Whenever I miss New Orleans the first thing I think of is crawfish. It's that little fresh water crustacean that looks like a miniature lobster. Some people also know it as crayfish but don't ever call it crayfish down south. It used to be a seasonal treat for anyone down south but now it is farmed so we can enjoy it whenever I make it down to New Orleans. In fact, we found it in the freezer section of Tops Markets here in Ithaca, New York. It's not a great as freshly steamed and sold when you are down in New Orleans and not as spicy but it's the next best thing when you are craving comfort foods.
Like crabs, it has its own spices and it's boiled and served with Andouille Sausages, shrimp, corn and of course crawfish. It's poured onto a table covered in newspaper or butcher paper and everyone just grab and eat. The process of eating crawfish is pretty simple, grab it by the head and tail, snap in two and then you suck the head to get the fat inside the head. Simply suck and the fatty part of the crawfish comes out. Then you pinch the base of the tail and gently suck on the meat from the tail and it slips right out and you have a tasty morsel of meat. You can also eat the claw if one or both claws are big enough. I was in New Orleans last year and had farmed crawfish for the first time and the claws grew pretty big. Simply crack the shell and the meat just pops right out. Since it's boiled in its own seasoning its fairly spicy and it is best washed down with one of your favorite beers. To really make it more like New Orleans you can wash it down with Albita Beer which you may find in your local specialty beer section.
I also use crawfish tails for bisques , etouffees and instead of shrimp I use crawfish tails for crawfish and lobster sauce. You take the meat out of the shell and cook the meat. But for me the best way to enjoy crawfish is boiled and eaten with your friends on a sunny day. My best memories of New Orleans is when I am floating in a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, sipping beer, basking in the sun and sucking down pounds of crawfish while we fish. Even if you don't catch any fish, you had a great day with friends, creating memories, drinking beer and eating your favorite crustacean. Life can't be any better then that.
