A Maryland Get Away, The Kimber Effect And Sweet, Sweet Memories

Over the life of Dinner Plan-it, I've given you little insights into various adventures I've enjoyed there with friends and/or family in the great and beautiful state of Maryland. (Okay, sometimes MORE than a little, you know I LOVE the state!) Never has time spent in Maryland NOT been memorable!

Generally, you get snippets of Maryland adventures like last year's vacation in Ocean City and the food and drinks at Hooked or more lengthy tales like a Food With Friends get together in Annapolis or Kimber's and my visits to Fells Point in Baltimore. This time I thought we'd take you along on our long weekend to Ocean City to experience (vicariously) the foods, the sights, the smells, the oddities, the simple pleasure of being at the beach. Are you packed? Let's go!

We start out early, after the dawn but before the morning rush, heading for the turnpike. Eastbound, our first observation is we should have packed more gluten-free foods unless I want to gorge on a selection of salty, oily potato chips from multiple metal racks at the Oakmont rest stop. Fresh GF food? Forget it. Lesson learned. 

Back in the car, we cruise straight to Bob Evans in Breezewood to simply fill the holes in our bellies. That we did, then back on the road with images of glistening waves, squawking  seagulls and glittering sand luring us on. The beach is our quest.

As we drive, we talk about Ocean City beach trips of the past and the many interesting weather events we've encountered over the decades. Hurricanes and Nor'easters are no strangers to our OC beach vacations. In fact, we realized that when Kimber is along, storms are the norm! We simply face the fact that Kimber is a magnet for - well, let's just call it less than satisfactory beach weather. 

There was one particularly memorable storm - I think it was Hurricane Emily - when Kimber was in high school that winds whipped up the seas into giant mounds of seafoam against the dunes and sand felt like it was shot from a sandblaster against our faces. Our windbreakers sounded like a platoon of helicopters landing! Why were we out there (along with one of her friends) in that kind of weather? Why wouldn't we be?! Type A tendencies, you know.

Making great time, we are! We crossed the beautiful Bay Bridge, dazzled by the ships and boats and familiar crab pots bobbing in the bay and we drew closer to OC with the temp at 81 and glorious skies all around.  Into farming country, we make note of the multitudinous farmstands on the westbound side of Rte. 50 to make our last-of-the-season produce purchases more efficient on the way home. Good plan.

And then, in the distance, we see the familiar signs and businesses that welcome us to our happiest place. (I've been going here since I was 5 years old with parents, grandparents, uncles and many, many friends. Many, many sweet, sweet memories.) 

Yeah, we could have gone that fast way that takes us north of downtown Ocean City, but that sucks the life out of all the years of recollections - that first smell of the ocean that wafts through the open windows and sunroof as we cross the drawbridge, the perennial line of placid seagulls grabbing for dear life to the roofline of M. R. Ducks on the righthand side, looking for (and saying hello to) the Boardwalk, the spot where the real yellow Volkswagon VW Bug used to be perched high on a pole above the Paddock (Eek! It's a country/western bar now.), Fish Tales (hello!), Macky's (hiya!), Seacrets (guilty pleasure still at my age). 

I forgot something in all my excitement. As we approached the bridge, the clouds gathered, the temperature dropped from 81 to 74 and the winds kicked up. Significantly. Yep, The Kimber Effect still holds. Comforting to know there are constants in life. We always prepare for the not so positive ones and enjoy the moments we're given as they're given. So our first stop was Hooked for lunch and a well-crafted cocktail. We earned it. The Kimber Effect worked to our advantage this time!

Nice and spicy with a house pickled jalapeno and pickled tomato to boot!

While we sat at the bar, ate a wonderful crabby lunch and chatted up the staff, the rain came, the rain cleared, the sun came out and we were on our way to check into the hotel. 

Mmmhmmm...the first of many crab dishes to ensue. Real Maryland crab dip and fresh made chips at Hooked.
(Hooked participates in the Maryland True Blue Crab program. 
You KNOW its real!)

As if we needed evidence that the Kimber Effect had cleared, we checked in only to be queried whether we might be interested in exchanging our King Suite room with the pull out sofa (only room available when we made the res - SunFest weekend, you know) for a room with 2 queens? Oh, and the 2nd night would be free. BOOM! The Kimber Effect dissipated in grand style before our very eyes. Done. Deal.

