Pea Crabs...Not From The Gulf!

   Now here is a "horror" story for all you readers who enjoy that sort of thing!  Not really but it might turn the stomach of those prone to queasiness.  Instead, this is a story about just another part of the life of an oyster.  Down here, oysters are a big thing.  Most local folks can be found with an oyster bench, shucking knife and a huge pile of shells in their yards.  Personally, I do not like the smell so the oysters have to be shucked far down the hill near the marsh.  The stench gets really bad after a few days so I just as soon have it as far away from the house as I can get it.  Also, personally, I do not care for oysters.  I may eat a few if they are tiny and if they are fried really crispy.  I am definitely NOT going to eat a raw one.  That said, I could do without even having them anywhere nearby.  Still, Mark likes them so that mound of shells is a fixture to be reckoned with.

  This afternoon, he came home with a few oysters and proceeded down the hill to open them.  He called to me and told me to walk down to where he was.  There, he handed me a tiny crab.  He was confused as to why there was a crab IN his oysters.  Yep, he found more so it was not just a fluke.  The fluke was...he had been sold the oysters as Gulf oysters...they are not.

  The tiny crabs are called pea crabs and they are parasites that crawl into the gills an oyster and feed upon whatever happens to filter into the shellfish.  (Oysters use their gills for feeding not breathing.)  If times are good and there is a lot of food filtering through, the oyster is fine but if times are lean, the pea crab still eats and the oyster gets very little.  The crab never actually kills its host but does sometimes make it thin and sickly.   That said "fluke" comes from the fact that pea crabs are not found in the Gulf of Mexico.  They are found out in the Atlantic so oysters containing the small crabs are definitely not locally harvested.

  Now comes another fluke...one by me.  I had no idea about these round, little crabs until I did a bit of research.  When I was handed the critters and saw they were still alive, I did what any critter loving person would do...I released them into the shallows.  Was this a good idea?  Probably not but it all ended well...sort of...maybe.  As soon as I dropped those pea-sized crabs into the inch of water, they were struggling to grab ahold to something.  They are not accustomed to being free from their secure house of an oyster shell.  I watched for a few moments then had to laugh as the Snowy Egret darted in for a meal...three pea crabs released....three pea crabs consumed. 

As for that "not being accustomed to being free" statement, only the male crabs actually swim about.  The females remain their entire lives inside their host's shell.  The male will come to visit and the female actually lays her eggs inside the oyster.  The tiny larva form is spewed out with the oyster "spat" or oyster spawn.  Mama Pea Crab keeps on feeding until the next male crab comes to visit and the cycle is repeated.  

  So...now you know what pea crabs are, where they are found and what they are doing inside an oyster.  Just another reason for me to not like oysters...parasites!

Another Tempest

  With the way things look at the moment, the Gulf of Mexico has received another slap in the face.  Just nine years ago, we had to endure the oil spill that, not only killed off so many marine creatures, it also killed off so many lifelines of the Coastal families.  We are a seafood based industry down here.  Fishing is a way life.  The shrimpers, oystermen, fishermen, crabbers, seafood factories, charterboat captains...you name it...were all out of jobs.  Their boats and gear lay idle while the oil killed most everything within its reach.  Many lost their boats.  Others lost their homes.  All lost their way of life.  It was a hard time for the Coast.  It was years before things began to return to any semblance of normality.  Finally, the seafood returned and was deemed fit to eat.   It took years after that for the industry to return to its profitable self but many folks had already moved on to be able to support their families.

  Now, the Gulf of Mexico faces another tempest.  While all Coastians are ready and eager to help those in the flooded zones of the country, opening the spillways has, once again, created a mess for the fishermen. The marine creatures are dying at a great rate.  Countless dead dolphins, sea turtles and fish are washing ashore.  Entire oyster reefs have died.  Crabs have literally suffocated.  Shorebirds are not to be found. Schools of fish and shrimp have moved further out in an attempt to escape the water pouring into the Gulf. Many folks do not seem to see the harm in what has been done.  "It is just fresh river water so it cannot be doing any harm." is said over and over again.  Sorry, that fresh river water wreaks havoc on saltwater marine life.  They do not have time to acclimate before it kills them.  That "fresh" river water is also polluted from runoff.  Whatever has been flooded up north of us has now spilled into the Gulf.  Fertilizer, sewage, any number of chemicals and...yes...oil is making a mess down here.  

  Don't get me wrong.  We are not blaming anyone.  We are not pointing fingers.  We are not begrudging those who are trying to save their places and livelihoods that are flooded.  We understand THAT whole scenario as we are subjected to hurricanes that flood our area and we are sympathetic to those that are suffering.  We understand that something had to be done to provide some relief.  However, there has to be another answer.  Opening the spillways has done nothing but spread the devastation to another area.  

  All of that said, the fishermen down here are working frenetically to catch what they can before the waters get any worse.  The boats are going out further to make catches of "clean" shrimp and fish.  (The crabbers and oystermen do not have that option.)  This plan is working as far as catches but puts a new strain on the fishermen.  Fuel prices, boat upkeep and extra time spent are making it a struggle to "stay afloat".  The fact stands that the wages they earn has not kept up with the current state of affairs.   Many cannot afford to keep running as their expense outweigh their profits.  It is a sad situation.  

