Friday 14 August 2009

Food: Serious Crab Time!!!!


Yesterday, I read an article from the Standard with great interest. (I have quoted the entire article at the bottom of the page, in case it disappears after a few days ) As I was reading, my mouth was watering and I was almost licking my finger having eaten my imaginary crabs.

Those of you who have finished lesson 4 with me, you should remember that I always suggest you go and do more shopping. I hope you have done so. I love strolling in the supermarket, and because I love sea animals since I was a child, I really like to check on the variety of fresh fish and shellfish for sell at the fish counter. I am also a fan of the Discovery program, Deadliest Catch!


Since we are talking about crabs, let's look at the names of some really nice crabs.

Do remember that Soft-shell crab is not a specific type of crab, but one that is cooked shortly after molting their hand shells.


Japanese Spider Crab
Hairy Crabs/Chinese Mitten Crab
Blue Crab
Flower Crab
Hermit Crab

Fiddler Crab
Lobster (relatives of crabs)
Alaskan Red King Crab
Sand Crab
Rough Shore Crab
Red Rock Crab
Horseshoe Crab

Horseshoe Crab
Coconut Crab
Mantis Shrimp (relatives of crabs)




With prices like this, no wonder he's looking so shell shocked
Nickkita Lau

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Here's an eye-popping offer that seafood aficionados will want to catch: a Japanese snow crab for just HK$90. That compares with a usual retail price of HK$200 - and you can double that if it's on a restaurant table.
The crustacean is among a lip- smacking spread put on by 600 exhibitors from 24 countries in the Food Expo running from today until Monday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

Last year's expo drew crowds totaling 300,000, and signs are this one will be even more attractive to those with the taste for a bargain in these belt-tightening times.

On the menu - for those who pay HK$25 to get in - are delightful dishes up to 70 percent below their usual prices.

That snow crab from first-time exhibitor Sun Wah Japanese Food, for example, went high on the wanted list even before the expo doors opened.

Sun Wah offers only 100 crabs a day, and those manning other booths have been quick to order.

Champion Fair offers discounts on packages, with three cans of Pearl River Bridge fried dace with salted black bean and a can of sardines at HK$35 against a regular price of HK$72. A package comprising spiced pork cubes, chaosansi, pork mince with bean paste and sliced pork costs just HK$35, half the usual price.

Sales manager Horace Wu Hung- kwong said the company has prepared 30,000 packages, which will probably be gone within two days.

For Mandarin Fish Maw, a New Zealand dried fish firm, this will be the first time it tries "buy one get one free."

A catty of maw with a usual price of HK$2,995 is HK$1,247, but only 60 boxes are available and are likely to go fast.

There are excellent side dishes to the expo.

The Hong Kong International Tea Fair, the New Lifestyle Showcase and the Chinese Medicine Fair run in tandem.

Food Expo ticket holders can visit them without charge on set days.


Vocabulary:
eye-popping -- astonishing
aficionado --someone who is very interested in and enthusiastic about a particular subject
crustacean --
belt-tightening -- reducing in spending

Resources:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=30&art_id=86312&sid=24932353&con_type=1&d_str=20090813&sear_year=2009


http://museumvictoria.com.au/crust/comlist.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadliest_Catch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_spider_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermit_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mitten_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_shell_crab
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis_shrimps