SWF BLOG
Crab Fest 2012
By Annemarie Ahearn
Last week, I was wandering through the fish market and there, beside the lobster tank, clawing their way to the top of the pile, were a dozen native crabs.
Native Maine crabs. Photo by Irene Yadao.
Rarely does one see these little beauties at the fish market, as they are often considered bi-catch amongst lobstermen and typically thrown back to sea. I remembered a friend and local lobsterman bringing them by the farm a couple years back and our guest chefs visiting from New York were delighted to add native crab to the menu. The guests were equally impressed and tore into them with fervor. I was even more surprised to find that they were just over a dollar a pound!
I immediately called my dear friend and fellow chef, Abigale, who can build excitement up around any ingredient. She declared May 10th Crab Fest 2012.
We took the opportunity to invite fellow farmer Sam and his girlfriend, Aube, to the event. We had been following Aube’s beautiful Kitchen Vignettes blog and had a major foodie crush on her.
Maple syrup pie. Photo courtesy of Kitchen Vignettes.
She brought an incredible maple syrup pie, a family recipe, and we made a wonderful cinnamon ice cream in our new ice cream maker. Abigale concocted dipping sauces for the little crustaceans made of ginger, chili and cilantro, while Michael, the cocktail specialist, made up melon juice martinis with homemade bitters. It was a lovely evening and will now be an institution at Salt Water Farm. The lesson: When you see anything native at the fish store, give it a try. The more we support native species, the less we depend on imported seafood, which seems silly given the fact that we all live on the ocean.
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