Grape Wall of China

A China Wine Blog: The Scene in the World’s Largest Market

Friday food fight: Hairy crabs

Posted on | October 10, 2008 | 3 Comments

Things gets hairy this time of year.

Things gets hairy this time of year.

Let’s take the spice level way down this week and claw away at a food that fits the season: hairy crabs.

Writes Shanghai Daily:

“For almost two centuries, it has been a sacred rite and late-autumn ritual for nearly every Shanghai family to eat da zha xie, or hairy crabs when the cold, crisp autumn winds pick up. They are traditionally washed down with huang jiu, or rich yellow wine, such as Shaoxing wine.

“The best known and marketed are the Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, the Rolls Royce and the Vidalia onion of the freshwater crab world. They mature between October and November and are harvested from the lake northeast of Suzhou in Jiangsu Province. Crabs from the eastern part of the lake are said to be the best.

Hairy crabs are usually steamed with ginger and served with a dipping sauce of ginger and vinegar. I’m joining a mission tonight to pair wines with this fall delicacy – my contribution is a Viognier – and will report back in full next week. In the meantime, any other suggestions?

(Image: Shanghai Daily)

-

See also:
Friday food fight: Mapo Dofu
Friday food fight: Dirt
Friday food fight: Beijing duck
Friday food fight: Scorpions on a stick

Category: Uncategorized

Comments

3 Responses to “Friday food fight: Hairy crabs”

  1. p3wong
    October 10th, 2008 @ 4:23 pm

    I like having them Macanese-style with Portuguese curry when I am down in Macau this time of year!!

    Yum!!

  2. admin
    October 10th, 2008 @ 4:37 pm

    @ p3song,

    Did you wash them down with Portuguese wine or go mainland-style with rice wine and baijiu?

    Cheers, Jim

  3. p3wong
    October 11th, 2008 @ 6:00 pm

    Definitely Portuguese wines…

Leave a Reply





  • About Grape Wall of China


    beijing-boyce-grape-wall-of-china-logo

    A nonprofit blog by wine professionals and consumers.


    Follow on Weibo, Twitter
    and Facebook.
    Email: beijingboyce at yahoo.com

  • Grape Wall Contributors


    In alphabetical order (see full list)


    Nicolas Carre
    Sommelier


    Chantal Chi
    Writer


    Yvonne Chiong
    Sommelier, consultant


    Judy Leissner
    Grace Vineyard CEO


    Alain Leroux
    Wine maker, consultant


    Li Demei
    Wine maker


    Huiqin Ma
    Professor


    Campbell Thompson
    The Wine Republic co-owner


    Brian Yao
    Consumer


    Frankie Zhao
    Pro-Wine Training & Consultancy owner


    Jim Boyce
    Consumer, blog administrator