Serene Vannoy > wrote:

>On 06/30/2010 01:26 PM, Steve Pope wrote:

>> For me Dungeness is the best crab. It's at its absolute best
>> at the very beginning of the season... really through about
>> New Years then it declines.

>When's the season? (Yes, I could google it, but I'll just ask.) We had
>some live ones a couple days ago, and they were DELICIOUS.

The northern California season usually opens November 15,
and closes on a more variable date (typical would be June 30).
Fresh crabs from other parts of the west coast are available
during other times of year. A seafood chain like McCormick
and Schmitt's (sp?) will have fresh Dungeness nearly year round,
as will many fish markets.

But IMO, from opening day until Jan. 1 or so is really the time
to eat local crab... the quality is best then, and the prices
are likely to be at their lowest. Some years, they harvest
about half the total catch in the first few days of the season.


Steve