Since 1984 this writer has crossed the Chesapeake Bay to serve as a judge at the National Hard Crab Derby Cook-Off held in Crisfield, Maryland.

Each contestant is supplied with one pound of lump crabmeat. What each does with one pound is amazing, preparing and cooking within a limited time, while visiting spectators cruise the kitchen to watch what they do.  

Twenty-one recipes were entered but fewer were cooking. Several entries were from the same contestants. The grand prize winner, Dawn Lankford, also won second place with her Maryland Crabs and Corn Feast Soup. When the judging was completed and the awards made, the visiting public had the opportunity to taste each dish as the judges had done.

The top winner in each of the four categories, Appetizers, Soups and Salads, Crab Cakes, and Main Dish, received a plaque and a cash prize ranging from $50 to $100, with the grand prize winner receiving an additional $100.

This weekend celebration begins with the selection of Miss Cr...