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| Crab picking and beer drinking, photo by Jay fleming |
A few folks outside of this state wanted more details about this uniquely Maryland dining experience. The crab feast begins with trapping and catching crabs. The Maryland Blue Crab is lured into under-water traps with a bit of their favorite food, raw chicken necks. Once inside, crabbers pull up the traps and pot up these crustaceans.
Next the catch is seasoned with heaps of seafood seasoning (Old Bay is the famous one), and steamed in five-gallon pots--in beer and vinegar. They they are delivered to a paper covered table for the masses to enjoy. Their bodies and extremities are pried apart and bashed with wooden mallets...any meat not decimated in the process is popped into waiting mouths...the dining process takes a good 2 hours or more.
At a crab feast, diners quaff beer, swap stories, trade crab-picking tricks, and revel in their camaraderie. I have always thought that it's a wonderful southern, summertime ritual. Often, swimming or games are part of the experience. I hope to experience and enjoy this activity later in the summer.
This video is an authentic view of crab-pickin', and this guys explains the whys and wherefores of it..plus an explanation of what the 'mustard' actually is:
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