freshwater crayfish are crustaceans which resemble small lobsters, with most of the sweet meat in the tail and with red claws almost as large as their bodies. Like lobsters, they are mottled blue-black until they are cooked, when they turn bright red. They breed in autumn (US: fall) and the best are those caught in summer. They seek out unpolluted lakes and streams but are most often farmed in the UK. Many are exported to Spain. Their presence in a dish may be indicated by Nantua as part of the description. They are sometimes erroneously called crawfish.
