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Taean teems with blue crab riches


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Vocabulary

dormancy

ˈdɔːr.mən.si/ n.

- the state of being dormant (= not active or growing but able to become active later) :

“…warm temperatures bring the seeds out of dormancy.”

 

subtle

/ˈsədl/ adj.

- not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way:

 

The room was painted a subtle shade of pink.

 

undertone

/ˈəndərˌtōn/ n.

- a quality, meaning, etc., that is present but not clear or obvious:

 

The fabric is a rich brown color with undertones of red.

 

sawdust

/ˈsôˌdəst/ n.

- tiny particles of wood that are formed from sawing or sanding wood

 

He is buying sawdust for the crabs.

 

salting

/ˈsôlting/ v.

- to flavor or preserve (food) with salt

 

Taean developed a salting culture and fermentation culture unique to the coastline.


Comprehension Question

What is the second-largest source of blue crab after Incheon?

What is winter dormancy?

What season is typically the best time to crab?

What is the reason why some blue crabs are packed in cardboard boxes with fine sawdust?

What is salting?

What is the traditional Taean dish gegukji?


Article

TAEAN, South Chungcheong Province -- Just before sunup, Lee Young-ho, a seasoned fisherman with over 30 years of experience, silently waits for boats carrying blue crabs as the season for the seafood reaches its height.


Soon afterward, small and big boats sail into Sinjin Port in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, the second-largest source of blue crab after Incheon, accounting for 29 percent of the total production of the country.


The temperature of the sea off Taean appeared to have stayed at the level where crabs become active. If the sea temperature suddenly drops, crabs go into their winter dormancy mode, burrowing into the mud and sleeping through the cold months. 

Blue crabs caught in the Taean area have thick upper shells and light blue legs. Their white meat has a firm and moist texture with a mild, salty ocean flavor and subtle sweet undertones.


Fall is typically the best time to crab. From June to August crab catching is closed for the spawning season. Crabs caught in the fall tend to have more meat, while spring is the best time for egg-laden female crabs.


At the port, the crabs pulled up from the boats go through a selection process to separate them by gender and size. Crabs with missing limbs and dead ones are picked out by hand.


Some of them are packed in cardboard boxes with fine sawdust to keep them alive during transportation to large chain stores in Seoul, the rest are sold to the highest bidder at a daily auction, mainly primary wholesale dealers who distribute them to nearby fish markets and restaurants.


Salt and fish are important ingredients for local food.


In the past, before refrigeration and freezing were used for preserving food and the transportation system was not well developed, salting was the main way to give fish a longer shelf life and make it suitable for storing at warmer temperatures.


With abundant high-quality salt produced in the region, Taean developed a salting culture and fermentation culture unique to the coastline.


The county is also known as a high-quality salt production area. The unique salting and fermentation culture developed with the resource.


Traditional Taean dish gegukji, a spicy seafood stew boiled with crab, shrimps, and cabbage, is part of that culture.


Source: Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com), http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211028001046&np=1&mp=1


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