FRIDAY FOOD THING
Having lived in Maryland for more than a decade before moving to North Carolina, I have come to appreciate a decent crab cake. Of course, no crab cake can compare to one you make yourself using fresh, jumbo lump crab meat and a good Maryland recipe. (Never, ever, use “pasteurized” crab meat, which is tantamount — in my opinion — to using synthetic, FAKE “Krab” meat type products.)
What a surprise!
While grocery shopping the other day, I noticed SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes sitting in the frozen fish freezers, on sale, “2 for 1″. Apparently, SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes are normally priced in the 6-7$ range, and had they not been on sale for half-off, I would have passed them by like I have for years, because — after all — no crab cake can compare to one you make yourself using fresh, lump crab meat and a good Maryland recipe.
I decided to give them a try.
I prefer crab cakes fried over medium heat in 75% butter/ 25% olive oil until both sides are brown and crispy, served with a slice of lemon. (Some folks prefer theirs less crispy.) Directions were simple and straight forward.
What a surprise! Although I can make better, I plopped down in front of my TV and could ALMOST fool myself in believing I was back in a Maryland sports bar enjoying crab cakes with my friends.
To be fair, I have to point out that the SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cake recipe uses a tad too much mayonnaise, but not enough to be a show stopper. In the future, from time to time, I will have no problem buying a box of SeaPak Maryland Style Crab Cakes at non-sales pricing.
Just for a treat.
I always buy Sea-Pak seafood (no other brands). I always wait for the 2fer sales, then stock the freezer. I always look for, and often find $1.00 off per pack coupons. I shop Food Lion. Their 2fers are really half-price sales. So, two packs at 3.50 a box, apply 2 coupons (one for each) means I stock up when I can nab them for 2.50 a box.
I get the crab cakes (having been born in MD), the popcorn shrimp, the butterfly shrimp. With mom and the kids at the feeding trough, I usually serve them the popcorn shrimp because they all find them easier to eat.
Mom’s back in the hospital again. ER two days running. Wednesday via rescue squad, Thursday via my car because “I am NOT going to have the ambulance in the driveway two days in a row!” After the long wait last night, with the waiting room packed with “full moon folks”, she agreed that any subsequent trips would be by the squad. Remember “ALL mothers are sacred!” Say it over and over and over, til you get it right.
Hope your mom is doing well. Thanks for your long-time support!
–Tim
Thanks for tip… Having a crab cake especially offseason is always a pleasure… giving thoughts to crabs being is season is just right around the corner. Our local restaurants have even succumbed to using farm raised jumbo lump from Venezuela and the Philippines to keep the cost down and to give a stunning visual appeal to their products, and you know what? the price is still high! Homemade cakes as you say is the way to go but can still be very costly. Off season Maryland ,Virginia handpicked jumbo lump is now $35. bucks at the local seafood market. Ouch! So having this alternative when you really have to have a cake is great.. Do yourself a favor and make your own tartar and cocktail sauces to enhance your off season experience!
“John” is one of those “Maryland friends” with whom I’d like to be sitting down, sipping a brew, and talking about the good time’s we’ve spent together. He is also one of the best weekend chefs I’ve ever met, and inventor of the ever-popular “egg poppers” mentioned here several times in the past (http://simplytim.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/fft-egg-poppers). He also makes one of the the best damned crab cakes you can imagine, and is the person who first introduced me to “Elsie’s Deli”. (http://simplytim.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/elsies-deli). I’ve spent many, many hours playing golf with John, ALWAYS getting my butt kicked, afterwards drinking home brews and watching the Severn River from his dock.
Thanks, John. Let Pene know I’m thinking about her.
–Tim
I recently tried some SeaPak Panko encrusted shrimp (because I had a coupon) and they were delicious! I also noted the last time I was at Costco, their large box of the same shrimp under their house brand of Kirkland was also labeled “SeaPak” so I bought them. Will certainly be trying the crab cakes, if I can find them.
Marcie in WI
[...] “Dockside Classics” Premium CRAB CAKES tasted, but I won’t bother. Stick with SeaPak Crab Cakes, [...]