View from our balcony towards the Big Assawoman Bay - Kimber Effect on the way out.

View from our balcony towards the Atlantic - Kimber Effect banished!!!

First thing on tap? A walk on the beach! This is, of course, the reason we drove 7 hours to begin with.

So maybe the windy part of the Kimber Effect remained. The beautiful part!

Not yet ready for dinner - since we'd packed in such a late lunch - we decided to head north to Delaware. On a booze quest. Always fun to peruse the shelves of distant states to see what interesting rums, bourbons, liqueurs and unknowns might be lurking in unfamiliar territory. 

Our first stop was Lighthouse Liquors in Fenwick - nice selection in a relatively small store! Here we picked up Dogfish Head Brown Honey Rum. Yes. THAT Dogfish Head. We also found Abuelo 12 Year, a Panamanian rum I'd been searching for since we sampled its delights at Porco Tiki Lounge in Cleveland almost a year ago. Grabbed that one, too! Although they didn't carry some of the items on our list, they were kind enough to tell us about this place up in Rehoboth...at the outlet mall! Be still my heart.

Scores at Lighthouse Liquors in Fenwick.

Yes folks, raised stage, LIVE beach music AND outlet-priced discount liquors! Outlet store nirvana.

Well, you see the picture above. You can just image our reaction. Oh, and did we shop! Pusser's, Appleton Estate V/X and Wray & Nephew rums; my no-longer-carried-in-PA and long-lamented 360 Double Chocolate vodka - TWO bottles; Dolin's vermouth - both dry and sweet, nicely priced (relatively) Grand Marnier, and even some rhubarb and cranberry bitters thrown in for good measure filled our cart. A most successful trip already, yes? I'm already making a list for our next trip to Outlet Discount Liquors in Rehoboth!

After a thwarted attempt for dinner at Dogfish Head, we meandered back down Coastal Highway just in time for a prime spot at the Crab Bag. Yes, the second crab meal of the day.

Fat. Hot. Heavy. Just the way they should be.

The rest of the evening saw lots of shopping (LOTS!), leather jackets at end-of-the-season prices, Dolle's candies, frozen yogurt, stops in all of the surf shops - some more than once - and especially at our favorite open-late shop, Endless Summer where I picked up this little tiki number...for the bar, of course.

This little tiki surfer dude obviously catches only the fiercest of waves! 

Yawn. This was a long, productive day starting in PA this morning, to MD, DE and back to our room. Nitey nite. Another awesome day ahead!

Hmmm...what's with all the clouds?

First peak from the balcony. It will burn off!

So off to breakfast we go. Bloodies and Benedicts, please.

The brand new Barn 34 (where the Christmas shoppe used to be) is serving up some kickass food! The GF (no muffin) Benedict with fresh spinach, FRESH crab(!!), Canadian bacon, poached egg and homemade hollandaise was simply amazing. Pretty decent Bloody Mary, too!

Still cloudy. Let's head to the inlet before the crowds get there for SunFest. Nice time to stroll the beach, reflect on the past year and think about how much Mark would have loved this trip. Except for the shopping. He would have taken a little salt water taffy to the beach to enjoy with his beer while we hit the stores!

Thoughts

Time to hit the beach for REAL!

Hmmm...it will burn off.

Okaaaayyyy...sunning(ish) in the sand with a favorite beverage will brighten things up!

And it did.
(Sailor Jerry and ginger for Kimber (L) and Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, lime and Diet Coke for me (R). Don't judge. It was vacation.

And the clouds and wind rolled in again. No problem! We'd been wanting to check out Ocean City Brewing Company!

A light lunch, picklebacks and a flight of some pretty amazing beers at OCBC were just what the weatherman ordered! (So did we.)

More shopping, a late dinner and an early turn in were in order. Busy 2 days! Seems like more, doesn't it?

Sunday. Time to get up and check the skies to see whether we're sticking around to enjoy one last (crab) breakfast or hitting the road.

This view certainly made the decision easier.

This confirmed it.

