Beijing food delights with “Eggy Bread” and “Hairy Crab”

I woke up Sunday morning to huge flakes of snow falling outside of my 24th floor window. As far as I could see, Beijing was blanketed in five to six inches of snow.

Despite feeling slightly hazy from Halloween the night before, I didn’t need more than the childlike thrill of first snow to get me out of the house. I started the morning with my friend’s birthday at Vineyard Café – several hairs of the Champagne dog and “Eggy bread” over brunch chatter while watching the snow fall outside the remodeled Sìhéyuàn (四合院, Chinese courtyard home) window. One day after Halloween, we felt warmth of winter holidays in much the same way department stores put out Christmas product as you wipe ghoulish paint off your face.

Then the snow stopped and the sun came out.

I love crab. I prefer big crabs. In the past, the thought of the Hairy Crab (大閘蟹, Dà Zhá Xiè) being more work than tasty fulfillment kept me away from ordering it or accepting invitations to Hairy Crab socials. However, today I was in a good mood; perhaps the snow gave me that sense of holiday-hangout despite any tedious menu.

There they were, a bag of females and a bag of males. Served after steaming for 9 minutes, I pulled the shell off a female crab, drizzled a little ginger and red vinegar over the roe and discovered the much sought after sunny, yolky goodness. The male crabs had more meat, but they too had a creamy yellow yumminess under their back shell.

It was our cousin Wes and his lady Zhàoyǔ (赵宇) who treated my husband and I to our first successful hairy crab feast. Given it is now November, male crabs are supposed to be best this month. I am inspired to visit San Yuan Li market and host my own little crab feast. Huáng Jiǔ (黄酒, Chinese Yellow Wine), warmed and a bit sweet, is the recommended pairing.

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