It's nearly impossible to overstate the importance of the crawfish to Louisiana. Each year, over 100 million pounds of the "crawlers" are harvested, and locals consume the majority of that crustacean bounty.
To newbies, a common first question regarding the crawfish goes something like, "So they're like mini-lobsters, right?"
Sure.
These freshwater "mini-lobsters" hold most of their meat in their tail. But unlike a real lobster, where you might eat one per sitting, people often eat 50+ crawfish per meal. Although crawfish are also technically known as "crayfish," if you're ordering this dish in Bayou country, call 'em crawfish, crawdads or mud bugs, and order them by the pound.
The main method of preparation is "the boil," where crawfish are thrown into a pot of hot water along with various seasonings (many use Zatarain's spice mix), corn, potatoes, andouille sausage and sometimes even exotic meats (rabbit anyone?).
After the boil heat is cut and the crawfish have had time to steep in the flavorful liquid for a time, they are typically dumped onto a newspaper-covered table where ravenous diners, who have been tortured by the aroma of simmering seafood, have at it.
Eating "craw" is an art form easily perfected, one in which ladies are still considered ladies while slurping, an absolutely necessary part of the process. The first step is twisting the tail from the rest of the body. Be sure to slurp the side with the head first, as this is where the bulk of the flavor and seasoning ends up. Next up: the tail, where a few quick peelings of the shell reveal a tender morsel of meat. After repeating this process a couple of times, muscle memory takes over. Be sure to have a ton of paper towels nearby, as a crawfish boil tends to be a pretty messy, yet fun, meal.
The best place to enjoy a boil is in the backyard of a Louisiana local. But while crawdads are in season (February-June), many restaurants in New Orleans host weekly boils, and some are even "all-you-can-eat." Try the Rivershack Tavern on River Road, or the House of Blues on Decatur Street, for the meal that says you've truly savored The Big Easy.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2013/07/12/new-orleans-crawfish-crayfish-boil/2509345/
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