And so, we bid adieu to the rain, drove back down Coastal Highway for one last time while saying our silent farewells. It was sweet. It was just what we needed to relax and refresh until next year. Reservations are already being made for August 2015!

Across the drawbridge, the rain eventually clears, we stop for pumpkins and apples and late tomatoes at one of the stands we'd reconnoitered just a few days earlier. Not interested in breakfast, we crossed back over the Bay Bridge watching the Eastern Shore fade into our rearview mirror. Until next year, you great big beautiful bridge!

While driving, we decided we'd stop at Wegman's (my standard fix when in Maryland!) for MD crabmeat by the pound and lunch at Brian Voltaggio's Family Meal. We stopped, spent hours in the Wegman's aisles - and the money to prove it - and then hit Family Meal. 

Our timing was spot on. Two prime spots right at the end of the counter opened up and we sailed past families and parties of 3 or more to our comfy perch. Knowing us by now, you also know we struck up a conversation with the men to our left and, of course, the staff. I think we convinced our countermates to visit Pittsburgh after telling them about the dining, cocktail and brewery scenes in town!

So lunch. The menu is classic diner and comfort food interpreted to the nines. But casual, friendly, family like and NO pretensions. The no pretensions thing at Volt was what I appreciated so much the times we've dined there.  

I started with cool, creamy perfectly seasoned deviled eggs generously dusted with crumbles of crisp bacon and I followed that with a bowl of cauliflower soup drizzled with basil oil and topped with a Parmesan crisp. Kimber and I shared duck fat fries with truffle oil, surrounded with 3 dipping sauces. Hands down our favorite was the onion dip one! Brought back memories of the 50's sitting around the black and white RCA, munching Ruffles with Lipton's California onion dip. Only in spades. 

Kimber chose the classic Reuben - so jealous I couldn't taste it and she crushed it before I got a pic!

Foreground - cauliflower soup, middle - deviled eggs, rear - duck fat fries with the magnificent onion dip!

For dessert - yes, we indulged - I chose the Banana Pudding with caramel and whipped cream, while lucky Kimber went the traditional MD route with a Smith Island Roll. Heaven

Sweet endings.

 Did I say endings? Not quite. A good cuppa Joe took that honor.

Having left Family Meal, we jumped back on Rte. 70, hit the Turnpike and were home in no time with nothing but sweet dreams of our all too short long weekend firmly planted in our brains. Well, that and the can of Fisher's Caramel Corn to make those remembrances even sweeter!

Ahhhh...home sweet - caramel-y sweet - home!

Thanks for joining us on our too short vacation. Hope you weren't bored! In my book, a Maryland visit is just what the doctor ordered. Anytime. I'm thinking a return to Fell's Point might just be the prescription next time!

The One, The Only...True Blue Maryland Crab, Artichoke And Jalapeno Dip Pizza

A couple of weeks ago, a Facebook picture of a pizza grabbed me by the heart and made me miss my Maryland days big time! Pizza? Maryland? What's the connection? It was CRAB DIP pizza! Be still my pitter-pattering little mourning-being-near-the-best-crabs-in-the-country, Maryland-missing heart.

I'm not sure exactly who or what page I follow posted the pizza of my dreams, but I'm going to blame Steve Vilnit, Director of Fisheries Marketing - Maryland Department of Natural Resources - for the temptation. Yep, Steve gets the blame...er...credit...if for no other reason than we are as one when it comes to supporting the Maryland crab industry. 

You all know I've forever been an ardent supporter of authentic, honest-to-God, sweet, succulent, Maryland blue crabmeat and I wouldn't use anything else. Not exactly easy when you live this far inland from the beautiful Chesapeake Bay and the Eastern Shore of Maryland now, is it?

Except. That I had one last beautiful pound of REAL Maryland jumbo lump crabmeat stashed away in the freezer just waiting to become something spectacular. THIS was just what it was waiting for, THIS glorious Maryland recipe. I was going to duplicate sweet, creamy, decadent crab-dip-on-a-crust just like in the picture AND I could make it gluten-free to boot.

