"If you've yet to have the pleasure of indulging in a seafood boil, let this be the year you take the plunge. Among the many briny delights to choose from, crawfish is a mainstay and one that requires a little finesse to properly enjoy. Tasting Table spoke to NOLA food history expert, Nicole Caridad Ralston, Ph.D, to get her tips and etiquette rules to follow at your first crawfish boil, and one of the main themes to focus on is accepting that it will be something of a messy affair."
"Knowing how to properly eat crawfish like a pro involves leaving your hands unencumbered by gloves. There's really something to the tactile sensation of opening up shellfish with your bare hands, particularly if you're new to consuming crawfish. Unlike crab legs, these don't call for a cracking tool, just a little bit of elbow grease and curiosity. To crack and peel crawfish, start by separating the head and tail. Slurp and juices from the head, and then carefully remove the meat from the tail."
Crawfish boils are inherently messy and best experienced hands-on. Bare hands improve dexterity for cracking and peeling shells and enhance the tactile pleasure of eating crawfish. To eat crawfish, separate the head and tail, slurp any juices from the head, then remove the meat from the tail. Gloves can limit dexterity and make shell fragments harder to sort through. Exceptions include skin allergies, spice sensitivities, and situations involving newborns or small children, where wearing gloves is safer. Exercise caution and prioritize health concerns when deciding whether to wear gloves at a crawfish boil.
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