Oyster Crabs: WTF??

You crack open a sweet and salty James River oyster from the southernmost river of the Cheasapeake. Detaching the adductor muscle and slurping up the still-alive animal you are surprised to feel a weird, crunchy and skiddish creature running laps around your tongue. You instantly freak your deak! Little do you know that this little hitchhiker is an oyster crab and it is a DELICACY in the south. So congratu-freakin-lations, you just had an oyster crab.

Tyler Morris, a former chef of The Breslin NYC and loyal Pierless client recently left the city to try his hand opening Rye, his own restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky. He brought these peculiar oyster crabs to my attention yesterday saying that in fact, his friend had encountered one in his James River oyster. With a little research we found out that indeed these mini crabs are an "epicures delight".

Read the facts on oyster crabs in this very short but interesting old article from the New York Times ca. 1913...

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D14F7385B13738DDDA00894D9415B838DF1D3


Rye is set to open Fall 2011. Knowing Tyler, Rye will be an amazing place to wine and dine, and if your lucky, oyster crab.

ummm.....yum?