The big bonus of topping a store bought pizza crust with crab dip - even after piling the mixture of Maryland crab, 3 cheeses, marinated artichokes, jalapeno and just a touch of garlic up nice and high - is that there is a whole lot left over to scoop into a casserole dish for dipping with big, crunchy hunks of bread the next day (or later in the evening if you can't wait that long). What's better than a night of crab? TWO nights of crab! Oh sure, you could make half a recipe, but why would you? More Maryland crab is always better.

When you get to Maryland next time (notice I said when, not if), do like I do and make a local fresh seafood market the very last stop of your own trip. Be sure to take a cooler with you just for the purpose of bringing back pounds of heavenly, real Maryland crabmeat to tuck away in your own freezer. I can guarantee your fishmonger (crabmonger?) will be happy to fill your cooler with enough ice to keep your precious cargo cold. After all, one should always be prepared anytime a crab emergency strikes.

True Blue Maryland Crab, Artichoke

 And Jalapeno Dip Pizza

• 1 pound MARYLAND jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through carefully for any shell or cartiledge - please don't break up those gorgeous big lumps, thank you.
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened well
• 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar, plus extra for top
• 1/2 C shredded mozzarella
• juice of one lemon
• 2 - 4 oz. jars of marinated artichokes, drained, reserve liquid - you'll use 2-4 T reserved liquid 
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1/4 C mayonnaise - yes, Hellman's
• 1 large clove garlic, pressed through your garlic press
• 1 store-bought pizza crust - I used an Udi's Gluten-Free Pizza Crust to make this GF. The Udi's crust is approx. 8" in diameter. Use whatever crust you like - Boboli, whatever floats your boat!

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the mayo and cream cheese together with lemon juice. Add the shredded cheeses and fold those into the cream cheese mixture. Add artichokes, minced jalapeno, garlic and mix well, but gently. Last, gently and lovingly fold the crab into the mixture being careful to keep the lumps as whole as possible.

Place your pizza crust onto a baking sheet. Place scoops of crab dip on top - I used a large (approx. 1/2 C) ice cream scoop - and for the 8" crust used 4-5 scoops that I spread out evenly (don't break up the lumps!) all the way out to the edge of the crust. Sprinkle the extra shredded cheddar over all.

Any crab dip that might be left (you'll use more if you use a larger diameter crust), scoop into a buttered casserole dish. Either bake it immediately with the pizza or cover and refrigerate it for the next night.

Bake about 20 minutes, turn up the oven to 450 degrees and bake until the cheese starts to bubble and slightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Enjoy!

NOTE: Enjoying the surf and sand of Ocean City? Bring back Maryland crab. Sailing the waters of Annapolis or St. Michaels? Bring back Maryland crab. Hitting the hot spots of Baltimore's Fells Point? You get the idea.

And while you're in Maryland, be sure to frequent restaurants and fresh seafood stores that carry and serve only Maryland crab. Here's a link to the True Blue Maryland program and a list of awesome places to get your Maryland crab fix!  http://seafood.maryland.gov/true-blue-maryland-crab-meat/

Look for this logo to know you're buying the best!

Sweet Summer Crab Salad (To Help Us Make It Through)

 

Crazy November, huh? 20's one day, 70's the next - rain, snow, sun and some serious cirrus clouds thrown into the mix for good measure. I'd say Mother Nature is a wee bit confused. 

All too brief sun and warmth had me thinking about a warm weather crab salad and before I could make a fall equivalent, the temps plummeted again. Who cares?! Crab in all it's many forms is always perfect on the menu. In this house anyway. 

And in THIS house, there is always a pound of Maryland crab tucked away in the freezer for just such an emergency!

In the midst of all the cold, snow, freezing weather and wind out there, how about a little bit of summer to help us make it through? I know I sure could use all the help I can get. 

Sweet fresh Maryland crab? Vine ripened sun-kissed bright red tomatoes (or the best you can find in the produce aisle this time of year)? Yes, please!

Traditional Old Bay Maryland Crab Salad

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, Hellman's or Kraft - NOTHING else!
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seafood seasoning - NOTHING else!
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons celery, very finely diced
• 1 1/2 cups crab, NOT pasteurized in a can. Look for the plastic tub that says it's FROM (not just packaged in) Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas and that it's blue crab. When you see blue "swimmer" crab, that's imported inferior crab. Beware.

