CHONGMING freshwater crab

Once dismissed because of their small size, the freshwater crabs from Chongming Island hitting the market these days have grown in size over recent years, much to the delight of local diners. With their tasty roe and fragrant flesh, these delicious crustaceans are a must-have this autumn.

Chongming Island has a long history of breeding hairy crabs, and many of the island’s specialty dishes include crab meat. This year, the local crab breeding area amounts to 8,000 hectares, up from 6,500 hectares in 2014, and is capable of yeilding a total of 500 tons of crab. What’s more, all crabs from Chongming Island are now sold with QR codes that allow customers to learn more about their origins and the conditions in which they were bred.

“Chongming hairy crab used to be nicknamed wuxiao xie — or dark small crab. Most male crabs used to weigh less than 150 grams, while females were less than 100 grams. But things are different this year,” said Huang Chun, president of Shanghai River Crab Industry Association.

“With technological innovation and scientific cultivation, Chongming freshwater male crabs can now reach 200 grams. Some males can even reach 250 grams. The females also weigh about 150 grams,” Huang said.

Huang added that there are three key factors to raising quality crabs: the environment, the eggs and the breeding methods. Chongming Island, with its clean water and relatively unpolluted aquaculture, provides breeders with conditions similar to the hairy crab’s natural environment.

Chongming freshwater crabs are bred with eggs from crabs caught at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Farmers and breeders then raise their crabs in clean water with high-quality feed.

If you want to indulge in these sought-after arthropods yourself, head over to the ongoing Freshwater Crab Culture Festival at Yiqing Garden. Visitors there can enjoy various kinds of crab dishes, professional crab shucking performances and games. You can also try delicious freshwater fish and nongjia cai — traditional countryside dishes made with fresh ingredients.

Those who want to dig a little deeper into the local crab scene are encouraged to check out Baodao Crab Farm in Luhua Town. The farm includes an exhibition on crab culture as well as a pool where visitors can try their hand at catching and trussing crabs.

Tangerine season on Chongming Island runs from October to December, but now is the best time to enjoy these delightful trees and their refreshing fruit.

Chongming started large-scale tangerine growing nearly 30 years ago and now has 8,000 hectares of fields, accounting for over 83 percent of Shanghai’s tangerine growing area. Average annual output from these fields totals about 200,000 tons, official data show. Through January, those in downtown Shanghai can sample Chongming tangerines at stalls set up at Zhongshan Garden, Fuxing Park and Shanghai Botanical Garden.

Chongming tangerines have received numerous awards and accolades over the years thanks to their delicious taste and eco-friendly growing practices. With thin peels and juicy flesh, Chongming tangerines are both delicious and a good source of vitamin C, folate and beta-carotene.

Luhua Town is one of the main producers of Chongming tangerines. A tangerine festival is now underway in the town. Visitors are welcome to come and admire the tangerine blossoms, and even pick a few tangerines themselves.

Chongming is also famous for its high-quality hybrid rice. One of the island’s new strains, Nanjing 46, is prized for its good taste and smell. This rice is also grown with eco-friendly methods. The paddies where it is grown are all weeded by hand. Ducks, frogs and solar-powered bug-zappers are also used for pest control.

You can sample some of Chongming’s best hybrid rice varieties at the Freshwater Crab, Tangerine and Rice Carnival on the island.

Winter is coming and according to traditional Chinese beliefs that means it's time to eat foods that will preserve yang, or “warm” energy. Visitors to Chongming Island can fortify themselves against the cold at the One “Fresh,” Two “Whit” Expo — refering to freshwater hairy crabs, white spirits (or baijiu) and white lamb.

You won’t want to miss this chance to sample home-distilled Chongming baijiu made with sorghum. Such spirits have been made on the island for over 700 years.

Chongming mutton is also well-known. Simmered for several hours, the meat is served with homemade sauces.

Thanks to its pristine environment and fertile soil, Chongming is also a top producer of high-quality taro and yams, both of which are now in season.

Many families on Chongming Island grow taro, a root chock full of vitamins A and C. Soy-sauce taro, taro and duck soup, and taro with chopped green onion are all signature dishes among Chongming locals.

Chinese yams are also popular on the island. During winter, yams are traditionally used in soup with dried lotus seeds, langan and croix seed.

Also in season are Chongming golden melons and corn.

• Freshwater Crab, Tangerine and Rice Carnival

Date: Through December 31

• Freshwater Crab Culture Festival

Date: Through December 31

Tel: 5933-8800

Venue: Yiqing Garden

Address: 2089 Beiyan Rd

• One ‘Fresh’ and Two ‘White’ Expo

Date: Through January 18

Venue: 168 Jibang Village, Zhongxing Town

If you go:

By car: Changjiang Tunnel-Bridge Expressway — Chenhai Road — Sanhua Road — Mingzhu Lake

By bus: Shenchong No.3 Bus starts from Wenshui Road, Shenchong No.6 Bus starts from Jufeng Road

By ferry: Take Metro Line 3 to Baoyang Pier and then take a ferry.

• Baodao Crab Farm

Tel: 6939-3988

Address: Baohu Rd, Xisha Wetland

• Huichun Crab Farm

Tel: 13120664677

Address: 856 Taoyuan Village, Bao Town

• Xilai Farm

Tel: 189-1871-2019

Address: 525 Baohu Rd, Bao Town

• Gu’s Tangerine Field

Tel: 189-1860-8798

Address: Huarong Village, Luhua Town

• Beihu Agriculture Company

Tel: 5963-2115

Address: Beihu Farm, Beihu Area

• Guanhua Corp Cooperation

Tel: 139-0180-7746

Address: No.17 Panxi Village, Gangxi Town

• Nongben White Spirit

Tel: 136-7161-1078

Address: 299 Limin Rd, Chengqiao Town

You can also call 400-821-9777 to get the addresses of Chongming Ecological Farm Products Branches downtown.