It's the first Friday of June

[allen levine]

Elen is doing some cleaning out
Nerve of her trying to
Get rid of my old favorite teeshirts
Don't care how old it is it's a keepet

 

[Dave Hawksford]

Love me some crabs! Married into a family of crab eaters and became one myself. Even developed my own style of crab tenderizers i.e. crab mallets.

View attachment 138644

Not on Md blue crabs. Old Bay

 

[Mike Stafford]

Not on Md blue crabs. Old Bay

Well, there is a bit of debate on that. In some circles there are two distinct spice mixtures that are used to season blue crabs while steaming; Old Bay and J.O. spice blend. They are slightly different and the main difference is in the size of the salt crystals used. J.O. uses larger crystals of rock salt and a little more cayenne along with the other spices. Old Bay is a finer grind of the same ingredients with perhaps a little less cayenne.

My sister-in-law was born in Maryland and according to her family she was born with a crab mallet in each hand. I have eaten many crabs in Baltimore and Annapolis and they are not much different from the crabs I have eaten in restaurants in Virginia and North Carolina or steamed in my own kitchen. I have eaten far more steamed in my own kitchen or in the kitchen of a relative than I have in restaurants.

Maryland purists make too much of their spice recipe when there really isn't a whole lot of difference when all is said and done. IMHO.