• 4 tomatoes, quartered - If it isn't summer and local tomatoes aren't available, look for heirloom tomatoes, Ugly tomatoes or Campari tomatoes. For off-season, they have some pretty good summer-like flavor.
• 8 slices bacon, cooked crisp - a good thick-sliced bacon is best in my opinion...peppered bacon is awesome!
• Romaine lettuce, as many leaves as you need to make the plate pretty
• fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded - just a few, just for a little bright, herb-y goodness against the tomato and to make it pretty!

Pick gently through the crab, removing any shell or cartilage you might fine. (In my opinion, if you find a little shell it's just proof that it's REAL crab! No big deal.) As you pick, put the crab into a big bowl.
 
In a small separate bowl, mix the mayo, Old Bay, lemon and celery well. Pour the mixture over the crab and GENTLY fold the dressing into the crab. Try to keep those expensive, beautiful lumps as whole as you can!
 
Lay lettuce leaves (say that 10 times fast) on a plate, cross 2 slices of bacon on top, arrange the tomato quarters on top of the bacon, mound the crab salad in the center and garnish with the basil.
 
Of course this is amazing on good bread, too!
Now put on your shades, the soundtrack of waves crashing onto your favorite beach, then sit back and pretend. Ahhhhhhh, that's better, isn't it?

Eastern Shore Crab Lump & Fried Green Tomato Benedict

What do you get when you take classic Southern Fried Green Tomatoes and combine them with beautiful, sweet, white lump crab from the Eastern Shore of Maryland? Just one of the most delicious brunch dishes ever to grace a morning plate, that's what!

Instead of a plain old boring English muffin for the base of Eggs Benedict, how about a nice big slab of green tomato, simply crusted with cornmeal, seasoned and fried crisp? Top that with a gently poached egg (complete with a lovely runny yolk), grace that with spoonsful of thick, yellow, lemony hollandaise and finally crown it with giant Maryland blue crab lumps?! Did I hear a chorus of enthusiastic yeses?! I thought I might.

Somehow this combo Deep South and Maryland Eastern shore inspiration came together for the best brunch dish I've ever made. I just wish I could send you all samples to taste to inspire to to MAKE THIS for someone you love. Yourself even!

There are a few steps to get this on the table, but each step is simple...even the hollandaise is an easy blender version that needs no cooking. The crab lumps? Just pick them from the plastic tub and put as many as you wish on the top of the finished dish...again, no cooking. The fried green tomatoes are a simple version and poached eggs are a snap. If you're poached egg-challenged, feel free to use a fried egg - I won't tell.


Oh. One more thing. be SURE to serve a great Bloody Mary alongside...is there any better brunch combination? Really.

What goes better with brunch than a doggone good Bloody Mary? Nothing!

Eastern Shore Crab Lump & 

Fried Green Tomato Benedict

• 2 large green tomatoes, sliced into thick slabs
• cornmeal, enough to dredge the tomatoes
• Jane's Crazy Salt
• canola oil, or use BACON FAT...my personal fave! - enough to skim the bottom of the skillet & more for the 2nd batch

• 2 large eggs, poached how you like them - I like mine runny!

• 1/2 cup hollandaise sauce (see recipe below)

• 1 cup Maryland blue crab, (or VA, LA or TX...just make sure it's REAL American crab and fresh in the plastic tubs, not pasteurized in cans (even if it's on ice and it's canned, it is NOT fresh crab!), nice BIG lumps! (Here in Pittsburgh, you can find FRESH, real blue crab right at Penn Avenue Fish Company on Penn Avenue in the Strip District. I'm a HUGE fan!)

These were simply too pretty not to share...made me think of watermelon!

Prepare hollandaise: This is the easy blender hollandaise...if it gets too thick, thin it with more lemon juice until it's the consistency you like. 

• 3 egg yolks
• pinch Kosher salt
• pinch cayenne
• 1 T. heavy cream
• 2 sticks melted butter
• juice of 1 lemon, more if you need it

In the jar of your blender, combine the yolks, Kosher salt, cayenne and heavy cream and buzz on high until well blended. While the blender is running, add the butter and finally the lemon juice. If it's too thick, add more lemon juice. That's it...easy!
 
