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Try them pan fried on a BLT!

I was *so excited* the first time I had one in a sandwich in Newport, R.I. -- I had heard about the wonders of soft-shell crabs for years from native East Coasters and looked forward to the first bite with an anticipation bordering on religious ecstasy. Then I bit down.

Blarg.

This? This was the object of breathless devotion from Portland to the Potomac? I just didn't see the point -- the ratio of fried bits and hard bits to actual meat was way skewed. I've tried them since and confirmed they are not for me. Maybe if you grew up with them, they'd "taste like summer" or something (this Midwestern boy prefers corn, thankyouverymuch), but I don't see the appeal.

(Now the lobster roll I had on that same trip is another story ... )

I grew up in southeastern Virginia where we wait anxiously for softshell season every year.

I love them grilled with a little Old Bay sprinkled on top - gets their shells super crispy and makes the legs almost like potato chips. YUM!

I can't stand them. And I've had them as fresh as they come. The gourmet description is fabulous!

For me it's worth the work and I enjoy the meat in the hard shell so much more!

Yum. Yum yum yum yummo. yummy. yumm yum.

I grew up in the PNW and we ate cracked crab in the summer. It wasn't until I tried spider rolls on the Austin sushi scene that I ever had a soft shelled crab (and that's the only way I've tried soft shell). So far, I love both, though for sheer entertainment value you can't beat playing with crab claws at the dinner table.

I eat soft-shell crabs. And I find chewing on their thin, edible exteriors a little odd. Not so odd that I won't eat 'em tho.

LOVE. Love to chew on thin edible exteriors.

Eating the entire crab like that really kind of grosses me out.

I love them, they are one of my all-time foods!

"fried fingernails" just about accurately describes how I feel about the soft-shell crabs

yeeeeerch. Dad ordered one for very small brother (I think he was 4) - and it came on a sandwich with all it's legs falling out of the bread. Dad didn't understand when small brother cried. Loudly.

I LOVE soft shelled crabs. I'm one of those people who eagerly awaits their appearance each year. I always thought the ick factor for some came from part of the squishy middle -- not the shell -- who knew?

I've only recently had one, fried on a sandwich. At first it was like, "What's this!?! Are those...legs (!) sticking out of my sandwich!?" It was not what I had pictured.

...then I ate one, and well, yum. :D

(Sandwich was on a tomato roll with coleslaw, btw.)

Love them! The best ones I've had were at Le Jardin Bistro in NYC. I wish I knew how they prepared them; I would love to recreate the dish.

Love them! If they're properly fried, the shells shouldn't be chewy at all, just nicely crispy.

But I'm one of those wierdos who eats shrimp tails, so take that cum grano salis. It's just extra protein!

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I love them! But, then, I was raised on fried, whole-belly clams, so my threshold for delicious-but-gross fried food is low.

hate them, hate them, hate them!

Love them, but they are so much better sauteed than fried ... properly cooked the shells should have a nice crunch, not be chewy.

I have never had one, but the idea of it kind of weirds me out. Especially picturing a sandwich with legs sprawling out. It reminds me of Little Mermaid.

I've only had them in sushi rolls. It's kind of odd to eat something in it's shell, and I didn't find the taste to be out of this world. I'd rather eat King Crab dipped in butter.

I haven't had them, but I have to admit that it also does not sound very appealing.

Any idea why soft shell crabs are eaten whole while soft shell lobsters are not?

Oo, I love them, especially in spider rolls :)

Disgusting.

love those crispy critters

bleccchh. not for me.

Absolutely delicious!

I grew up outside of Baltimore with steamed crabs just about every Saturday between May and September. I'm a hardcore blue crab fan, but I CANNOT eat soft shells. I'd rather spend hours picking the meat and making crabcakes out of them than just throwing one on a sandwich. Gross. Then again, I'm the only one in my family who feels that way...

Gross!!! You are eating an entire bug people! Guts and all! Gross!!! This in no different that popping a tarantula in your mouth - whole! I would only consider eating one of these things in a survival situation. I don't care how good it tastes!

Eeeeeew!