Berwick hand-picked Crab
We have just had a delivery ,this morning of Dougi Flannigan's hand picked crab and as it is the most popular item on our menu I thought it totally deserved my award of being discussed on Good Friday as its such a pure and unproceesed item of food. Very special to these shores and a big part of of culture here in the harbour town of Berwick and close by Burnmouth.We buy our carb already hand-picked we just don't have the staff available to cook the crabs ourselves but that, certainly would be my dream.
Douglas brings the crab from his work-shop just 5 mins drive from us so that is diffinately a high score on food miles. We always pay Dougi cash on the nail for his crab as I know he is struggling with restaurants going bust right left and centre and this morning he was telling me he hates his job now as all he does is chase after money.One trader in France owed him more than £250 000 and after 3 months of practically camping on his door step he has eventually got his bill paid. You see More than 90% of his lobsters and crab go abroad to France and Spain...................your talking about 6 to 8 ton a week! Don't France and Spain have any Crab and lobsters of their own? No they don't!! They have over fished and there is none left hence it comes from Britain. Here we police our fishing and make sure small crab and lobsters are put back and that we don't over fish. In Spain and France they didn't care two hoots about sustainabilty ,in the 70's they took so much out of the sea ,they have nothing left,They were so irresponsible they even took the undersized lobster and crabs. Makes your blood boil thinking about it doesn't it?
Anyways on a more cheerful point,the town is full of holiday makers and fresh crab is what you look for when you go to the coast isn't it and Douglas's crab is the finest I have ever seen, you can go along and choose your own lobster and crab at his factory at Tweedmouth, tell him Lizzie sent you.Lol We don't mess on with Crab we buy little and often so it rotates properly. My preference is for pure white meat but it is really a personal choice, alot of people prefer the brown meat. (Douglas himself says he likes crab rather than Lobster for flavour)For sandwiches and salads we mix 3 parts white to one part brown, add some fresh lime or lemon juice, go easy on the mayo and a dash of tobasco and freshly ground pepper. My favourite way of serving Crab is in a quelle ( shaped with two spoons) with pink grapefruit and pureed avocado that has got creme fraich and lime juice in it.It has got to be home-made mayo and the crab has to be hand-picked that day and not kept for hours in a fridge.
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