
John Kennedy                     johnk@secondsource.com 
Second Source, Inc.
Annapolis, MD