  Mark and I were able to get shrimp today from one of our longtime suppliers.  This shrimper had to go outside of the "dirty" zone to get a good catch.  The shrimp are beautiful and we are thankful he made the decision to keep trying.  It is our plan to buy as many pounds of shrimp as we can to help those struggling.  We have been there and done that ourselves.  It is also our plan to stock up on the seafood so that, if worse comes to worse, we will have a good supply on hand to ride us over until the Gulf cleanses itself.  Our freezers will be filled to capacity within the next few weeks.  To those in the flooded zones and to those struggling with the situation in the Gulf, we hope and pray that this is soon over for all of us.  To those with the ability to help any in need, please do.  There are so many out there that have been affected that need help.  We are all in this together.

 

So...what is true??

  The other day, we heard of an incident where a man was arrested for "opening" oysters in his back yard.  He could not understand why it happened as he had "been openin' them all my life."  The story grew and grew (as tales do when they are passed around from one person to another) until the whole thing was out of hand.  Just what was true??  Why had this long time oyster shucker arrested?  I figured we had better get to the bottom of this since just about every local person has a pile of shells in their backyard from such activity...us included. Something did not add up with the story being told.

  Well, a bit of research...a lot of reading...and a couple of phone calls gave us a much clearer picture.  Come to find out, it is quite ok to buy a few sacks of oysters (from wherever as long as the sacks are tagged), bring them home and open them...for personal use.  You can eat them, share them with friends or even have everyone over for a meal but...it is not ok to shuck the oysters then sell them.  To do this, you need to prepare.  You have to obtain a license to sell seafood, have an enclosed area where the shucking takes place, devise a method of keeping the oysters (both in shell and shucked) cold and keep everything clean.  This is all for good reason and the way things should be handled.   With the recent uproar about Vibrio causing so many deaths, it is wise to use caution.  The "flesh-eating" bacteria can be found in raw oysters at times and it multiplies rapidly as the oysters warm.  Anyone eating an oyster containing the bacteria can be severely harmed or killed.  Duh...number one...keep those things cold!  Number two...it is not wise to eat raw seafood of any kind...oysters included.  And, yep, I know folks are going to put up a stink about that one but, when faced with the possibility of that oyster killing you, you might want to consider what you are putting in your mouth.  

  So..it is safe to say that the whole story was not put out there, at least, not fully and correctly.  No one was arrested for shucking oysters.  The guy was arrested for not following laws that were made for the protection of others.  Makes sense.  It is quite ok for you and your buddies to sit in the backyard, shuck a few oysters and tell tall tales to your hearts' content.  Feel better?  A lot of folks down here do now that they know the facts.

That Is Laughable!

  There are things in life that, while serious business to some people, are downright humorous to local folks (wherever local is).  For instance, folks up north are amused by the south's reaction to snow.  Yep.  We admit it.  We get a tad excited when a few snowflakes fall.  We overreact.  We stockpile foodstuffs.  We call it a holiday.  Hey.  We never get to see the stuff so its a novel thing.  Having northerners make fun of our glee is ok by us.  We know that it is all in fun and we are not offended.  The same thing happens when a freak hurricane zips up the East Coast.  Panic mode sets in and those in the Deep South are quick to throw a few jokes to our neighbors.  It is all in fun and is not meant to hurt any one's feelings.  Then there are things that are just laughable.

  I was searching through things in the storeroom to use as possible props for the clue hunt that is still a long time from now.  However, October will come quickly and I need to get some things prepared.  While in there, I came across a few burlap sacks.  Well...maybe?  The sacks themselves are what caused me to giggle.  I had one that used to hold chestnuts, one that held coffee beans and the other was an oyster sack. Overall, burlap sacks are not humorous.  In fact, they are good, sturdy things that are quite useful.  It was that oyster sack that sent me into a fit of giggles.  THAT had to be the tiniest oyster sack I have ever seen!  I mean...come on...if you are going to the trouble to open oysters at least get an 80 to 100 lb sack!  This thing could not have held more than two dozen oysters!  What do you do with 24 oysters?  Oh, geez.  Whoever bought oysters in this sack could not be from here.  Sample sack...maybe?  heehee

  In most yards of true southerners, there are huge mounds of oyster shells.  These are the remnants of the 3 or 4 (80lb) sacks that are shucked at any given sitting.  Folks just do NOT open 24 oysters.  When the sacks come in, you might as well call it a party.  Any one who is in the neighborhood can drop in for a fully dressed oyster po-boy or at least a handful of the fried oysters.  No one bats an eye at the sharing of the food.  It is all good.  "Come on in and get a po-boy!  We just shucked a few sacks and I'm fryin' them up right now!  Sit yourself down and help yourself!"  These words flow freely to any and all.  

