Crabs

There are many kinds of crabs on all three coasts of the United States. The most common Atlantic crab is the blue crab, sometimes called the Atlantic blue crab. Blue crabs are less expensive—sometimes ridiculously so—in part, no doubt, because it requires so much effort to get a small amount of meat out of the shells. They make wonderful soups. Blue crabs become soft-shell crabs for short periods in their lives each time they shed their hard outer shell. Soft-shells are rarely used to make soup because they are so expensive.