Crab meat always brings me back to summers by the coast—where the scent of saltwater mingled with the sizzle of butter in the kitchen, and crab shells were cracked open at the table with both ceremony and laughter. My first real taste of fresh crab wasn’t in a fancy restaurant, but at a beachside shack, where the meat was still warm from the pot, dipped in melted butter, and served on paper plates. It was messy, joyful, and unforgettable.