My favorite? Crab cakes, not just any crab cakes... Real Maryland Crab Cakes. Having grown up in the Chesapeake Bay area, crab cakes were a part of our everyday life. Made with lump crab meat from chesapeake bay blue crabs. 95% crab meat with minimal fill (some bread crumbs and mayonnaise) simply to hold the cake together. Of course the traditional spice is "Old Bay Seasoning". They are a classic that is renowed around the country. However, get outside the the bay area, restaurant menus for crab cakes is, at least to Maryanders, revolting. They contain all sorts of ingredients... tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, celery, onions, leafy greens, and even whole kernel corn. Yuck...double yuck.
We learned quickly, that when outside of the bay area in Maryland & Virginia, stay away from crab cakes. Especially those that claim to be Maryland style crab cakes. Once in a restaurant in key west we asked the waiter what was in their Maryland style crab cakes... they returned from the kitchen and asked us where wewere from. After telling him we were from Maryland, he replied that there were other things on the menu that we would enjoy. Another words, by Maryland standards, their crab cakes would be very disappointing. Such is life away from home.
The proof is in the photos...
