Maryland Crabs Rank Second Among America's Most Iconic Foods, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Chef Jeff Black, Winner of the 2013 Maryland Crab Cake Competition, for more, see: Crab Cakes: Jeff Black from Black Salt and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland crabs rank as one of America's most iconic foods. I know Maryland crabs are an iconic local food, and apparently the rest of the country agrees. Last year in May, wine guru and Maryland resident Robert J. Parker tweeted: “Maryland’s greatest culinary delicacy – blue channel soft-shelled crabs are starting to arrive … lightly floured and sautéed in butter.” Maryland – with the large Chesapeake Bay – is indeed blessed with Blue Crabs which came in different forms, when you eat them at a Crab Shack.

Maryland crabs ranked second in the USA Today’s 2013 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards for best American iconic foods. The top 10 were chosen from a list of 20 iconic foods and narrowed down through 24,000 votes.

Here’s the full list:

Albuquerque, N.M. — green chile sauce
Baltimore — Maryland crabs
Wisconsin — fried cheese curds
Memphis, Tenn. — pulled pork
Philadelphia — Philly cheese steak
Charleston, S.C. — shrimp and grits
Chicago — Italian beef sandwich
Indianapolis — pork tenderloin sandwich
New Orleans — boiled crawfish
Key West, Fla. — Key lime pie

Maryland Blue Crabs

The blue crab is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Coast of Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs undergo a seasonal migration; after mating, the female crab travels to the southern portion of the Chesapeake, fertilizing her eggs with sperm stored up from the last mating months or almost a year later. In November or December, the female crab releases her eggs. The crabs hatch in a larval form and float in the mouth of the bay for four to five weeks, then the juvenile crabs make their way back up into the bay.

Four Ways to Eat Chesapeake Blue Crabs

Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Blue crabs are most often eaten in the hard shell. Steaming them in large pots with water, vinegar and seasoning is the norm on the East coast. You need the whole experience: the smell of steamed crabs in the air, a pile of large steamed blue crabs covered with Old Bay Seasoning, ready to be cracked with wooden mallets, accompanied by corn on the cob, plus a roll of paper towels and a metal bucket for tossing the empty shells.

Picture: Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Soft Shell Crabs

The Chesapeake Bay is famous for its soft-shell blue crabs. As crabs grow larger, their shells cannot expand, so they molt the exteriors and have a soft covering for a matter of days when they are vulnerable and considered usable. Crabs caught just after molting are prepared as soft shell crabs: first cutting out the gills, face, and guts; the crab is then battered in flour, egg, and seasoning, then fried in oil until crispy. The entire crab is consumed, legs and all.

Picture: Soft Shell Crab

Crab Cake

Crab cakes is another delicacy. Crab Cakes are basically Hamburgers made out of crab meat. We ate it recently as a starter with tomatoes and avocado on the side.

Picture: Maryland Crab Cake

See more:
Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crab Soup

Usually I start my crab dinner with a Maryland Crab Soup. This is a kind of an Italian Minestrone with crab meat.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, eating Maryland Crab Soup

See more:
Maryland Crabs and Wine
Schiller's World of Seafood

Maryland Crab Houses

The best places to eat Maryland crabs is a Crab House. Bluecrab.info: “My definition of a crab house is any restaurant that serves hot steamed Maryland-style hard shell crabs. You know that you're in a crab house as soon as you walk through the door, the smell of steamed crabs is in the air and you hear the sound of wooden mallets banging against crab and table as hungry diners crack into the succulent claws. As you look around you see paper-covered tables with trays of cooked bright orange crabs, mounds of discarded shells, pitchers of ice cold beer, shakers of Old Bay seafood seasoning, and bottles of apple cider vinegar. And, yes, there's the occasional basket of piping hot shell-on spiced shrimp! Ah, the memories... there's nothing quite like the atmosphere of a genuine Chesapeake Bay crab house."

