Crab

Crab is one of the most popular choices in seafood, second only to shrimp. One reason for its popularity is its distinctively delicious taste. Crab meat tends to be slightly sweet, yet mild. Cracking the hard exoskeleton of these crustaceans yields the reward of juicy, tender and flavorful meat. Though getting to the jumbo lump crab meat requires a bit more work than other seafood, for many people, this is all part of the fun!Numerous varieties of crab exist, usually according to region. For instance, king crabs (sometimes called ('Alaskan king crabs') live in the cold waters of the upper western coast of North America. In contrast, stone crabs thrive in warmer ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida and North and South Carolina. Dungeness crabs are from further south on the Pacific coastline, and plentiful Blue crabs are caught off the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast.Some confusion seems to exist between real crab meat and imitation crab, also known as surimi. Imitation crab is made from processed white fish such as pollock, and is often substituted for the genuine article in order to save money. In fact, many restaurants that claim to serve crab in truth serve imitation crab, and not the real thing. Another challenging aspect of crab is its very short period of freshness. Fresh crab, like all seafood, runs the risk of developing pathogens once it loses freshness. Thus, crab should be consumed within 24 hours. Of course, frozen crabs last longer, and canned crab even more so. However, nothing beats the exquisite taste of fresh crab, whether boiled, steamed, or stewed, and whether its of the Alaskan King, Stone, Dungeness, or Blue varieties.