Pull off an Everything Crab Dinner, Like a Wiz!

A generation ago watermen gathered their family together to pack enough crab cakes to make it through the winter. Talk about roughing it! They had to eat crab cakes to survive during the blistery cold months. Maybe feasting on all that jumbo lump , bay spices, mayonnaise, egg, and crushed crackers would cause heartache. We think not! The true Bay Lover knows this sounds like heaven! Same true for the blue crab catch. Chesapeake Bay crabs have either burrowed in mud, slightly resting; but mainly hibernating from the frigid waters or swam out to the Continental Shelf along the shoreline. Either way, Maryland crabbers need to use some ingenuity to bring “Maryland Style Crabs” to the table. A generation ago, that was a hopeless feat. That explains the massive crab cake packing parties. Now, crab boats charter southern waters for “crab cousins” to the Chesapeake Bay crabs. Buttery, salty-sweet and heavy, this southern catch receives accolades from those Crab Lovers throwing a Winter Feast.

Coupling these two favorites, steamed crabs and golden brown cakes and you have an “Everything Crab Dinner.” Some guests may prefer the ease of simply biting into a tender cake, while others enjoy the comradery of the sport, picking every ounce of claw, lump, and jumbo from the crab. We suggest soup as the great equalizer. Yes, colder temperatures warrant a hot broth, and sipping it will clear the palate between mounds of meat and a remoulade drizzled cake. Some even try picking the crabs and dropping the delicious morsels into the soup. Try these top players for a truly successful dinner. Roasted Corn Soup with freshly cut onions, carrots, celery, and white corn kernels creates a creamy pureed soup perfect for freshly picked lump. White Gazpacho boasts an earthy, but slightly sweet puree that will complement the buttery jumbo. Lastly, Red Pepper Soup will boldly take soup sipping to another galaxy! Heavy with cream and zesty from red pepper and garlic, claw meat will add a tender texture to this puree. It’s all about making everything crab! What about the crab cakes? Try dipping them into the soup. Delish!