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They were nicely seasoned and well-cooked with sweet One step further by offering guests the chance to eat crabs Depending on the time of year, theĬaptain James Seafood Palace and Crab House Then get ready to celebrate the return of blue crabs to a paper-wrapped table near you-and with it, one of Maryland’s most tried-and-true traditions.Ĭrab house scenes.
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You can find crabs in their various incarnations at local seafood shacks, fine-dining dens, pizza parlors, food trucks, food halls, and malls-and even High’s gas stations.īelow, find your fix, however you like to eat ’em. We use crab everywhere: folded into dips stuffed into dumplings sprinkled atop pretzels, waffles, and deviled eggs piled high on chicken cheesesteaks-you name it. And we don’t just limit ourselves to crab cakes, hard shells, or soup.
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Given this history, it’s safe to say our craving for crabs runs deep in our DNA-and this time of year that hankering kicks in with full force. Vernon homestead to Sukeek’s Cabin, a 19th-century African-American residence in Calvert County. AlthoughĬrab shells are fragile and friable, sites across the estuary have turned up their archeological remains, from such places as George Washington’s Mt. The 17th century, when Native Americans and early colonists enjoyed eating them.
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As early as 1,200ī.C., these crustaceans were an important food source and continuously consumed through Your best bet? Always ask where the crabmeat comes from.Ĭrabs have long been an essential local protein along the Chesapeake. That said, other blues make for an acceptable alternative, since so many places don’t serve Maryland crab. In fact, the majority of seafood houses-even in season-supplement their local catch with other domestic crab, while the meat can come from as far away as Asia.
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We do have a bit of bad news on that front: Due to the demand for this seasonal seafood, plus recurring visa issues for crab pickers, it’s not always possible to get actual Maryland crab. Unlike other blue crab states-that’s North Carolina, Texas, and Louisiana-where hard shells often get boiled, we steam our bay beauts, which means they stay mustardy and moist, and ofĬourse there’s our iconic home state brand of crab spice seasoning, Old Bay.Īnd while it may seem overly obvious, it must be said that there’s only one place to eat authentic Maryland crab-and that’s smack dab in the Old Line State, where an almost religious fervor surrounds this seafood. Ours are the best and we’re happy to throw down the gauntlet-make that the mallet-to anyone who argues otherwise. Sure, you might travel to Birmingham or Boise and see a “Baltimore-style” or “Maryland-style” crab cake on the menu, but there’s no truth in that advertising.
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As the thermostat rises, the crustaceans ascend with the warmer waters and swim into crab traps, when they’re as fine and fat as can be-not to mention salty-sweet and buttery in a way that’s unique to our brackish waters. The latter happens in the colder months when the crabs burrow into the bottom of the bay and hibernate through winter. In Maryland, there are two seasons-crab season (that’s May through November) and waiting for crab season. And while they can be found as far north as Novia Scotia and far south as Uruguay, one-third of our country’s blue crab harvest hails from our local waters. With no disrespect to oysters and rockfish, the blue crab reigns as the undisputed king of the Chesapeake Bay. Here, in the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland is for crab lovers. Every state has its point of pride, from Maine blueberries to Idaho potatoes.
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When it comes to Maryland crab, we can barely count the ways-there are just too many. “How do I love thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning once asked.
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