Japanese Snow Crab Echizen Gani 日本新鮮越前蟹

越前がに

Ask anybody in Fukui and they will tell you that Echizen Gani are the “taste of winter.” Echizen Gani are a type of male snow crab (zuwaigani) caught in the waters off Fukui. Famous for its tightly packed, delicate and sweet flavored flesh—particularly their rich crab livers—these crabs are widely considered to be the best crabs in Japan.  As such, it is the only crab in the whole country that has been dedicated to the Imperial family.

The secret to the delicious nature of Echizen Gani is the unique geography of the Echizen coast and the optimal environment it presents for crabs with abundant food and perfect sea temperatures. Fishing from Echizen Port is made easy by the proximity of the best fishing grounds only an hour or two from port. This ability to bring the catch to market so easily has resulted in Echizen being the busiest fishing port in Fukui. 

越前町位於得天獨厚的日本海海域，豐沛的營養成分以及海域的嚴寒，是越前蟹甜度高、肉質鮮美的主要成因，越前蟹也因此得名，成為具有代表性的蟹肉料理。越前町總計約有50隻以上大小型漁船，漁獲量是福井縣最多的，也是越前蟹主要的產地。而越前蟹美味的關鍵就是「新鮮度」，越前港是距離漁場最近的漁港，可以確保漁獲保持在最佳的狀態。

煮熟後的越前蟹，白色肉身略帶漂亮的朱紅色，肉質纖細多汁，能夠品嚐到越前蟹最原始的美味。不論是川燙後沾點醋食用，或是點一碗滿滿配料的蟹肉丼，都能大大滿足口腹之慾。而在寒冷的冬天裡，大啖蟹肉火鍋暖暖身子也是一個不錯的選擇。