Crab

I think the first thing I ever learned to associated with Maryland was crab, preferably in the form of crab cakes. And when we're talking MD crabs, we're specifically referring to the blue crab of the Chesapeake Bay. When I was at the National Zoo a few months ago (I come from San Diego and I still can't get over how the National Zoo is free for all to enjoy! No $44 entry fee necessary!) I got to see these beautiful swimmers in action. Their scientific name is callinectes sapidus, from the Greek "calli - beautiful" plus "nectes - swimmer" and Latin "sapidus - savory." Basically, the name says it all: beautiful swimmers that are tasty. I can say from experience that the way the little guys swim is beautiful, because their rear legs, which are shaped like paddles, flutter all around while they hold the rest of their legs fairly steady. And they are in fact quite blue before they are cooked.

For the past four months or so, for various reasons, I have been avoiding dairy products and most meat, but because I live in MD and because I'm part Asian and seafood and fish is a part of my life, I have not given up eating animals like crab. The thing I like most about crab is that the meat is so very sweet. It doesn't need any seasoning, although in MD people like to douse crab and indeed any seafood in Old Bay seasoning, which is also made in MD. Some people will dunk their crab meat in butter. That is superfluous. I'm just saying. Crab is good and you'll see more on the subject in this blog in the future. Because they are a big deal in MD.