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 The Hermit Crab (part 2)
by Keith 'Robbie' Robinson

For Gourmet's Galley, in this issue, as I prepared to tell the tale of how I had prepared Hermit crabs, a few years ago, for the table, I wanted to use the Latin name of the creature, thus to indicate that either I knew it already or had made the effort to research it. The latter being the case led me to a favorite book of ours 'North Atlantic Seafood' by Alan Davidson, a Penguin publication. After gleaning the knowledge I sought, I noticed that Mr. Davidson had included the very amusing entry on the subject included by Alexander Dumas in his Grande Dictionnaire. I thought you may like to share it with me.

"The Hermit Crab: A species of crab whose meat is regarded as a delicious morsel. It is usually grilled in its shell before being eaten. There is nothing more comical than this crustacean. Nature has furnished him with armour as far as the waist - cuirass, gauntlets and visor of iron - this half of him has everything. But from the waist to the other end there is nothing,  not even a nightshirt. The result of this is that the Hermit crab stuffs this extremity of himself into whatever refuge he can find.
The creator, who had begun to dress the creature as a lobster, was disturbed or distracted in the middle of the operation and finished him off as a slug. This part of the Hermit crab so poorly defended and so tempting to an enemy, is his great preoccupation; a preoccupation that can at times make him fierce. If he sees a shell that suits him, he eats the owner and takes his place while it is still warm - the history of the world in microscopic form. But since, when all is said and done, the house was not made for him, he staggers about like a drunkard instead of having the serious air of a snail....."