Signs of fall are subtle in these parts, but they exist if you know what to look for. One delicious way to tell that cooler temperatures aren’t far off is the return of stone crab claws to dinner tables. As it does every year, stone crab season commences October 15 and runs to May 1.
The opening night is traditionally a big one for restaurants serving this delicacy, and devotees cannot wait to sate their cravings. It’s not just that they are local and fresh; these marvelous creatures produce deeply succulent, sweet claw meat and—comparatively speaking—there’s less work and more gratification involved in eating them than with most crab species.
What’s more, these crustaceans are a renewable resource. The majority are harvested in local coastal waters. Crabbers take one or both claws, depending on size, and then return the crab to the water alive so it can grow new claws.
Among the Naples-area restaurants that have dedicated crabbing fleets are Truluck’s Ocean’s Finest Seafood & Crab and some Phelan Family Brands locations, including Pinchers and Deep Lagoon Seafood.
Celebrate the luscious shellfish October 25-27, when Pinchers in Tin City hosts the fourteenth annual Stone Crab Festival along the waterfront. The festival features claws, other treats, live music, and more.
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