With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Longxue (龙穴) Subdistrict in Nansha, Guangzhou, is entering the peak season for its signature seafood, including crabs and shrimp.

Located where the Pearl River meets the sea, Longxue has ideal conditions for crab farming and is a core production area for Nansha's "butter crabs." These crabs get their name from their rich, golden roe and abundant oils, which seep into every joint and give them a distinctive golden color and rich, silky texture. Only about one in 1,000 mud crabs becomes a butter crab, making the delicacy highly prized. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, the crabs reach their prime, with abundant golden roe and rich oils.

The Zheng Bingcai Butter Crab Farm (郑炳才黄油蟹养殖基地) in Longxue also raises black tiger shrimp alongside the crabs. The shrimp can grow longer than an adult's palm and develop rich orange-red roe in their heads, adding another highlight to the seasonal seafood feast.

For a more affordable choice, locally raised mud crabs are also at their best around the festival. Local farmers recommend choosing crabs with firm bellies, which indicate that they are well-filled with meat and roe.  

Planning a seafood feast this Mid-Autumn Festival? Put Longxue on your list.

Photos | Longxue Feng (龙穴风)