1. Peeling off a crab’s shell is actually really hard. To start his cioppino seafood stew, chef Jonathan Waxman of New York’s Barbuto attempted to peel off a Dungeness crab shell, saying, “If you’re strong enough …” Turns out he wasn’t. “Screw it,” he said, chopping the whole thing in half.

2. We should be eating more anchovies. Silverton added the tiny fish to her black olive tapenade, one of three sauces she made during the demo, singing their praises—in oil, raw, dry, salt-packed …

3. Females taste better. “Which tastes better, the female or the male?” Silverton asked straight-faced as Waxman prepped his crabs for the pot. He paused and gave the audience a look. “The female.”

4. Red bliss potatoes: bad “I detest bliss potatoes,” Waxman said as he cooked some for his stew. “They always taste weird.”

5. Spot prawns: good Waxman said he used to buy the flavorful shrimp in Santa Barbara, California, for a $1 apiece. These days, they cost about $12 each.

6. It’s okay to eat squid. “Squid only live about one year,” Waxman said. “So don’t feel bad about eating them.”

7. Silverton travels with a mortar and pestle. She’s a cooking-tools purist who doesn’t like “anything that plugs in.” What does Waxman travel with? “Drugs.”

8. There are two ways to keep your pesto green: Buy the basil in Genoa, Italy, or drop your basil in boiling water for just a millisecond. Voila! Beautiful pesto.

9. The best garlic bread in the world is Silverton’s fettunta. Grill a thick slice of bread, rub both sides with fresh garlic, drown it in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Eat and enjoy.