The Maryland Crab Scene

While Tina & I were eating crabs at a local crab house recently, we noticed a couple at the next table getting instructions from the waitress on how to pick their crabs. Living in Maryland our whole lives, we found this to be a little odd. After all, who didn't know how to eat a crab? I assumed that everyone by the age of ten was a seasoned crab picker in this part of the world.

Obviously, the couple wasn't from the area and they were experiencing blue crabs for the first time. I'll go out on a limb and predict that it won't be their last time.

The nice thing about living in Maryland, especially around the Baltimore area, is that you don't have to stray far in search of a good crabhouse. Although there are many to choose from, I've got my own personal favorites in different parts of the state:

• Baltimore - Canton Docksides
• Annapolis - Mike's Crabhouse
• Eastern Shore - The Crab Deck
• Ocean City - Old Mill Crabhouse
• North of Baltimore - Woody's

Although Maryland is well known for it's ample supply of great tasting crabs, the truth of the matter is many of the local crabhouses now ship their crabs in from other parts of the country. Those seemingly familiar blue crabs are actually coming from places like North Carolina, Texas and Louisiana. I have to admit, the thought of my home state importing blue crabs disappointed me at first. But in reality, the "foreign" crabs are just as satisfying as Maryland crabs.

Of course, the one sure-fire way to get authentic Maryland crabs is to catch them yourself. (No, I don't mean that you should proposition a working girl on Patapsco Avenue!). At some point, growing up in Baltimore, we all picked up a crab net and wandered down to the nearest body of water. If there happened to be a pier, you could usually scoop a few crabs right off of the pylons. If we were more daring, we would wade waist-deep into the murky water and set up a series of hand lines. We would then tie chicken necks to one end of the lines throw them out and wait for the scavenging crustaceans to attack them.

Now, I'm not saying that it's true, but years ago, I heard a rather morbid crabbing story. Basically, I was told that the police pulled a dead body out of Curtis Creek on the south end of Baltimore. Well, no surprise, crabs being the scavengers that they were clinging to the lifeless corpse. But the worst part is that nearby crabbers were trying to net these crabs as they reentered the water. Who could possibly want to eat a crab after it's been feasting on Baltimore's latest murder victim??

Sure, the dead body story bothered me a little. But not as much as this: I'm told that in some parts of the country, like Florida, they boil crabs. This just doesn't seem right. I mean, the boiling process will wash all of the Old Bay off. And everyone knows that you can't have blue crabs without Old Bay seasoning. The only way to cook a crab is to steam it!

If you've never had steamed crabs, I hope that I gave you some valuable insight. And if you are already a seasoned crab eater, all I can say is Bon Appetit!

KW