Crabby fingers

When rain comes to Florida's Gulf Coast, it comes fast and hard with thunder and lightning and blinding washes of water on the windshield.

That's why we took a U-turn before hitting the Gandy Bridge, eastbound from St. Pete to Tampa, and went back to check out a low dilapidated little seafood joint with pickup trucks in the flooded parking lot.

We had just eaten breakfast a couple hours ago, and weren't very hungry, but getting in out of the rain was what it was all about. We sat at a two-top by the window in the bar, looking at the traffic whizzing by in the torrential rain, and listening to country music on the radio. A few bar-stools were occupied, and a few other tables, and the waitress plunked down a couple menus in front of us.

Oysters on the half shell were $8.95 for a dozen. In Los Angeles, the going rate for a half-dozen is $14.95. We ordered a dozen and a couple cold beers.


The oysters came right out with the beers, and were served with lemon, a couple Saltine crackers, and a cocktail sauce that sizzled with horseradish.

The waitress suggested we get the blue crab claws sauteed in butter and garlic. Now, I'm a West Coast girl - I'm used to big meaty crabs like Dungeness and king, but [The Man I Love] grew up here and used to fish for blue crabs off these causeways by dangling a chicken neck into the water on a string. "A lot of work, getting meat out of a blue crab," he said.

"That's why I suggested the claws - we do all the work for you and give you the best part," she said. "You won't be disappointed."

When they came, there were over a dozen of the smallish claws on the platter, bathed in a puddle of browned butter with bits of minced garlic. It smelled like heaven - for garlic lovers. Just the first joint of the claws were presented, out of the shell, with the small fixed finger shell remaining as a convenient handle - like a perfectly designed finger-food! Holding the claw, we dipped the meat into the butter and skinned it off the central piece of cartilage with our teeth - the flavorful meat was a little coarse-textured and stringy, and strongly crabby and delicious.

"See, didn't I tell you they were good?" said the waitress. We looked at the rain and licked our buttery fingers. Then it was time to get back on the bridge.