Over on Caboodle.hu this morning they are reporting that some fishermen down near Mohács recently had an unexpected catch in the form of some Chinese Mitten Crabs. As the name suggests, the crab is very much not native to these parts. Instead, it is considered a very unwanted "invasive" species, attacking indigenous fish and their spawn, and otherwise wreaking eco-havoc in the places they colonize. On the other hand, this being Hungary, where crustaceans of any kind are pretty hard to find - and frightfully expensive by the time they get to your plate - we couldn't help but wonder if the unfortunate ecological impact of these kínai rák might be offset by certain culinary benefits.

From a quick perusal of the literature, we discovered that Eriocheir sinensis - also known as the "big binding crab" and "Shanghai hairy crab" is actually a famous delicacy in Shanghai cuisine, being especially prized for the ovaries of the female crab. And sure enough, a report in the New York Times about a restaurant in Hong Kong specializing in Shanghai-style cookery calls a dish of hairy crab "plump with sweet meat" and "succulent," coming in a "rich, reduced soy sauce glaze atop soft rice cakes, which absorbed the mellow sauce."

But if that sounds a little too good to be true, it may be, judging from the experience of another otherwise intrepid food writer who took the advice of the Times hack and ordered up a big plate of Hungary's new hairy invaders:

[They] brought the plate to our table and there were two creepy sticky looking creatures. The waitress brought a cracker, but when I picked up the claw I discovered the dark covering was slimy (the hair, I guess) and I was repulsed. Then I noticed the top coming off the body and goo oozing out, and a minor wave of revulsion passed over me.

Because this doesn't really sound like something worth risking further destruction to Hungary's already-stressed river ecosystem for, let's hope that these hairy devils from the East don't dig in and take over. No one wants to see Hungary's beloved ponty (carp) lose its status as the country's slimiest, goo-oozing culinary treasure.