This weekend, I discovered a local source for fresh crawfish -- not frozen -- and made my world-famous Crawfish Etouffee. When reporting this culinary achievement on Monday, several of my co-workers said "You mean crayfish." I did not mean crayfish, altho I take them to be the same critters. Why are there two words for the same tasty little bugger? Is it a regionalism?

Dunno about a regionalism, but I've seen them called "crawfish", "crayfish" and "lobster", all meaning more or less the same animal. In NZ we call them "cray" - short for "crayfish", although we understand when people call them "lobster". "Crawfish" I understand but only from context. Maybe it's Washington State's contribution to the New English?

we alwuz called 'em crawdads...

In Florida we call 'em crawdads or crayfish, but in Louisiana they just looked at me funny when I said anything but crawfish.

It's bound to be regional.

Shrimp etouffee is very good. But then we'd have to debate shrimp v. prawns.

Haven't we done the prawn/shrimp distinction before?

In those parts of the world where the words are not used interchangeably, the distinction is drawn mainly by size. The trouble is that, in some parts of the world, the big ones are prawns and the little ones are shrimps, while, in other parts of the world, the big ones are shrimps and the little ones are prawns. This sounds like something Lewis Carroll might have contrived.

Well - you've opened a tin of worms!! pun intended

In Australia there are not only numerous types of crayfish, but also numerous names for them - even for the same type!! More on this later.

To quote from the article in the link below, "Australia has one of the richest collections of freshwater crayfish in the world. All of our species belong to the family Parastacidae, which is found in Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and South America.

Our freshwater crayfish range from the largest to some of the smallest in existence. The giant Tasmanian crayfish (Astacopis gouldii) grown to 6.3 kg [I make that to be almost 14lb!] and the Murray River crayfish (Euastacus armatus) grows to 2.7 kg [call it 6lb].


Back to names - here's those of which I am aware:

- Crayfish, Cray - Western Australia (WA) - large, spiny saltwater species without claws

- Lobster - New South Wales (NSW) - large spiny saltwater species without claws

- Yabby, Freshwater Crayfish - NSW, WA & elsewhere - small freshwater species with claws

- "Jilgie", "Coonack" (spelling?) - WA - small freshwater species with claws, often confused with yabbies - and, in many cases, often the same thing! Usually olive green.

- Marron - WA - mid to large size freshwater species with claws. Distinctive black colour.

- Redclaw - Queensland (QLD) - mid to large size freshwater species with distinctive red claws.

Further info in the following link (a government aquaculture site): http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/aqu/fw/fw_crays.htm

and here: http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/crayfish.htm (a museum site that highlights my incorrect spelling above. Sorry!)

stales

opened a tin of worms

Now do we argue about whether it's a tin or a can?

pun totally not gotten, so forgiven.

how about tin can?

'Bouta canteen?

OK OK - it was feeble. I felt that, because we were straying into aquaculture that the "tin of worms" reference was appropriate - in a bait context. Sigh.

stales

Growing up in Oregon, I learned them as "crawdads", so I'm not so sure about this regionalism theory...

Well we always called them crayfish. Lobsters are MUCH bigger. The crayfish in our lakes never grow to more than three or four inches - counting the extended forarms with the claws.

It'd take a whole slew of them to be able to make a meal, especially since you can only eat the tail an that is only an inch or so long. You better start peeling early in the day to feed a family of four.

What's the difference between lobster and langostine?

I think it is a different variety of the same type of beasty. Like Holsteins and Longhorns are different types of cattle.

in a bait context. Sigh.

wel, stalesy - they certainly rose to it

rose to it

I blush to think.

http://www.state.me.us/sos/kids/fyigames/cllobst.html
This is a chidrens' coloring book page but it shows a real lobster. When alive the shell is a mottled green and brown. When cooked the shell turns bright red.
They are delicious and are properly called Homerus Americanus - if I have the spelling correct - they are native to coast of Canada starting around Labrador, then down the northeast US from Maine to northern North Carolina but, naturally, I think the best ones are captured off the coast of New Hampshire! For more information than you want and answers to commonly asked questions :
http://www.maineaquarium.com/lobster.html

Crayfish don't live in fresh water ...

Why wouldn't freshwater crayfish live in fresh water? Do they--to earn their designation--just drink fresh water in little plastic bottles, say, after exercising?

Tee Hee ! :-)

rose to it

I blush to think.

Faldage made a...pun! [fanning self e]

Faldage made

tides must be out...

Faldage made a...pun!

Poor guy. He must be succumbing to peer group pressure...

But then we'd have to debate shrimp v. prawns.

What about Pepe the prawn from the old muppet show -- he was always quite vehement about the distinction ("I'm a prawn ok?")

Pepe of all people, er, I mean prawns, should know.

http://www.upsu.net/club_page.asp?cug=47

Odd-looking creature; I never saw him on Sesame Street.

I never saw him on Sesame Street

That's because he was on The Muppet Show. I believe the only "crossover" between the two shows was Kermit himself.

That's right. Pepe was never on Sesame Street, appeared on The Muppet Show late (like the 5th season) and also in one (or perhaps more) of the Muppet movies.

Shamefaced confession: I really thought Pepe was a lobster.

The Muppet Show late

According to my son, he (Pepe, that is) was never on The Muppet Show, but rather a later incarnation called Muppets Tonight. Haven't bothered to Google this info, but it would not surprise me if David were indeed correct.


EDIT, post-Google: David was right. Pepe appeared on Muppets Tonight and made his big-screen debut in Muppets from Space. And, if you're interested, he is now the unofficial spokes-shrimp for Long John Silver's fast (sea)food restaurants. He is a prawn but, "I can do shrimp." See his audition for the spokes-shrimp position here:
http://ljs.winnercomm.com/pepes_lounge.html

Thank you for that, Nancy. Pepe is my new love, hat hair or no. I will never be able to eat a prawn again. But I can do shrimp!

Pepe is my new love !! Does your other half know this?!?