August 2007
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Washington, D.C. '07
by Celia Cheng
Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn
458 Forest Beach Rd
Annapolis, MD
410-757-1311
website
I know I am cheating a little since, technically, Annapolis is in Maryland. But it’s a mere forty-five-minute drive from D.C., which means it’s still in the “area,” and, besides, I couldn’t pass up the chance to talk about cracking crabs at a crab shack!
Before going to Cantler’s, my friend Julia sent me instructions on how to eat a crab. But honestly, reading about it just doesn’t make that much sense. It’s something that needs to be learned hands-on. I also didn’t quite understand what dirty business it is to devour crabs, though I had been forewarned to wear clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty. By the end of the day, I was a master at tearing apart these delectable crustaceans and sucking out all the luscious meat, and my stain-ridden shirt was proof of what a messy, albeit totally entertaining, job it was.
Cantler’s has been serving steamed Maryland blue crabs and fresh seafood since 1974. The restaurant is located on the water, overlooking Mill Creek (which empties into the Chesapeake Bay, where the crabs are harvested), so it must be wonderful to sit at the picnic tables on the patio and eat by the water. Unfortunately, on this particular Sunday, it was raining, so we ate indoors.
Eating crabs is really a family or large party affair, as the tables are room-length and everyone sits side by side. Crabs are ordered by the dozen, by size: small, medium, large, extra-large, or jumbo. At Cantler’s the crabs are steamed in a pot with Old Bay Seasoning — a blend of herbs and spices, including celery salt, bay leaf, mustard seed, black and red pepper, cinnamon and ginger — dumped on top. We ordered a dozen large crabs for five people, which, with the sides of onion rings, corn on the cob, and crab dip, turned out to be just the right amount of food. The steamed crabs are served on a large platter just like in the photo above. Butter, vinegar and more Old Bay accompany for your dipping pleasure. But the crabs are so fresh and succulent that you really don’t need any condiment. The meat is so wonderfully juicy and tender — as long as you can get to it — that it stands on its own.
Part of the fun really is learning how to eat a crab. Julia’s better half, Jason, patiently showed me step by step, which claw to snap off first, how to open the key and tear off the top shell, what parts of the crab innards to discard, and how to most easily access the good stuff. It’s all very simple actually, and I loved using the wooden mallet to smash the shell of any part of the crab that I couldn’t tear open with my bare hands. The experience is totally carnal and addictive. And that’s the secret to eating crabs: once you’re hooked on the act, you don’t care if you have crab guts on your shirt and Old Bay Seasoning all over your face — it’s so much fun you just get carried away. Now that I’m talking about it, I’m dying to eat more crabs!
Credits:
Photograph of Cantler’s crabs by Nick Violi. Click here for this photograph’s specific copyright information.
