U-catch, you eat

Glen Hett admires the crab he’ll soon be eating with his family. The Switzers provide the rest of the meal, including dessert and wine. Looking to go out to dinner? Tired of the same old restaurant fare?

Long after most people have forgotten their hunter-gatherer roots, Dick and Sole Switzer, of Camano Culinary Creations, are proving that catching your own food can still be a rewarding experience. This summer, the couple floated a novel concept based on an old New England tradition: U-catch crab feast.

Why?

There are few worldly pleasures that compare to catching and feasting on freshly caught Dungeness crab, Switzer said.

For the price of a nice meal in a restaurant — $55 dollars per person, $95 per couple or $160 for a foursome — Switzer, a licensed sea captain, launches his guests in a boat from Maple Grove and assists them in catching their crab.

The Switzers set a decadent table in their backyard garden, minutes from the water, where guests enjoy crab they caught themselves. After procuring their entrees, everyone returns to the Switzer’s home for a meal in Sole’s garden: Steamed crab, tangy Northwest coleslaw, the obligatory corn on the cob, sourdough French bread, dessert and wine.

The Switzers are orchestrating crab feasts every Thursday through Sunday until crabbing season closes Labor Day weekend. Scheduling depends on the tides. So far, the experience is a blast.

“It marries two of my favorite things,” Switzer said. “I love to cook, and I love the sea.”

And he loves the reactions.

“The catching of crab is usually a first (for our guests),” he said. “Oftentimes, so is the eating of crab.”

Julie Paulen, who went out Thursday, said the eating was the best part of the experience, by far.

“It was delicious!” she said. Paulen said the boat was out for a couple hours to catch the crab, which were marked to ensure everyone got to eat the crab they caught.

The entire experience was fun, she said, and the setting lovely.

When compared to a restaurant, Paulen added, “It’s much more intimate, so personal. And, you can’t get any fresher than crab right out of the water.”

The Switzers said the fresh taste is what most people don’t expect – many people eat crab, but few people eat it within minutes of its native environment.

“One woman asked if there was butter for the crab,” Sole recalled. “Sure, you can have some butter, but why don’t you try the crab first.”

The verdict?

“She never used any butter,” Sole said.

For more information, or to make a reservation, call Dick and Sole Switzer at 360-387-1422. A 50 percent non-refundable deposit is needed to guarantee the reservation; the balance must be paid prior to the trip. Cash and checks only, no credit cards. Any trip cancelled by Camano Culinary Creations is fully refunded. Trips are available Thursday through Sunday, now until Labor Day. Times depend on the tide.

Staff Reporter Jeremiah O’Hagan: 629-8066 ext. 125 or ohagan@scnews.com.