Once again, I learn that I should not go to chichi grocery stores when I'm hungry. I went by Whole Foods to pick up some peppers and look for roasted peanut oil. The oils were next to the seafood counter, and there I met my doom: they had dungeness crabs. I was unable to resist, and ended up buying some mussels too. It was really, really good dungeness so I don't regret it that much; the other times I've had it out here it had the faint bitterness or muddiness that I associate with all crabs that are not Chesapeake blues, but this one was perfect and sweet. Even the guts were bitter-free.

(There's two groups of people in the world, the ones who know that crab guts are basically melted liver and filled with all sorts of the hideousness that accumulates in a bottom feeder's guts, and those that think they are lusciously rich and flavorful, the perfect sauce for crab. I belong to both.)

The had cheap fish heads, though, so I picked up a couple of pounds to make fish stock with. With the mussels and maybe some shrimp they'll make a tasty fish stew. The quest for fragrant peanut oil failed, however, I think I'm going to have to order it online. It's the most amazing stuff, an entirely different creature than the almost scentless peanut oil you cook with. Smells and tastes of roasted peanuts, wonderful for Thai food and absolutely necessary for the sauce for my skewered lemongrass chicken.