Taihu drunken crabs. [Photo/VCG]

Autumn is the best season to eat crab. Fresh and abundant in protein, crabs are an ideal food for diners to savor.

The most popular are freshwater Chinese mitten crabs with fur-covered claws. Known as hairy crabs, they are coveted for their tasty roe and milt. They are at their best in the autumn.

Hairy crabs are best enjoyed steamed, as well as served with a tiny bowl of finely diced ginger in the best Zhenjiang aged vinegar. This is the best way to savor the sweetness of the crab.

People in Wuxi also enjoy Taihu drunken crabs, which is a byproduct of Chinese wines.

The crabs are marinated in a mixture of yellow and white Chinese wines flavored with scallions, star anise, ginger, as well as garlic. What comes out after a few days of marinating are heady morsels that are silky smooth.

Local cooks in Wuxi say that it is best to keep the crabs for a few weeks to enjoy. The cooked Taihu drunken crabs are popular among diners for their salty and sweet taste with delicate flavor.

In October, Wuxi time-honored restaurant Sanfengqiao launched a new kind of drunken crabs. The Taihu drunken crab soup, which mixes crabs with Huadiao yellow wine, orange peel, lemon, and dried plum, will appeal to both young and old diners.