The crawfish boil is an annual spring event throughout Texas and Louisiana. Although small, the delectable crawfish is a southern tradition.
Many students see these crustaceans and start to salivate imagining them boiled to spicy perfection along with a cold beverage on a humid Huntsville day. The crawfish boil represents more than just food; it represents a festive time when friends can get together.
Many students leave most weekends, however, when it’s crawfish time in Huntsville, people and alumni return from out of town for the fun.
“To be honest I don’t like crawfish at all, but I do enjoy the atmosphere. It just seems that everyone lets loose and enjoys themselves,” said SHSU alumni Jennifer Henrichsen. “Most of the time a band is playing and I really enjoy that aspect of the events.”
Every year there are many places to eat crawfish in the area. The Jolly Fox will be having a crawfish boil this Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Eli Young will be playing along with special guests, and you can buy tickets online at http://www.jollyfoxclub.com or at Humphrey’s Bar and Grill. For more information, call (936)-439-0664.
In Huntsville, you can get crawfish at Murski’s Icehouse on Thursdays after 5 p.m. for around $11 for three pounds. At Zach’s Bar and Grill on Fridays starting at 6 p.m.-until they run out, you can get crawfish for $9.99 for three pounds.
“We have a family atmosphere. Young people, college students and locals come to Zach’s to eat crawfish,” said Zach, the owner of Zach’s Bar and Grill.
There will also be the 2007 Texas Crawfish and Music Festival in Old Town Spring. According to Citysearch.com, this event is one of the largest and most established crawfish festivals in the south. The event features live entertainment from some of the top country, blues, zydeco and rock acts on three stages. The festival also will offer carnival rides, midway games and activities for kids of all ages.
For those who have never tried crawfish, once you get past those little beady eyes staring up at you and learn how to get the meat out of the shell, you will realize why it is worth it.
Crawfish meat has a sweet taste between lobster and shrimp with a melt in your mouth texture. It is usually made as spicy as you can stand it. This is why most restaurants add crawfish to the menu every spring during the crawfish season, which is typically from March to June.
The traditional way to eat a crawfish is to pick it up and rip the tail off. Strip the shell from the tail end and bite off the meat. Then the true crawfish connoisseur will inhale deeply through the head cavity, take a gulp of cold beer, and then throw the shell onto a towering mountain of empties. Repeat as needed.