  Any person who toted that miniature oyster sack to the back yard shucking bench would most likely wind up being the butt end of numerous jokes.  It just would not fly here.  Itty, bitty sack of oysters!  Still, the sack will come in handy as a clue hunt prop so I guess it is all good.  Now...I wonder how in the world I came into possession of the cute, little thing?? And why do the oysters printed on the sack look like evil eyes?   

I Pass....

  Having plenty of seafood is a way of life here on the Bayou.  If we do not catch it ourselves, it is quite easy to obtain and is very reasonably priced.  Thus, it stands to reason that seafood is the mainstay of our diet.  Shrimp. fish, oysters and crabs are eaten several times a week....or throw it all in one pot and call it gumbo and you have another meal (sort of..yes, I do realize that is not gumbo.  Just joking.  Maybe!)  Anyway, you get my point.  Seafood is not a novelty nor a delicacy.  It is our "everyday" food.

  Yesterday, Mark got two sacks of oysters.  He opened them with the idea of us eating a few and giving the rest to a few of the elderly folks around here.  Back in the day, these same folks would open their own oysters and share with others.  We are carrying on a tradition that lingers on the Bayou with local folks.  Newcomers have no idea the warmth behind the idea and so it seems to be left up to those of us that have stuck close to home.  It has always been a custom to share the catch with others.  Pop always said that this assures you of a good catch on the next fishing trip and I think that holds true.  Anyway, Mark opened the two sacks and got a couple of gallons of oysters to dole out among the "old folks".  They appreciated the gesture and we got the satisfaction of helping others.

  This whole thing is leading up to the fact that these were not ordinary oysters, so to speak.  Usually, the oysters are small to medium sized things.  In comparison...bite-sized.  Not these jokers!  They were huge! Whereas it would normally take between fifteen and twenty oysters to make a nice-sized poboy, three to four of the ones today did the job.  To give you a better perspective, three shucked oysters weighed in a half pound.  THOSE are some huge oysters!

  Now comes the problem (at least for me!)  With the size of the oysters that I fried today, I could not eat a single one.  I prefer the tiny ones...those bite-sized oysters...the little tidbit types that fry up nice and crunchy.  I cannot (or at least will not) eat one that will take six or seven bites!  Nope...cannot...will not.  (Ok, ok, maybe if I had nothing else to eat but I would be hard-pressed to do so any other time.) 

  These huge oysters and my inability to eat them reminded me of a story that my sweet mother-in-law told me years ago.  She related how one day my father-in-law was shucking oysters and offered her a raw one to eat. Since she had watched him eat dozens, she felt it could do no harm to try. So, she, being the sweet lady she was, obliged and put the thing in her mouth.  Try as she might, she could not swallow the oyster.  She told me that it felt like it was growing in her mouth!  She started to gag and had to spit the oyster out.  My father-in-law burst out in a fit of laughter.  She never attempted to eat another raw oyster after that episode!  Me?  I learned from her tale and decided that raw oysters were not for me, either.  That lady taught me so much!

   Still, since Mark shucked all of these oysters he wanted to eat some. So, I fried oysters.  Mark ate oysters.  He was happy.  The folks that were given oysters were happy.  All is well.  I think tomorrow we shall eat shrimp.  I have no qualms about eating shrimp...small or huge!

Coast Tradition

  I took a picture today of Mark and our son, Mark, Jr. shucking oysters.  The two of them had some great "together" time as they sat far down the hill from the house.  Here, away from the hubbub of the chattering, giggling and baby-talk (the sweet baboo of a granddaughter is here!), they could share a bit of closeness without being interrupted.  While I so longed to be with my son, it did my heart the world of good to see the two of them enjoying a bit of quiet time together.  I slipped down the hill to catch a few pictures of the happy time.  When my sister-in-law saw the pictures, she remarked how this seemed to be a Coast tradition.  That remark struck a chord with me in more ways than one.

  I know Missy was referring to the oyster-shucking being a Coast tradition but, the truth be known, this father/son oyster-shucking thing is also a tradition.  For possibly as far back as civilization here, whenever fathers and sons needed a bit of time together for whatever reason, a couple of sacks of oysters could provide them with the perfect venue for a meeting of the minds.  If a son needed a bit of fatherly advice, if a father needed to reprimand the son in a gentle way or the two of them wanted to chat about some recent exploits, some private time could be gained by shucking a few oysters.  Most of the time, the women of the household would respect that need and sort of steer clear of the "shucking yard".  Sure, a lot of the ladies could shuck as well or (in some cases) better than some of the men.  They were often right out there helping but when the guys came in and announced they were "gettin' some oysters", that meant "we need time."  It was understood and respected.  This great Coast tradition of father/son time has carried on for years.

  Today's shucking time brought smiles to both of the Marks and to all of us at the Little Bayou House. While they were outside confabbing, Joanna, Mary Ruth and I were having our own "time".  The bond between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was glued a bit stronger by the addition of a sweet baby.  I feel so blessed!  Perhaps that old-time father/son tradition of oyster-shucking was also meant to give the ladies of the house a bit of together time.  If so, I consider this one great tradition and intend on preserving it as long as I can.  I simply adore my daughter-in-law and always hope to maintain our closeness with special attention.