CRAB

If you’ve got crabs, see a doctor immediately. However, if you’ve been served crab for dinner, you’ve got to first remove the legs and the claws from the body of the crab and then break the shell with a nutcracker. Then, you must take a fork and remove the soft flesh beneath – you can choose to create bite-size pieces immediately or take it one chomp at a time. Don’t discard the tail of the crab but break it with your fingers to reach the meat inside. Rinse and repeat.

SHRIMP

If there’s shrimp on your plate, chances are that it is a deep-water shrimp which has been cooked till it reached a reddish-pink colour. You can eat the shrimp with your fingers or use a small seafood fork if it has been provided. If the shrimp has been served with the tail attached, hold it by the tail and eat it with your fingers. If the method of service consists of the shrimp being served on a toothpick or such, dunk it into the sauce and eat it one bite at a time. Do not redip the uneaten piece into the sauce if it is being shared with others.

LOBSTER

Served boiled, steamed or grilled, a lobster consists of two powerful pincers that are used to crush their food. However, we will be teaching you to crush your food — a lobster, in this instance — without embarrassing yourself. First, before you break open the shell of a lobster, be wary of the juice squirting out and staining your shirt and reputation. Twist the pincers off slowly and then use a nutcracker to open the shell. Use a lobster fork to eat the soft meat within. Break the smaller claws from the body by twisting it with your fingers and then suck out the meat from within the cavity.

OYSTERS

This crustacean can be served either cooked or raw and depending on the method of service, they can be eaten with a fork or a spoon or with your fingers. If the oyster has been served cooked, remove the shell and eat it with a fork or spoon. If the oyster has been served raw on a bed of ice, season it with some lemon, pepper or hot sauce and detach it from the shell with a knife. Holding the shell in your hand, remove the oyster with an oyster fork or bring the shell to your lips and suck out the loosened flesh.

CLAMS

 Like oysters, a clam can be served raw or cooked. Here’s a tip: if you’re finding it difficult to open a shell even after it has been cooked, you’re not an imbecile – the clam is not fit for eating. If a clam has been served raw on a bed of ice, use a seafood fork to extract the meat and then eat it. If you’ve been served a steamed clam, extract the flesh with a fork and dip it into a clam broth or melted butter that will be provided. Once you’re done with all the clams, you can choose to drink the clam broth directly from the bowl.