Dungeness crab

A native of the Pacific Northwest, the rich, sweet, and meaty Dungeness crab is a welcome addition to the table of any seafood enthusiast. According to Fathom Seafood, the term Dungeness is derived from the little fishing community of Dungeness Spit in Washington. According to The Seattle Times, the Washington Dungeness crab season got off to a roaring start this year, with crabbers hauling in more than 4.5 million pounds of the mollusk by the end of December. Since ocean acidification has led to limited crab harvests and a late start to the prior seasons, this catch was fantastic news for Washington's crabbing community and a welcome difference from previous years.

The crustacean is benefiting from better ocean conditions, the newspaper continues, with cold water from the north providing nutrients to its marine environment. Crabbers are grateful for these improved ocean conditions as the cost of a pound of Puget Sound Dungeness crab is at an all-time high. According to the Oregon Crab Commission, a Dungeness crab has a meat-to-shell ratio of roughly 25%. A two to three-pound crab, on the other hand, provides between half and three-quarters of a pound of selected, prepared-to-eat sweet and flavorful flesh. The perfect amount of gazpacho soup.