A Louisiana favorite, called "crawfish" here, or mudbugs, hillbillies or crawdads - only Yankees and tourists call them crayfish. If you go to a New Orleans restaurant and ask for crayfish, they'll automatically ask, "Where are you from?" Their flavor is delicate and their fat enriches sauces, though they achieve their greatest renown in the "étouffée." Crayfish do not keep well. If they take on a fishy flavor, they're no longer good; it's best to buy them live, or else purchase frozen tails.

Crayfish is more tender than lobster, more delicate than shrimp, and has a unique flavor all its own. In the spring, whole families go out crawfishing on the bayous, while in-field crayfish farms are an age-old tradition that still thrive today. These delicious crustaceans are now raised commercially and are an important Louisiana industry.

Preparing Crayfish
Twist the tail, bending it from side to side, in order to detach it from the rest of the crayfish. The head is usually discarded, though some crayfish aficionados "suck the head" to be able to enjoy all the flavour. Provide a plate or bowl for heads and shells.

Take the tail and remove a couple of the sections of shell at the opening to make it easier to remove the tail meat. Holding the tail, pinch it gently, moving down its length, to loosen the meat from the shell.

Grasping the base of the tail firmly but gently, pull the meat from its shell. It should come out easily and in one piece. Remove the vein if you wish, though it is not necessary. Alternately, you can remove the meat by squeezing the bottom end of the tail gently with your index finger and the bottom part of your thumb, while you pull or suck the meat from the upper end of the tail - a process akin to getting the last of the toothpaste out of the tube!