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One of the traditions on my side of the family is having crab cakes at family gatherings. We hail from the east coast, and my mother’s side is from New England. We’re seafood people! I don’t remember why crab cakes became a holiday treat, but we seem to have them at a lot of special occasions throughout the year. Christmas brunch, Easter dinner, and birthdays. But, it’s not just any crab cake recipe. Nope, in Maryland you have…Maryland crab cakes.
Why exactly is the word “Maryland” important before the words “crab cake”? Crab cakes are listed on menus all over the United States, and if they’re considered a specialty item, typically they’ll be listed as “Maryland Crab Cakes.”
In fact, Maryland restaurants are very bold about the description of their crab cakes. They make it very clear that the only thing holding their crab cakes together is, well, more crab meat.
Because here, in Maryland, we are very intentional about having as little filler as possible in our cakes. Meaning, ingredients besides lump crab meat are next to none. We turn our noses up at anything other than our own style of crab cakes.
A little snobby? Yes. But, try one and you’ll understand. It only takes one bite.
So, how does my family make homemade Maryland crab cakes? Jumbo lump crab meat, with a little this and a bit of that. Cakes are formed, and then refrigerated for about a half-hour, then fried in a pan with a little oil until golden brown. Sometimes we eat them plain, other times it’s on a bun. Always served with tartar and cocktail sauces.
I planned on sharing the exact recipe, but then realized it might be something my grandmother wouldn’t appreciate. We’ll see if I can get permission….
