Evening star., 1901-12-07
Table and Kitchen.
Crabs and Delicious Ways of Serv-
ing.


than that delicate little monster, the crab.
But as with all other good things, there
are certain restrictions wnlch seemed
placed more to enhance the value and in
crease the desire to obtain than for any
other eXplainable reason. Crabs are re-
garded more in the light of luxury than
necessary food; a notion that arises from
the difficulty that has been encountered in
past years to obtain them in interior sec
tions of the country. This is not because
thy are a scarce commodity for the COM
mon small green crab seems to exist in al
parts of the world and is not confined in
area, The finest crabs are those which are
found on our own Atlantic coast, in the IA
nous Grabbing grounds at Hampton
Roads, near Old Point Comfort and Nor
folk.
The difficulty of introducing the crab to
peop.e living far from the shore has, been
on account of the crab being a very poor
Traveller when off his "sea legs unless he
is sent dead head
Transported Live Crabs.
Fish dealers in interior cities transport
the live, more truthfully speaking. un-
cooked crab, to fill a certain limited de-
mand that comes from hotels and restau-
rants and through customers who either
desire novelty or have partaken of that
delectable dainty, ''devi.ed crabs,'' at some
seaside hotel or coast resort; where they
were offered up, delicate sacrifice fresh
from their native element with a sugges-
ton OF their deep-sea mysteries lingering
ike an aroma in their mysterious combina-
ton.
Disappointment must be the portion CT
those who think to enjoy this little cruS-
tacean il he has been transported alive.
AS we have said, he is not good traveller
in his shell or if not properly prepared for
the journey.
Grabs deteriorate rapidly after they are
taken from their native element; this fact,
coupled with the cost of shipping such
perishab.e food, makes them more expen-
sive.
The DiGestibiIity of the Crab.
The crab abounds in true muscular fiber
and must be cooked carefully and under
stsndingly in order that the meat be tender
and easily masticated. Any one who has
had the opportunity to draw comparisons
between that piece de resistance of the
seaside hotel, the deviled crab, as it is pre-
pared by the lord of the culinary domain
and the tasteless shadow that is evolved
from the crab that yields up it's wearied life
far from the surf-beaten strand seeks to
understand wherein the success or failure
lies.
The Prepared Meat.
The crab to be enjoyed and wholesome
must be cooked Immediately after they are
taken from their briny bed This makes all
the difference in the world to their tender
ness and flavor as well as digestibilit The
unique and delicate flavor that makes them
50 sought after and enjoyed can only be re-
tanned by cooking them while fresh. When
this Is not done the ammonia salts which
soon form are very noticeable and disagree
able and make the serving of condiments
a necessity, in order to destroy this I'M
pleasant taste which is entirely lacking in
the fresh cooked meat. The excessive use
of condiments will destroy all flavor of the
ri har tari.t tia Of
fresh cooked crab meat is wholly wanting
in the world-wearied shell bearer
For such reasons we have stated, all
crab lovers prefer the prepared crab meat
and so great has become the demand even
on his native shores for this prepared meat
that 1t has grown into an important indus
try. And the food that was once a luxury
for but a favored few may now be en-
miner in his far-off camp may enjoy his
deviled crab, crab on toast, crab farci and
many other little fancies, with quite as
much pleasure and in all the pristine fresh
ness of flavor does the epicure who gives
the high-priced hotel chef the credit that is
really due to the enterprising men who
have made it possible for every one to en-
joy the crab in all his many tempting
gulses.
Now the housewife in her prairie home
may surprise her eastern visitor with the
heretofore forbidden Ito herr mystery that
is the transposition of this little sea mon
crab; the ambition, but despair, of many
who have tried to produce this gastronomic
achievement from the uncooked crab.
How the Meat is Prepared.
One need not fear to use foods so skill
fully and scientifically prepared. All
danger of eating crabs that have been kept
too long out of water is obviated by using
the prepared meat. Only the freshest
liveliest crabs are used for the canning.
These are in their best condition, and are
Scrupulously selected seasoned most delic-
iously and packed in cans Theoretically
sealed: retaining the delicate sea-freshness
and flavor as well as the nutritious quali-
ties that are generally lost when this shell
fish is prepared by the average cook no
matter how fresh the crabs may be. The
shells are carefully cleaned and sent with
the cans, so that they may be served in
the true deviled style or not as fancy die
tates.
This preparation gives the housewife
another convenience to have in store
against such sudden emergencies as unex-
pected guests: The meat will keep an in
definite length of time. 1t may be served
in many dainty ways for lunch or Sunday
night tea, and become a household neces-
sity where once it was an unknown guam
tity. The possibilities of this preparation
will dawn more fully upon the cook as she
experiments with it in various ways.
Deviled Crabs.
These are quickly prepared from the
canned meat. Scald and wipe dry the
shells accompanying the cans; fill with the
meat, rounding it up in center. Brush with
beaten egg; dust with bread crumbs and
bake in the oven until a nice brown; eat
from the shell. If you desire them partic-
ularly delicate do not bake them but heat
to the frying point enough vegetable oil to
cover them; set them in the wire basket
and fry a delicate brown In this way
they will not be so dry as when baked and
the flavor more delicate.
Crabs and POached Eggs.
Toast rather thin slices of bread a nice
brown; butter slightly and cover with half
an inch of crab meat; place in the oven
and heat thoroughly. Have some eggs
nicely poached in rings, one for each Slice
Lift from the water onto the crab meat
and serve very hot.
Crab Toast n la Creme.
Nice for luncheon or Sunday night tea.
Put into a chafing dish or agate sauce
pan two level tablespoons of butter. When
melted add can of deviled crab meat,
spoonful of chopped celery, a level tea