The Compleat Crab and Lobster Book

Crabs, admits Reaske ( The Compleat Clammer ) in this useful guide, are often considered ``mean-spirited, snappy, ugly, feisty, pugnacious, and brazenly unintimidated by man,'' yet they are ``beautiful in spirit, with the male protectively cradling the female in her vulnerable molted state.'' Offering a wealth of biological, historical and linguistic lore, the author observes that a 17th-century Dutch sea captain in New Amsterdam--having noted that the Atlantic blue crab's claws displayed the orange, white and blue hues of the Dutch flag--decided that the Dutch ``should colonize this country . . . they have a proper right to it.'' In Japan, where the lobster is a symbol of longevity, a congratulatory card may bear the message, ``May you live until your back humps like the lobster.'' Reaske also details breeding habits and techniques of capturing the creatures, while warning the amateur against encroaching on the professional's livelihood. His best recipes involve basics: steaming and boiling crabs, and steaming, boiling and broiling lobsters. Others, including ``classics'' (lobster Newburg, crab dip) tend to mask the fresh taste of seafood with canned soups, processed cheese and heavy sauces. (June)