String a sinker through your bait (fresh fish works best) and toss your line into the water. If you want to try to catch blue crabs on your own, try your luck with a trotline or trap from shore or skiff (available for rent at Eastern Neck Boat Rentals), or launch your own boat from one of many public landings. After your midday return, take your bounty to one of the aforementioned market purveyors or steam them yourself, then spread out and get cracking at a county park. You’ll set out ahead of the rising sun to snag up to two bushels per person. Join a crabbing charter with Captain Brant Nordhoff of the family-run Chesapeake Bay Crabbing Charters or aboard Miss Doe II, captained by Clay Larrimore who’s been guiding groups in search of these blue beauties since 1970. Thankfully, crabbing for blues isn’t like crabbing for kings in the Bering Sea-it’s fairly easy and doesn’t put your life at risk. to support its project-a campaign designed to preserve and maintain the cultural heritage, natural beauty and wildlife habitats of the area. ![]() Tracy Stone, owner of The Inn at Mitchell House, said if she had to pick one ingredient that differentiates her Chestertown crab quiche (made on request for special occasions), “it would be the dry sherry.”įind these and other regional recipes in the “Tastiest Catch Cookbook,” published by Eastern Shore Heritage, Inc. Great Oak Manor confirms it’s the Gruyere cheese that gives its crab quiche a delightful flavor. If you’re staying at a bed-and-breakfast establishment, you will often be treated to seasonal crab specialties. Meanwhile, the Maryland Crab Soup at Pasta Plus has a hearty flavor from the bacon that’s sautéed in the base. Some recipes are handed down through the generations and kept under lock and key like the famous crab cakes at Uncle Charlie’s Bistro. You’ll rarely experience the same dish twice since most chefs have their unique twist on the ingredients or cooking methods. Also discover crab-enhanced pasta, sushi, salads, quesadillas, wontons, even pretzels-because crab makes everything taste better. From waterfront eateries-like 98 Cannon Riverfront Grille in Chestertown where you can enjoy the view on the crab deck-to seafood restaurants and beyond, you can find a variety of ways to savor this delicacy, such as moist crab cakes, rich and creamy Crab Imperial, a variety of crab-stuffed entrees, and Maryland vegetable or cream of crab soups. Not in the mood to work for your meat? Not a problem! Savor lump, claw and backfin crab meat from sea to table during the season at many Kent County restaurants. Like Ford’s, both places can accommodate steaming your catch for $20.00. Chester River Seafood also ships anywhere in the U.S. For $20.00, the restaurant will steam your catch.īuy steamed or live crabs by the dozen, half-bushel or bushel at Clark’s Seafood and Chester River Seafood-a True Blue Certified purveyor specializing in river crabs (which are caught on a trotline and tend to be sweeter). Check its daily specials as prices change based on the day’s catch. #2 Crab Seasoning that’s sprinkled on its local steamers. Enjoy outdoor seating at this dockside eatery and watch the boats come and go while listening to the sounds of the sea (or live music on weekends). The proprietary seasoning blend at Waterman’s Crab House includes “rock salt, some hot pepper and Old Bay, but that’s all I can tell you,” said the Manager of the secret recipe. Don’t expect melted butter to be served alongside these blue beauties it’s all about the vinegar and dry seasoning. The locals will tell you the Chesapeake Bay blue crabs are best when steamed, doused with apple cider vinegar and sprinkled with seasoning. You might work a bit more for those delicate morsels, but that’s part of the fun-a relaxed, communal meal that keeps the conversation flowing as everyone enjoys the great food and drinks. Some of the sweetest meat comes from smaller crabs. No matter the amount of blue, these crabs harvested from the Chesapeake Bay promise sweet, delicate meat.īlue crabs are smaller than Dungeness crabs, but when it comes to flavor, size doesn’t matter. ![]() Grab those wooden mallets because it’s time to chase down the delicate, sweet seafood flavor of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, and in Kent County, Maryland, the supply is plentiful and the tradition of celebrating the season is lively.Ĭallinectes sapidus or “beautiful, savory swimmers” have shades of blue mainly on their legs and claws, and some specimens, though rare, are entirely blue.
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