Old-fashioned crab boil is an American classic fit for a holiday cookout NORTH SPORTS FINAL, C Edition

• Published in: Chicago tribune (1963)
• Main Author: Peter Kump, Copyright 1989 by Peter Kump
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, Ill Tribune Publishing Company, LLC 29.06.1989
• ISSN: 1085-6706

And nothing so lends itself to warm weather and outdoor eating as an old-fashioned crab boil. Sitting at paper-covered tables in front of platters of spicy red crabs stacked on platters, diners with sleeves rolled up attack the crabs with small wooden hammers or nutcrackers-and lots of gusto. About the only other necessities are cold beer, bread, salad and watermelon to follow. It's the sort of informal, fun eating that everybody enjoys. Blue crabs are steamed around Maryland but more commonly boiled as you move further south. However they are cooked, they are usually eaten on paper-covered tables (wrapping paper in the North, newspapers in the South) and served with plenty of cold beer. Beer goes best with standard American recipes for crabs because they are prepared with so much spice. Cut down on the pepper and a nice dry white wine, such as as muscadet, will be more appropriate. 1 cup coarse or kosher salt 2 tablespoons coarsely ground pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon each: celery salt, dry mustard 1 teaspoon each: celery seeds, ground ginger, paprika 2 cups each: cider vinegar, water 3 dozen live blue crabs