Out here on the high plains we can find fresh lump crabmeat, but it costs an arm and a leg. Most cookbooks would lead you to believe that busting the budget for fresh meat is a requirement to making a quality crab-cake or cold crab salad.

It is just not so. Whether you are a food-snob or on a budget, you will find that you can turn out great dishes with canned crab. The key is the right canned crab.

For appetizer cakes or salads, lump crabmeat (large chunks picked from the body or backfin) is a must. If you do not get lump, you will be buying flake. Flake comes from all parts of the body and, as the description indicates, it separates into little flakes. Flake does not hold together as well, look as appealing, or taste as good as lump. Flakes only plus side is that it is cheaper. Much.

We are not familiar with all the brands of canned crabmeat on the market, but of the ones we have tried, this one, Bumble Bee, tastes the best. If fresh meat rates a full five starts, this comes in a close 2nd with four.

Two things will help you enjoy your dishes made from Bumble Bee crab as much as you would from fresh. First, as with any crabmeat, fresh or canned, pick over the pieces to remove all bits of shell or cartilage.

Second, put your freshly picked over canned crabmeat into a bowl of ice water (just to cover) for about 5 minutes. Drain it well, lightly patting it dry with a paper towel to make sure the water gets removed. Not only does this "fluff" up the crab a bit, it freshens it by eliminating any taste picked up from the can.

I use it in a crap dip. good product.