Dungeness crabs
West Coast catch
Dungeness crabs are large, meaty crabs found along the Pacific coast of North America, named after the town of Dungeness in Washington State.
They are prized for their sweet, tender flesh and are a staple of West Coast seafood cuisine, typically sold whole or as picked crabmeat.
Dungeness crab season is a significant event in coastal communities, with strict regulations governing when and how many can be harvested.
We cracked Dungeness crabs at the pier and dipped the meat in butter.
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- decapodTen-appendaged arthropod or cephalopod
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
- chelaePincer-like appendages
cephalothorax · gills · antennae · mandible · molting · arthropod · invertebrate · crustacea
Releasing hot vapor
- boilingLiquid vaporization temperature
- butterSolid fat from cream
- garlicPungent culinary bulb
- lemonAcidic yellow citrus
Old Bay · cracked · drawn butter · sourdough · white wine · parsley · cioppino · seafood boil
Tidal mixing zone
- tidalOf sea rhythms
- kelpLarge brown marine algae
- seagrassSaltwater flowering plant
- intertidalZone between high and low watermarks
eelgrass · sandy bottom · benthic · coastal · Pacific · Puget Sound · San Francisco Bay · Washington
Refined sensitivity or rarity
- gourmetConnoisseur of fine cuisine
- shellfishAquatic creatures with exoskeletons
- market priceCurrent exchange value
- luxuryExpensive nonessential comfort
freshness · sustainable · clusters · live · cooked · frozen · Fisherman's Wharf · seasonal
Devices for catching prey
- harvestGathering mature crops
- commercialPaid broadcast promotion
- seasonYearly division or series
- quotaFixed assigned amount
regulations · sustainability · bycatch · licenses · fishery · overfishing · recreational · trawler
Hunting and consuming prey
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- biodiversityRange of life forms
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
scavenger · prey · population · larvae · juvenile · spawning · migration · ecological
carapace
Protective dorsal exoskeleton
- exoskeletonExternal skeletal structure
- decapodTen-appendaged arthropod or cephalopod
- chitinArthropod shell polymer
chelae · cephalothorax · gills · antennae · mandible · molting · arthropod · invertebrate · crustacea · claws
steaming
Releasing hot vapor
lemon · Old Bay · cracked · drawn butter · sourdough · white wine · parsley · cioppino · seafood boil · stockpot
estuary
Tidal mixing zone
intertidal · eelgrass · sandy bottom · benthic · coastal · Pacific · Puget Sound · San Francisco Bay · Washington · Alaska
delicacy
Refined sensitivity or rarity
- gourmetConnoisseur of fine cuisine
- shellfishAquatic creatures with exoskeletons
- market priceCurrent exchange value
luxury · freshness · sustainable · clusters · live · cooked · frozen · Fisherman's Wharf · seasonal · prized
traps
Devices for catching prey
- harvestGathering mature crops
- commercialPaid broadcast promotion
- seasonYearly division or series
quota · regulations · sustainability · bycatch · licenses · fishery · overfishing · recreational · trawler · catches
predation
Hunting and consuming prey
- foragingSeeking wild food sources
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- biodiversityRange of life forms
habitat · scavenger · prey · population · larvae · juvenile · spawning · migration · ecological · nursery
Dungeness crabslobsters
Large edible sea crustaceans
shrimp · prawns · crawfish · king crabs · snow crabs