Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary system in North America and provides an abundance of blue crab, Chincoteague oysters, and clams. It is located at the boundary between the South and Mid-Atlantic states and shares culinary traditions with both. Crab houses (also known as Crab shacks) serve freshly steamed crabs and are found along both shores of the bay.
The Maryland Crab Feast ("Crab Boil" is not a phrase used in Maryland) is a popular event for small groups of friends. Despite the name, the cooking technique is actually steaming. Crab pots have a raised bottom that keeps a fitted basket above the liquid. A couple of inches of beer (or water) mixed with vinegar is brought to a boil. The crabs are placed in the basket and sprinkled liberally with a seasoning mix (usually Old Bay), and then placed in the steamer. Twenty minutes later the bright red crabs are pulled up and turned out onto trays or platters. Tables are covered with layers of brown paper and wooden mallets and serrated knives are made available for cracking claws and picking out meat. Typical side dishes are cole slaw and corn on the cob.
Read more about this topic: Seafood Boil
Famous quotes containing the word bay:
“Baltimore lay very near the immense protein factory of Chesapeake Bay, and out of the bay it ate divinely. I well recall the time when prime hard crabs of the channel species, blue in color, at least eight inches in length along the shell, and with snow-white meat almost as firm as soap, were hawked in Hollins Street of Summer mornings at ten cents a dozen.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)