Delicious to the last shell – crayfish
These small crustaceans have long been a symbol of elegance and good taste. Their exquisite flavor was highly regarded, and despite changing culinary fashions, they never lost their value. Recipes for preparing crayfish have been preserved in many old cookbooks, including the Danzig Cookbook by Maria Rosnack from 1858. In it, crayfish are used as an ingredient in sauces for fish and meat, for making stews, classic crayfish cream sauce, and the beloved crayfish butter. The preparation of the latter delicacy illustrates how frugal old kitchens were, making use of every last bit of good ingredients.
Crayfish butter was made from crushed crayfish shells. It was these shells, boiled in clarified butter, that gave the butter its beautiful orange-red color. After straining out the leftover shells from the fat, the butter was poured into containers and left to harden. Interestingly, this block of butter, lightly salted and well-stored, could last in the pantry for several months without spoiling! Since modern times, crayfish have been undeniably popular, but they had a peculiar dual nature. They were a typical seasonal product, which meant that, due to the lack of freezing technology, they were only available during a short period each year. Anyone could catch them, and during the mass harvests, their price was not exorbitant. As a result, they could appear on the tables of the nobility, the bourgeoisie, and even the common folk.
This familiarity with crayfish somewhat repelled the aristocracy, but even they could not resist their exceptional taste. Plates of crayfish were also sold in 18th-century restaurants, but in these cases, it was not cheap food. One traveler to Poland mentioned that after being treated to crayfish in Warsaw, not only did he have to pay a lot for the dish, but he also had to buy expensive wine to accompany it, as anything else would have been considered improper! Admittedly, it’s not easy to find a restaurant today that serves crayfish specialties. Perhaps it’s time to bring crayfish back to our palates, to feel the timeless experience of luxury and heavenly taste, even if only seasonally?
Crayfish butter was made from crushed crayfish shells. It was these shells, boiled in clarified butter, that gave the butter its beautiful orange-red color. After straining out the leftover shells from the fat, the butter was poured into containers and left to harden. Interestingly, this block of butter, lightly salted and well-stored, could last in the pantry for several months without spoiling! Since modern times, crayfish have been undeniably popular, but they had a peculiar dual nature. They were a typical seasonal product, which meant that, due to the lack of freezing technology, they were only available during a short period each year. Anyone could catch them, and during the mass harvests, their price was not exorbitant. As a result, they could appear on the tables of the nobility, the bourgeoisie, and even the common folk.
This familiarity with crayfish somewhat repelled the aristocracy, but even they could not resist their exceptional taste. Plates of crayfish were also sold in 18th-century restaurants, but in these cases, it was not cheap food. One traveler to Poland mentioned that after being treated to crayfish in Warsaw, not only did he have to pay a lot for the dish, but he also had to buy expensive wine to accompany it, as anything else would have been considered improper! Admittedly, it’s not easy to find a restaurant today that serves crayfish specialties. Perhaps it’s time to bring crayfish back to our palates, to feel the timeless experience of luxury and heavenly taste, even if only seasonally?