A good crab cake is hard to find outside of the environs of the Chesapeake Bay.  I learned the hard way in Texas when “Maryland Crab Cake” is on a menu there, it bears as much resemblance to what I know as a salmon croquette bears to a wild-caught Alaska salmon filet!  It is usually flat and fried deviled crab. Texas’ Maryland-style crab cakes are tasty enough – but nothing like the ones I remember and took for granted growing up in Baltimore – especially my aunt’s crab cakes. Hers had no claw meat, no special– only back fin lump.

It’s surprising how much memory is built around things unnoticed at the time.  ~Barbara Kingsolver, Animal Dreams

So, after another day filled with organizing and sorting the last batch of moving boxes, we figured a good Maryland crab cake should be our sweet reward. We were not disappointed. Ours was an almost perfect experience at Pappas in Glen Burnie. Here’s what our sweet reward looked like – we split a platter.

A Sweet Reward

What unpacking remains are the things we began packing first: mostly books— for which we have LIMITED shelf space. That means more letting go of good friends – a task that sums up the toughest part of our wise and timely decision to leave the great state of Texas. Let me note: We have not eaten Tex-Mex yet . . . and I am in a bit of withdrawal over that. But Marylanders doing sour cream chicken enchiladas . . .  that’s hard to imagine.

 Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don’t unravel. ~Author Unknown

Recent Reminders of How Far We’ve Come!

Here’s Virginia Keenan Miller’s recipe for practically perfect crab cakes – If you ever share it, please give her credit!

Virginia’s Maryland Crab Cakes

For every pound of Maryland jumbo lump BLUE CRAB, add

• one egg and a heaping Tablespoon of mayonnaise – do not use a bargain brand!
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 Tablespoon of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
• 2 slices of fresh bread, torn into small pieces for every pound of crab

• Mix carefully – gently – and form into fist-sized cakes.
• Sautee inreal butter.
• Serve with fresh Maryland tomatoes and Silver-Queen corn from the Eastern Shore . . . of Maryland.