The Washington herald., 1914-01-25
OYSTER CRABS ARE
A DAINTY M0RSEl
Costly but Delicious in an Omeiet'
Patty or Dainty
Salad.

When the man, from the
sent back his oyster stew as unnt 70 eI.
because he found . tiny pink oyster erap
In II. ordering a beefsteak with onions
~ n. place. he was puzzled at the bois-
,.rou. laughter of the waiter and an
moved when he heard the word "hayseed
IN the subseouent conversation petNeeh
waiter and cook.
That oyster crabs are a delicacy- hisniy
prixed and correspondingiy expens s-ve' ano
altogether an accident in an oyster ste",
the protestinS diner did not know hao
he zone uptown and ordered them AT
n portion he might have UNDERSTOOD.
oyster crabs are as dainty morsei as
the gourmet can have at any price- IN
fortunately they are none 100 connTn'
the demand far exceeding the supply.
Ten rallons Is an exceptionally large
daily shipment to be received by dealers
who supply the exclusive restaurants
which means scant allowance all around.
Northern oysters rarely contain these
dsintiea. our supply coming from the
south. from oysters dredged from the
Rappahannock, York. and James rivers
and the Chesapeake Bay BEDS. oSsuer
shuckers in the North save the tiny tio-
bit, they do happen to ind as oy-
product. for which they receive eAns
pay.
Are Shoft.hveos
On Southern oyster grounos they
m straight a product as the oyster nsen'
Az the crabs when taken from ,heli
homes In oyster shells live out a snor'
time. each days catch is olanched al inc
end Of the days work unless tnere Al.
orders for live shipments to ad)acen'
poInts. The partially boiled crab Is snip
Ma in glass containers, In which snap'
| n can be had at the stores. IL Is pet
| ter for. small as they are. like all otne'
| ,hellfi.h. they should never be eaten un
| less they are alive when thrown into Doll
ing water.
| a general idea is that the oyster cra'
| q a baby soft she'll" but she Qor IN
edible oyster crab Is always femaie
| il an entirely different species from TN
blue crab. which Is the SOFT sneh O.
commerce and after-theater suppers. Sn
lives only In association with the oyste
and carries her eggs into the oyster shell
her youne being hatched there and evict
ed by the oyster only when they becoH;
| 40 numerous and lively as TO be nui
sance to the foster mother.
Males Escape.
The males then assume a hard shel
and a dirty brown color and shift 10
themselves as best they can The femai
crabs. of a dainty pinkish white hue
.curry about to escape their enemies unit
thew can find a friendly oyster to tax
them in and care for them until the
reach q restaurant via the oyster dealer
This protected life makes the shell @
the female oyster crab degenerate into
mere membrane and her legs become S
weak that she cannot get about or SUI
vive at all away from the friendly CON
panionship Of the oyster.
whether IL is true that she Is scaver
ger for and caterer to the oyster Is
question the scientists are divided owe
At all events she becomes dainty mors'
and shrinks so in the cooking processt
that n doesn't seem as II you were sc
ting much for your money when you o.
lder an omelet, patty or salad OF oyst'
crab.
But what you do get is suoiimate
, reminder Of the daintest shrimp you ev'
. ate. with about the same relationship
| flavor that a mushroom has to Bru
! sells sprout.