Flavors of Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

If you want to bring a shy Baltimorean out of his shell, ask him this quintessential question. What makes Maryland crabs better than their crustacean rivals? “It would have to be the seasoning,” says one waterman (commercial fisherman.) “I don’t know about that – Ed. I think it’s the way that we steam ‘em that sets them apart,” says his fishing counterpart. Everyone has their own theory. And a conversation is underway.

I am curious about the Chesapeake Bay blue crab and the legendary crab houses that serve this paragon of the Eastern Shore. Our search begins and ends at The Harris Crab House, a four minute drive over the Bay Bridge. Overlooking Kent Narrows, this crab shack and seafood operation is owned and operated by the Harris family--50 years of hard-shell tradition.

The tables are covered in brown paper -- the Martha Stewart table cloth for the seaworthy. Spatterings of seasoning salt, cocktail sauce and beer mug rings double as a paisley pattern. Forget fancy, the flatware consists of a wooden mallet and a knife. As for the ambiance -- that takes care of itself. Bibs are optional and the roll of paper towel will be put to good use. Plates are not part of the place setting and you’ll stick out like a monster Jimmie (meaty male crab), if you ask for one.

Colossal servings of mollusks, steamed red hot and fully encrusted emerge regularly from the kitchen. The buzz among the crowd is electric enough to fry up a houseboat of crab cakes. Teeming piles of blue crabs on adjoining tables are being cracked, picked and devoured by the mouthfuls. Karen Harris Oertel, (owner) gestures with an open palm -- “this is what it’s all about.” I concurred -- This is some serious seafood liturgy. Of course, there is a correct way to pick a crab and honing your talents reaps juicy rewards.

Upon close inspection, I wince at the task and tastes that lie ahead. Until now, I would deliberately avoid them. I’m a self made crab-a-phobic and certifiably -- a freshman at crab cracking. I wait and watch and follow Karen’s lead. Holding the crab, I break off the legs first. I snap the claws off at the joint, which leaves my first sampling exposed. One tap of my mallet and the shell splits open. My first bite is only somewhat savory, too small a tidbit to make an impression. Karen is quick to point out, “the meat in the legs tastes different than the meat in the body.”

The next technique proves more gainful. Obviously, I lack the precision of a surgeon--I whittle at the ribbed apron underneath, instead of a flawless incision. With Karen’s coaching, I insert my knife and cut straight through the cartilage. The best meat is the backfin, tucked snugly in the shell cavity. I extract a plump morsel and the sweetness melts in my mouth. I am pleasantly surprised. The juicy nugget is further enhanced by the salty seasoning.

No one will say for sure what’s in the Harris family recipe, but I am told the combination of spices is unique to the restaurant. Even the waitress was hard pressed to name another favorite. There are as many seasoning concoctions as there are crab houses. But some may argue that there’s only one with ineffable qualities. I ask Karen what makes “Old Bay” seasoning so popular. “It’s been around for over fifty years and has been a staple for years in many Maryland households.” Inside Old Bay’s signature yellow and blue canister is a mixture of celery salt, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, mace, cardamom, paprika, and other spices. Presumably, it’s the state’s condiment equivalent to salt and pepper.

The Harris Crab House operates beside the old processing house adjacent to the restaurant. Karen recalls the early days of the operation. “It started off in front of the seafood house. We were selling crab by the bushel and half bushel--live and steamed. One day we put a picnic table outside and wondered if we could sell them by the dozen, to people who would sit down and eat them here. 125 patio seats later--and the rest as they say, is history.” Thousands of aficionados engage in this palatable phenomenon in crab shacks all over Maryland.

Now, I understand first hand, the frenzy and the allure of -- the crab feast.

If you go:
Harris Crab House:Kent Narrows, Grasonville: 410-827-9500

Kent County Tourism: 1-410-778-0416

Queen Anne’s County Tourism: 1-410-604-2100

Author: Tracey Rayson