Tomatoes: Heat canola oil in a big cast iron skillet - enough to skim the bottom. In the meantime, pour the cornmeal onto a paper plate and dredge the tomato slices on both sides. Season one side liberally with Jane's Crazy Salt.

When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes to the skillet. Brown on one side then turn them over and season the other side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and do the next batch. Set aside.
 
To plate: set a big fried green tomato slice on a plate, top with the poached egg, slather with hollandaise, top with crab lumps and enjoy!

P. S. You may have noticed only two of the fried green tomatoes were used for the eggs benedict, but I made lots more. Why? So you have extra fried green tomatoes to snack on! Yum.

Crab Deviled Eggs, Baltimore Style

It is required that when one returns from the Maryland shore, one bring home pounds of pure, sweet, fresh, picked-by-hand, snow white and succulent Maryland blue crabmeat. At least it's required when that "one" is me. No trip to Maryland is ever complete without bringing home the bounty of the sea...or the bay.
 
When visiting Annapolis or Baltimore, the bay in question is the Chesapeake. When visiting Ocean City, the bay being referred to is the Assawoman Bay...and yes, there is also the Big Assawoman Bay AND the Little Assawoman Bay. It's an Indian name. Really!
 
There is a HUGE difference in the quality of fresh crab and the canned, pasteurized variety! ONLY real, honest to God Maryland or Virginia blue crab that is hand-picked, fresh-packed and NEVER pasteurized is what you want. 

If it comes in a can, it isn't fresh, if it comes in a plastic container with a snap-on lid and says Maryland or Virginia crab, that's what you're looking for. 

But be careful! Sometimes you'll find the phrase, "Packed in Maryland" and elsewhere it says it's from Indonesia or China or Vietnam. That's the pasteurized stuff in the can that tries to make you think it's Maryland crab. Packed in Maryland? How do they preserve it over all that distance? Eek! Okay...I'll get off my American blue crab is superior to any other crab soapbox now.
 
Now that I've brought the good stuff home, do I ever have plans for the crabmeat! Specifically, deviled eggs. CRAB deviled eggs! These are a recreation of a dish I delighted in many (many) years ago when Uncle Harry treated me, my sister, Mom & Dad and my grandmother to a fancy dinner in downtown Baltimore. 

An hors doeuvres cart came by each table at the restaurant offering all variety of tiny bites before dinner...all you wanted. The cart, laden with little treasures of crab, cheese, lobster, shrimp, meats, fruits and vegetables in all sorts of preparations, circled the room and wound its way among the tables all through dinner.
 
Being a big deviled egg fan, that's what I chose - it was fancy, of course. Instead of sliced horizontally, it stood on end with a zigzag cut across the top and heaps of creamy egg filling with CRAB! Wow. Crab deviled eggs instantly became my favorite deviled egg ever! And that was the very last time I got to experience one. Until Sunday.
 
My presentation wasn't as fancy - I didn't stand them on end or zigzag the tops - but they were everything I remembered. Smooth, creamy, just a little crunch of celery, spicy with Old Bay and sweet with REAL Maryland crabmeat...crowned with a fat lump of backfin crab and dusted with just a touch more of Old Bay. Heaven.
 
Here's the recipe. Oh, and Iris? I WILL be making these for YOU!

 Crab Deviled Eggs, Baltimore Style

• 7 eggs, hardboiled,cooled, shelled, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seafood seasoning, plus extra to dust the tops of the deviled eggs
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, Colmans!
• 5 tablespoons mayonnaise, Hellmans!
• 2 tablespoons celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Maryland backfin crab, remove any shell and/or cartiledge - In addition, set aside the largest crab lumps from the top of the container to garnish each deviled egg

Carefully remove the yolks from each cooled hardboiled egg half to a small bowl. When all the cooked yolks are in the bowl, mash them very well with a fork until finely crumbled. Sprinkle the mashed yolks with Old Bay, celery and dry mustard. Mix the Worcestershire and mayo together then pour over the egg yolks and seasonings. Mix very well - add more mayo if it seems too thick or more Old Bay if it doesn't seem to have enough spice.
 
