Place the tail meat into a bowl and add a little of the thermidor sauce.

Crack open the shells and remove the tail meat.

Reserve the shells and set the tail meat aside.

With the handle of a spoon or fork, lever out the tail meat in a single piece.

It takes effort and a sacrifice of decorum to obtain the scant tail meat.

Getting to the tail meat is easier than it appears, though.

Though similar in appearance, the Northwest versions are broader through the shoulders and have larger tail meat.

Remove the tail meat and put the shells into the kettle.

Cut the claws and tail meat into bite-size pieces.

To serve, cut each piece of tail meat on the bias into 1/2-inch-thick medallions.