The Unexpected Seafood Delicacy George Washington Loved To Snack On

U.S. presidents aren't so different from the rest of us, at least when it comes to food and drinks. For instance, John F. Kennedy loved New England fish chowder for lunch and George Washington enjoyed a good dark English porter on the regular. But Washington had one favorite snack that some people would consider unusual. He loved oyster crabs, not to be confused with oyster crackers. Nope, these are tiny creatures that are also called pea crabs and can sometimes be found living inside oyster shells with their hosts.

These small parasites survive by stealing bits of food from the oyster, are about the size of a pea, and are often translucent (a December 1900 article in The Choctaw Advocate described them as resembling a "bleached-out spider"). But they can be purple in color as well and turn orange when cooked. Washington loved to snack on them so much they were sometimes known as "Washington crabs" in his honor. He was once offered a half-pint of them from a lady admirer, who had gone to great lengths to find such a large quantity of the miniscule crustaceans.

It wasn't only George Washington who loved oyster crabs. Even into the early 20th century they remained popular and pricey, with some New York City restaurants selling them for as much as $2 a serving in 1913 (the equivalent of $66 today). They were often shipped partially boiled in glass containers and were more commonly found in oysters from areas like Virginia. There were various dishes that included them as an ingredient, including omelets and salads.

Oyster crabs have naturally soft shells, which means they can be eaten raw or cooked. The cooked version from a roasted oyster has been described as tasting sweet, briny, and a little crunchy. With that description you may be warming up to Washington's snacking habits. Today, they aren't sold separately from oysters, so if you want to try them, you'll just have to get lucky with a raw, roasted, or steamed oyster with the parasitic surprise inside. To up your chances, choose oysters from the Southeast U.S., such as the Chesapeake region. If you aren't an adventurous eater, you can still try the first president's favorite breakfast and dig into hoecakes with honey and butter, or maybe just drink a pint of good porter.