Searching for good seafood

Each year we are away for Christmas and in a new location we find ourselves searching for a place to buy good seafood for Christmas Eve. This year was no different. The week before the holiday we began asking around for a good seafood market every said the same thing... you need to go to the coast. Since the coast was somewhat out of the way, maybe an hours ride, we decided their had to be something closer. So all leads led to Santa Rosa, only 30 minutes away. Once we had finally locate a fresh seafood market we figured we were all set... hmm! not quite. We found out that live crabs were going to be hard to find. This market did not have any when we were they but the captain/owner promised he would have them for Christmas but it was closed on Monday or Tuesday. We decided that buying and cooking the crabs in sauce on Wednesday, Christmas Eve, was cutting it close so on Tuesday we set out on a wild goose chase (or I should say a wild live crab chase) in between our other grocery shopping. At each stop we got another lead to another store that was sure to have them. After the forth or fifth store, I lost count, we gave in and decided we would have to go back to Santa Rosa early Wednesday morning to get the "live" crabs.

Russ and I left early to get there when they opened, so we thought. The line was already out the door and we were taking numbers. While I stood in line Russ surveyed what was happening in the side parking lot. They were steaming the live crabs in giant vats. BUT he was also able to buy them "live". With a smile on his face he came back to meet me in line and was happy to announce the "mission was accomplished". Now we just had to wait to get inside for the rest of the fish, 20 minutes later we were on our way back home.
We had achieved our goal and would once again celebrate Christmas Eve with 7 fishes.

1. Scallops
2. Shrimp
3. Stuffed squid
4. Giant crabs and sauce
5. Whole rock fish - cooked on the grill
6. Giant oysters
7. Smoked salmon - this was a specialty of the fish market smoked on site... delicious!