The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and home to about 350 species of fish and shellfish. The blue crab is probably the best known of these. This savory journey through Maryland’s blue crab culture includes a collection of more than one hundred recipes and a tribute to one of the United States’ oldest industries.

Judy Colbert shares the story of the crab from trap to kitchen table, exploring the history of the Chesapeake crab industry, how to eat crabs, and a day in the life of a local crabber. A list of area festivals and a glossary of crab-related terms accompanies anecdotes representing the lighter side of a region where crustaceans are serious business.

Featuring how-to tips on buying, catching, and cooking crabs, Colbert entices you to create the perfect crab dish. From staple crab fare such as Soft-Shell Crab Imperial and Chesapeake Crab Cake to the more exotic, award-winning appetizers, soups, and entrees have been contributed by professional chefs and talented locals with a true appreciation for Bay-style dishes.

Judy Colbert is an award-winning author/photographer who has written extensively on the Chesapeake Bay area. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the Society of Professional Journalists, she has written articles for several regional, national, and international publications, including PropTalk and SpinSheet magazines. Colbert has also served as a travel expert on Good Morning America and Arthur Frommer’s Travel. She lives in Crofton, Maryland.

Blue crabs are one of the most popular forms of marine life in the Chesapeake Bay area, home to the oldest seafood industry in the United States. Festivals and cook-offs populate the calendar during the peak harvest season from May to December.

In a collection of interviews and museum profiles, author Judy Colbert reveals the bay’s unique history, highlighting English settlement and the Great Depression as key contributors to the waterway’s impact on national development. Also featured are favorite recipes from award-winning chefs, Bay-area foodies, contest winners, and people with a distinct love of Chesapeake Bay crabs. From crab cakes and crab remoulade to deviled crab and flounder stuffed with crab, this encyclopedic volume of food and heritage leaves nothing out.