Queen Clawdia is the Annapolis Rotary’s mascot for their annual crab feast. Photo by Betsy Kehne.
GET T
CRAC
H E R E M AY B E nothing more iconic than a crab feast on a hot Maryland summer day. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, that feast is more likely taking place in your own backyard rather than a seafood restaurant.
Those who make their living bringing crabs to hungry customers have noticed a surge in demand, after a slow beginning to the season because of restaurant closures due to COVID-19. Waterman Ryan Mould of Shady Side says though wholesale numbers dipped, the season “has been very good for retail sales. Our retail business has doubled each month since May.” The public demand is notable. “Peo-
ple, especially in the Annapolis area, are purchasing crabs from farmers’ markets and having crab feasts at home versus going to eat in a crab house. In South County, where our farm stand is, there is more demand as well. At the farmers’ markets, we have a line at times that starts an hour before the market even opens,” says Mould. If you’re new to cracking crabs at home, we are here to help.
8 • BAY WEEKLY • August 6 - August 13, 2020
Crabs To-Go
Finding live or steamed crabs for purchase around Chesapeake Country is not a difficult task. You can find crabs in seafood markets, restaurants and roadside trucks all over the region, and support your local watermen or small seafood businesses at the same time. It’s important to choose wisely when selecting your crab dinner. If you are buying live crabs, look for lively activ-
ity. Until you are ready to cook, keep them in a cool, damp dark place. If you are buying them already cooked, do a sniff test. Steamed crabs should be firm-fleshed and sweet-smelling. If you want to know whether your crabs are true-blue from the Atlantic, simply ask when ordering. Smaller crabs are most likely to be locally caught, but the extra-large to jumbo sizes are often trucked in
