1.   There is little fresh crab available except in coastal areas.

2.   Because fresh crab is one of the traditional joys of the Bay Area Thanksgiving season, pressure to settle on a fair price is strong.

3.   Big yellow fish is particularly good, as are the fresh crab and eel.

4.   A bad round of negotiations can lead to strikes and keep fresh crab off the market even after the season has begun.

5.   For the best flavor, use fresh crab meat instead of pasteurized or canned.

6.   Hochberg looks forward to fresh crab as much as anyone born and raised in the Bay Area.

7.   Kikka is the only brand that claims to use fresh crab, rather than the standard imitation product.

8.   Rather than fresh crab and souvenir stands, visitors find themselves staring at the forlorn walls of the North Beach housing complex.

9.   The deviled crab casserole is elegant and well worth the effort of dealing with shelling the fresh crab.