{"id":13328,"date":"2020-02-25T11:50:02","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T16:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/?p=13328"},"modified":"2020-04-01T11:23:47","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T16:23:47","slug":"setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting the Table for Florida Stone Crab Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stone crab season is upon us, and with it comes some of the year\u2019s most exceptional showings of South Florida cuisine. Cooler weather between mid-October and mid-May draws an abundance of shellfish to the Florida peninsula\u2019s southern tip, assuring that the region\u2019s fisherman traps are brimming with stone crabs. And this is good news for all manners of seafood aficionados, whether they are based in the area or just planning a South Florida escape.<\/p>\n

Upon their arrival in Miami this special time of year, visitors will discover a bounty of ways to indulge in one of South Florida\u2019s most prized natural commodities. Between the exquisite stone crab menu options at Acqualina Resort & Residences<\/a> and the Magic City\u2019s renowned culinary scene, visitors to this dazzling corner of the Atlantic coast are in for a gourmet treat.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let the \u201cstone\u201d in stone crab throw you off. Unlike the firmness of lobster, stone crab meat has a distinctly tender yet flaky texture while exhibiting a sweet and mild flavor profile. While the crab body itself contains meat, it\u2019s the claw in particular that chefs and diners pay most attention to.<\/p>\n

\"Stone

Photo<\/a>: Ines Hegedus-Garcia via Flickr \/ CC BY<\/em><\/p>\n

Part of the exclusivity of this coveted Florida specialty is actually centered in sustainability. Stone crab harvests are continually monitored to ensure their populations stay strong and steady for seasons to come, and laws dictate that only one oversized claw (at least 2-3\/4 inches long) can be harvested before each crab is returned to the sea, where it has the ability to regenerate a new one up to four times.<\/p>\n

The bounty of incoming claws this time of year, however, is only half of the equation \u2014 it takes a culinary master to transform them into truly rave-worthy stone crab dishes. And that\u2019s where legendary restaurants like Joe\u2019s Stone Crab<\/a> shine the brightest. One of Miami\u2019s most sought-after culinary institutions, Joe\u2019s supplies its iconic kitchen with an average of 500,000 pounds of claws per year between two fisheries in the Florida Keys.<\/p>\n

“The fishermen have to know what the good claws are when they’re on the body, and that’s very hard to do, but the really good fishermen know that,” the restaurant\u2019s co-owner Stephen Sawitz shared with Patch<\/a> in 2018. “The ones that are filled with meat, you can feel it when you lift up the crab.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Joe's

Photo<\/a>: AndonicO via Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY<\/em><\/p>\n

Now in the midst of its 106th season, the enduring establishment continues to purvey authentic stone crab creations, a gastronomical legacy that predates Miami Beach itself and attracts some of the most discerning diners across the world.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, on the idyllic shore of Sunny Isles Beach, the talented culinary team at Acqualina Resort & Residences also has a few tricks up its sleeves in crafting exceptional renditions of stone crab.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe offer it in a variety of ways,\u201d says Head Chef Jose Casals, who oversees the fine cuisine selections at Costa Grill, as well as the resort\u2019s event, banquet, and spa menus. At Costa Grill\u2019s specialty seafood barbecue feast, for instance, Casals and crew provide guests the opportunity to taste fresh, wild-caught stone crabs, all while savoring a resplendent Atlantic backdrop. \u201cWhen cracked, they are meaty and easy to eat,\u201d he explains, \u201cthe flesh is delicate and tends to have a mild, fragrant, and sweet taste.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Costa

Similar to Joe\u2019s, Acqualina sources stone crabs from the Keys, as well as the Bahamas and Southwest Florida. No matter their origination, once the claws reach Casal\u2019s kitchen, they are skillfully prepared into culinary works of art that are as beautifully presented as they are delicious.<\/p>\n

Traditionally served cold and accompanied by a spicy homemade horseradish sauce, the resort\u2019s stone crab offerings have delighted the taste buds of many discerning seafood lovers. Bringing a memorable meal full-circle, Casals also likes to complement this seasonal delicacy with one of his acclaimed side dishes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like it with grilled zesty lemon asparagus, or aged balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts,\u201d he says, \u201cand it\u2019s best paired with a glass of Albari\u00f1o, or some sort of richer-style of champagne or sparkling wine.\u201d<\/p>\n

No matter what you pair your stone crab with, one thing\u2019s for sure \u2014 you\u2019re in for a taste of a delicacy that feels distinctly Florida.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Featured Photo<\/a>: Larry Hoffman via Flickr \/ CC BY<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stone crab season is upon us, and with it comes some of the year\u2019s most exceptional showings of South Florida cuisine. Cooler weather between mid-October and mid-May draws an abundance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":13334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-epicurean"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSetting the Table for Florida Stone Crab Season | Acqualina Lifestyle Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Next Guest\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Setting the Table for Florida Stone Crab Season | Acqualina Lifestyle Blog","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Next Guest","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/","url":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/","name":"Setting the Table for Florida Stone Crab Season | Acqualina Lifestyle Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/acqualina.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stone_Crab_Claw_Up_Close.jpg","datePublished":"2020-02-25T16:50:02+00:00","dateModified":"2020-04-01T16:23:47+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d873373e95e609ae936b991c1b4d8bd4"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/epicurean\/setting-the-table-for-florida-stone-crab-season\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/acqualina.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stone_Crab_Claw_Up_Close.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/acqualina.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Stone_Crab_Claw_Up_Close.jpg","width":1920,"height":1277,"caption":"Stone crab claws up close"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/","name":"Acqualina Resort","description":"Lifestyle Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d873373e95e609ae936b991c1b4d8bd4","name":"Next Guest","sameAs":["NextGuest"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13328"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13328\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.acqualinaresort.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}