I'm NOT, Crabby Bob

Nope, Crabby Bob I'm not, at least not today. We decided to leave the big city and travel over to Vancouver Island and head north to Campbell River, BC to visit with my uncle and take a couple of days R & R. Campbell River is approx 5 hours north of Victoria, dependant on which route you take.


(Crabby Bob, Fisherman's Wharf, Cambell River, BC)

It started with a relaxing Sunday morning with home-made crepes filled with ground walnuts, sugar, topped with fresh strawberries



Hmmm, fresh made from scratch crepes were thin and light. It was like having dessert. Sweet and delicious. What a nice way to start the day



I opened my big mouth and told her that I was watching my calories and preferred to eat a little less so instead of making 4 per person, she only made two. On the second one I stuffed fresh strawberries inside and also sprinkled some on top and also spread some raspberry preserve. It taste so good that I ate it in small pieces



Every Sunday during the summer there is a Farmer's Market down at the Pier (Fisherman's Wharf) until 2pm. We are trying to figure out what to have for dinner and it was suggested that we should pick up some crab and perhaps some buffalo steak. I don't recall every having buffalo before, but I have had Ostrich meat which is very low in fat. It seems that buffalo meat falls in the same category.


(crab tanks, full of crabs)

I remember reading recently on Jack Riepe's Blog that they could purchase 4 or 5 crabs for $20. NOT HERE, even though they are caught in these local waters. The average crab was over 2+ lbs at $8.95/lb



Our two crabs set us back around $40.00 . You can't get crab any fresher than this. Crabby Bob obtains his "stock" from local fisherman and they are alive until purchased, at which time they are quickly dispatched for your eating pleasure. Of course we had to take them home to cook ourselves


(public pier, Campbell River, BC)

They were doing a brisk business and we had to wait our turn. It seemed that a lot of other people had the same purpose in mind



We then headed over to the Farmer's Market section were they had white tents set up for all the vendors



There were other people walking about but being small town Canadiana I do not know whether this was normal traffic or less due to the economy



It seemed that all the products being sold were either home grown, home produced or home-made



I imagine that this is Rosa. I asked if she made all this jewellery an she said she made everything you see on her table



There were lots of dust catchers on display ready for your hard earned money



and beads and trinkets



or these floral arrangements of the non-breathing variety



There was also preferred parking for motorcycles and watching owners taking their dog for a walk. There's a dog there somewhere in case you were distracted



They also had a stage set up with live entertainment, and vendors selling food



We ended up at this trailer unit to purchase our Buffalo (Bison) rib-eye steaks. Tonight we were preparing for a feast. Salad, first course crab then 2nd course Buffalo steaks. There was no room for dessert so we saved the dessert for breakfast the next morning. What better way to start the day but to have dessert first



Two crabs waiting to be cooked. Between the 4 of us, we get 1/2 a crab each



they are nearly ready. Here they are being poured out of the pot into the strainer



I can still taste them. We had melted butter, lots of lemon, claw breakers and small crab forks to dig the meat out. we made a mess of ourselves and suddenly no one was talking anymore being too busy eating

I just had to show you the shells. Nothing left to waste



It was a good time to be in Campbell River