Once the egg mixture is ready, GENTLY fold in 1/2 cup of crab and mix completely without breaking up the crab too much. You don't want the big lumps for this anyway. The reserved big lumps will be the garnish for each egg half once the whites are filled.
 
Mound the egg crab mixture into the centers of each white, dividing evenly. Garnish with a nice big crab lump and dust with Old Bay. Place each deviled egg half into a deviled egg tray that hold 12 deviled eggs. But there are 2 extra! Put the nicest ones in the dish and the other two are YOURS! Reward time!


NOTE: Notice I used only 1/2 a cup from the container? The rest of the pound - 3/4 pound - went to make the Maryland Corn Jalapeno Crab Imperial I posted yesterday. I made the MOST of that pound of crabmeat!

Maryland Corn Jalapeno Crab Imperial

Maryland crab - there's nothing like it! It's my absolute favorite food of all time so when I'm in Maryland it's a non-stop crabfeast...and when I return home I bring all the crab I can. Well, all the crab I can afford to bring home anyway.

One of the best restaurant finds in Ocean City, MD is a brand new place called Hooked. Oh, they got the name right alright because Mieke and I were hooked the very first meal we shared there. 

Creamy, sweet, spicy and crabby...Corn Jalapeno Crab Bisque at Hooked in Ocean City, MD

Crab Corn Jalapeno Bisque was on the menu - it's the signature soup at Hooked. Dare I hope it would be gluten-free? Cautiously I inquired. Hallelujah, it definitely was GF!

The delightful Smokey Mater - LOVED the pickled cherry tomatoes, too!

I ordered a bowl on the spot...and a specialty martini called a Smokey Mater (Illegal Mezcal, local heirloom tomato nectar and pickled cherry tomatoes...YUM!) Soup and a fresh take on a Bloody Mary. Really, what more does a girl need for lunch? Not a thing.

The bisque was so good, I wondered how that might translate into one of my all time favorite crab dishes...Crab Imperial. The answer to that? Spectacularly!

 

 Maryland Corn Jalapeno Crab Imperial

• 3/4 pound REAL Maryland, Virginia, Louisiana or Texas Blue crab meat, backfin lump, picked for shell and cartiledge
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred pimientos, minced (I used hot peppadews instead - great if you can find them!)
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise - Hellman's
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh corn kernels, raw, cut from cob, coarsely chopped - Bonus! I was lucky enough to bring home Maryland Silver Queen corn!
• 3 tablespoons fresh corn puree (See below)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons fresh corn puree (See below)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Corn puree: Cut kernels from an ear of raw corn and place into the jar of a blender. Process until the corn is liquified. This will take a little patience and a lot of stopping the blender and pushing the corn kernels down before starting again. Repeat until the corn is liquified. This makes a very thick liquid with LOTS of intense fresh corn flavor.
 
Crab Mixture: Mix the jalapeno, pimiento, mayo, egg yolk pureed corn, salt and lemon juice until smooth. Set aside. Gently go through the crab feeling for shell and/or cartiledge and remove, but DON'T break up the crab! Put the crab into a large bowl, pour the mayo/egg mixture over the crab and very gently fold together without breaking up the crab. Set aside.
 
Glaze: Mix 2 T mayo, 4 T. pureed corn, 1 T. lemon juice and 1/4 t. salt together very well. Set aside.

Just before going into the oven.

 
Assembly: Using individual ramekins or shells, spray with a little olive oil then divide and mound the crab mixture evenly among 4 ramekins or shells. Tamp lightly to hold the mound together. Spoon the glaze mixture evenly over the tops, using all the glaze. If you wish (and I did) decorate the tops with strips of pimiento or peppadews. Place the ramekins or shells on a baking sheet.
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the ramekins or shells for 20 minutes. Remove, set the oven to broil, when the broiler is heated, run the crab under the broiler until lightly browned. Remove, cool slightly and enjoy!
 

Tradition - Feelin' Crabby?

“Feelin’ crabby?”  Crabfeast invitations in Baltimore always started that way when Walt and Peg were on the other end of the phoneline. It was our signal to hop in our British Racing green ’68 VW Bug  and head over to West Baltimore. A quick stop on Frederick Road for at least a 6-pack of Natty Boh (National Bohemian beer to you non-Marylanders) was a must.  Big spenders that we were in those days, we might even have picked up some National Premium, too! 

