[Jamestown1630]

This month: Crab – and yet another Cake.

(If you would like to be on or off of this monthly cooking thread ping-list, please send a private message.)

-JT

[boatbums]

My mom was from New Orleans and there is something special about Lake Pontchartrain blue crabs!

I have fond memories of going to this place on Esplanade in the French Quarter and our family sharing a HUGE platter of fat crabs spread out on a big newspaper lined table. We didn't even need the crackers because we could crack open the claws with our teeth and scoop out the luscious, sweet, white meat with a butter knife! I was queasy about opening the bodies and cleaning out the lungs and stuff to get to the big lumps but I got used to it. No need for sauce or butter, they were so good. Dang! I'm gonna need to get some crabmeat now.

A really good party dip is to take a pound of lump crab and gently stir it into a stick of butter that's been melted with an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, the juice of a lemon and some freshly grated black pepper. Serve it warm with some captains wafer crackers. Yum!

[boatbums]

My new favorite is Florida stone crabs. I like them cold with a mustard sauce. The season runs October 15 through May 15. They've been unbelievably expensive for last several years.

Also, we were in Ft. Lauderdale several times and there's place called Rustic Inn that served Golden Crabs that were cooked in a garlic, parsley butter and SOOOOO good. You had to wear a bib and work at getting the meat out but it was worth it.

[leaning conservative]

I want a slice of that cake now please.