It’s crab season in Petaluma
Sonoma and Marin County residents have long looked to the ocean for a large variety of tasty seafood. Dungeness crabs have long topped the local seafood list, not only due to their abundance, but also because of their distinct flavor.
Called Dungies for short, they get their full name from the Dungeness Spit and Dungeness Port both located on the north coast of Washington.
With the commercial season scheduled to open shortly, the much anticipated crab season is upon us. Whether you catch your own, buy straight off the boat, pick them up at a local grocery store, dine on them at a restaurant, or attend one of the many local crab feed fundraisers, there are plenty of options to enjoy delicious Dungies this season.
The most obvious sign that crab season is upon us are the banners around town for one of the many Petaluma crab feeds. Friend and food personality, Clark Wolf, cringes every time he hears the term “feed,” saying that it reminds him of animals eating around a trough. Fair enough, but because I grew up attend Petaluma feeds, I see the word as more of a nod to the family-style dining that we rarely experience these days.
Half the reason I like attending feeds is that we get to meet new people, reconnect with old friends, all while breaking bread together in a festive and communal environment.
For the uninitiated, here is a primer on everything you need to know in order to navigate crab season locally, including what to expect from your average Petaluma crab feeds, where to find the best crab, and how to catch your own.
Crab feed guide
First and foremost, Petaluma crab feeds are typically all-you-can-eat, unlike in other parts of the Bay Area, where I have attended only to find out I was limited to one or two crabs. Naturally, Petalumans take the word “feed” seriously, and do not add it to the end of an event’s title unless they mean it.
Most crab feeds will tempt guests with salad, garlic bread and pasta, in an attempt to fill you up prior to the crab hitting the table. But when your goal is to eat as many delicious Dungies as possible, it’s important to steer clear of the fillers and hold out for the crab.
At most crab feeds, you will find raffles tickets, drinks and desserts for a small additional fee. Because these events help nonprofits, I encourage everyone indulge liberally, yet responsibly, in all three.
Remember to bring your own accoutrements if you want to make sure you are covered. A good crab feed kit will include implementations, butter-melters, lemons and crab bibs, just in case. However, leave the mallets at home because these crabs are pre-cracked and are fairly easy to crack by hand or with a nut cracker.
Mallets can easily damage the meat. However, whether you bring your own butter, lemons, or special sauces, or they are supplied on the table, try the crab plain first. It is not unusual for it to be so fresh that any additions will actually take away from or mask its naturally sweet flavor.
Buy your tickets early. Although there may seem to be a ton of local crab feeds, most will sell out early, so do not risk being turned away at the door. That being said, if you decide spur of the moment, by all means call the host organization because they sometimes have last minute cancellations, or will squeeze in an extra chair for you, because that is how it is done here in Petaluma.
Finally, because these are fundraisers run by volunteers, be patient if their websites are not up and running, or you have to buy tickets directly from one of their members, with cash or a check. Remember, it’s things like this that help keep Petaluma’s small town charm intact.
Chronologically, Petaluma’s 2016-2017 Dungeness crab feeds are as follows:
Petaluma Holy Ghost Society (Petaluma Holy Ghost/Portuguese Hall) - Saturday, Dec. 3, $50, contact: 762-4995
The first of the season, this is the PHGS’s chance to raise funds for the upkeep and restoration of this historic Hall, which dates back well over a hundred years.
Water, soda, beer and mixed drinks are available for sale, but table wine and punch is included. Unique to this feed is the handmade “Filos,” which are a kind of Portuguese donut. At $5 a half-dozen, the neighborly thing to do is pick up a dozen or two for your table. And as with most Portuguese events, dancing will start after dinner and likely go well into the night.
Cinnabar Theater (Lagunitas Brewing Company) - Tuesday, Dec. 13, $55, contact: cinnabartheater.com
When Laura Sunday, of the Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff and the Taste of Petaluma, wanted to create another fundraiser for Cinnabar Theater, she asked me if I would lend my crab feed knowledge and experience to this project, and I did.
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