 


When that call came, the invitation was never refused. Mark and I knew there was an evening of great stories, lots of laughs and warm friendship ahead…and damned good crabs, too!

Once we pulled up in front of the classically Baltimore red brick rowhouse on Parksley Avenue, we’d hop out, mount the stairs and head straight to the tiny kitchen.  A 50’s-style Formica and chrome kitchen table sat already covered in several layers of the Baltimore Sun, while a pile of wooden crab mallets and sharp knives waited at the ready poised to pry that sweet, succulent pure white meat from crimson carapaces.

But what about those guests of honor? The CRABS! On the counter sat great big brown paper grocery bags, somewhat lumpy, slightly damp and sometimes stained red from a generous amount of Old-Bay-seasoned Callinectes sapidus Rathbun – Maryland Blue Crabs to we non-scientific folks.

Carried to the table, bags were ripped open and hot crabs dumped unceremoniously into the center of the table which signaled the start of jokes, laughter, tall tales and memories that didn’t stop for hours. You see, crabfeasts aren’t so much a dining experience as they are a social occasion. Hot and spicy crabs with dear friends…nothing better!

Well, except maybe a rousing game or three of Pitch – a Baltimore card game (high, low, Jack, game) - played around the same Formica table once the crabs had been cleared away. The beer remained, of course.

In the summers of the 60’s and 70’s we’d all occasionally vacation together...which meant that entire scene shifted to Ocean City, MD. Live blue crabs, that we’d caught by the bushel in the shallows of Big Assawoman Bay, would lounge in the bathtub while Peg readied the big ol’ crabpot. 

Batch by batch, they’d be steamed in beer, vinegar and many heaping handfuls of Old Bay. Games of Pitch would again follow the feast. (That was in the day when Ocean City streets only went up into the 40’s…now the streets number well above the 100’s right up to Fenwick Island.)

The years wore on, faces around the table in Baltimore changed as children, and eventually even grandchildren, were born. The red brick rowhouse was sold and the family moved out of the city to the suburbs, but the crabfeasts continued.  It was never about the place or the crabs…it was about spending time with those we loved. 

That broken finger (Yikes! 1st day at the beach in the surf!) didn't stop Grace!

And now another generation is gathering together in Ocean City. Crabs are being experienced for the very first time by my own grandchildren. I’m looking around seeing faces I love around a table piled high with bright red, spicy crabs. 

As crab-first-timers, those young faces are a mix of excitement, anticipation – and maybe even a little fear. Crabs might be the physical centerpiece of the day, but it’s the tradition that is making me smile…that and memories of family and friends and wonderful times gone by and of the brand new memories being made right here, right now.

One more thing…Peg made incredible Maryland Crab Soup! I came to the beach armed with Peg’s recipe and yet one more opportunity to create another traditional meal and memory. 

Here’s Peg’s very own recipe:

Peg’s Ocean City Maryland Crab Soup

• 1 1/2 pounds chuck roast, fat removed 
• 3 onions, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped 
• 4 celery ribs, with leaves, sliced thinly
• Water
• 1 LARGE can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato juice
• 4 potatoes, diced
• 6 leftover crabs - SEE NOTE
• 1 pound crab claw meat – either saved from your crabfeast or storebought
• 1 pound frozen mixed vegetables
• Old Bay seafood seasoning (the more, the better!)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• garlic salt to taste

Add the chuck roast, onions, carrots, and celery to a large soup pot or crabpot, barely cover with water & cook until meat is tender. Remove meat, cut into pieces. Return beef to stock in pot

Add tomatoes, tomato juice, potatoes, claw meat, mixed veggies and seasonings. Add more water, if necessary to almost cover the solids. Bring to boil, add cleaned crabs and the remaining ingredients; lower heat, cover and simmer until done. Adjust seasoning and ladle soup into bowls, placing a half crab on top of each.

 
NOTE: Clean each crab by removing top shell and cleaning out the gills and the devil (crab term) - be sure to leave legs and claws attached; snap cleaned crab in half along the natural center of the body and toss into boiling stock in pot. Be sure to toss those top shells into the pot, too, for extra crabby flavor!