This Labor Day, our neighbors on the Eastern Shore celebrated the 71st anniversary of the annual Crisfield Maryland Hard Crab Derby Festival; for 55 years the Annual Crab Cooking Contest has played a major role. Crisfield is a rather close neighbor to this area, that is, as the crow flies. Not only close but similar in their heritage—watermen making a living from what the Chesapeake Bay and surround waters have to offer.

This year’s crab cooking contest invited cooks from both Maryland and Virginia, and also three residents of Arizona, to create their special dishes for the final judging. As contestants arrived, usually three cooking at a time, each was provided with one pound of Maryland Blue crabmeat. From that point on with recipe in hand, the competition began. 

Twenty-six recipes were registered and entered in the four categories which included Appetizers, Main Dishes, Soups/Salads and Crab Cakes. Of this number, the list had the names of only six Crisfi...