Here is my list of favorite crab houses:
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Maryland Wine

Blue crabs are iconic in Maryland. Few food and wine aficiniados, however, would point to premium wines, when talking about Maryland; instead, Maryland has the reputation of being a mediocre wine producer. But Maryland winemakers are very successfully changing that. Increasingly, winemakers in Maryland are moving away from fruit wines and non-European grape varieties that have long plagued the East Coast to produce wines that can compete with the best wines in the world. As Drew Baker of the brand-new Old Westminster Winery explained to Frank Morgan, a popular wine blogger, “Maryland has great potential and I believe that the quality bar is rising quickly. Soon, poorly made wines will be the exception in an otherwise great region.” Old Westminster Winery, led by the three siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli, who manage the vineyard, winemaking, and marketing, respectively, has not yet released any wine, but is already generating a buzz. Other promising newcomers include Black Ankle, Slack, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Port of Leonardtown. Add to that the Maryland classics Boordy, Basignani and Elk Run, which are in the process of changing gears.

Maryland’s modern wine history dates to the 1970s, but grapes have been planted in the area since the 17th century. Most of Maryland’s 60 plus wineries are in the Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland, but grapes also thrive in the Eastern Shore, Southern Plain, and Western Mountains: (1) A majority of the state’ vineyards are planted in Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland. (2) The Chesapeake Bay has always been among my favorite regions, but the Eastern Shore is also a fantastic growing region. The soil is sandy and well-drained, and the climate is moderated/protected by the water, perfect for warm days and cool nights. (3) In the Southern Plain in southern Maryland it can get rather hot. And stay hot during the night. Barbera, Sangiovese, and Chardonnay dominate. (4) Western Maryland is mountainous, and while there are only two wineries, there is a number of vineyards.

I have written extensively about a number of Maryland wineries, see:
At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA
Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA

Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crabs and Wine

Schiller's World of Seafood

Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

Crab Cakes: Jeff Black from Black Salt and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Picture: Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Michael McGarry, Co-owner of Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard, with the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard 2010 EVOE in Baltimore

Blue crabs are iconic in Maryland. Few food and wine aficiniados, however, would point to premium wines, when talking about Maryland; instead, Maryland has the reputation of being a mediocre wine producer. But Maryland winemakers are very successfully changing that. Increasingly, winemakers in Maryland are moving away from fruit wines and non-European grape varieties that have long plagued the East Coast to produce wines that can compete with the best wines in the world.

Pictures: Mike Wangbickler, President of Drink Local Wine, Michael McGarry, Co-owner of Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard, Manolo Gomez, Winemaker at Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard and Annette Schiller, wine tours by ombiasy, in Baltimore

As Drew Baker of the brand-new Old Westminster Winery explained to Frank Morgan, a popular wine blogger, “Maryland has great potential and I believe that the quality bar is rising quickly. Soon, poorly made wines will be the exception in an otherwise great region.” Old Westminster Winery, led by the three siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli, who manage the vineyard, winemaking, and marketing, respectively, has not yet released any wine, but is already generating a buzz. Other promising newcomers include Black Ankle, Slack, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Port of Leonardtown. Add to that the Maryland classics Boordy, Basignani and Elk Run, which are in the process of changing gears.

See more:
At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA
Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA
Maryland Crabs and Wine

This is one posting in a series of 3 profiles of Maryland wineries:
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard is only a 45 minute drive from Washington, DC. The 92-acre farm abuts the scenic Sugarloaf Mountain conservation and recreation area. The winery is easily identifiable by its signature red barn, silo and windmill, built in the early 1900s.

Pictures: Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard

Purchased by Dan and Polly O'Donoghue in 1962, the farm has been a working farm and family retreat ever since. Today, it is owned and operated by their four children – the McGarry, McKenna and two O’Donoghue families. The transformation from a traditional farm to a vineyard broke ground in 2002. A wine making team was formed, and soon vines were planted and being nurtured. By 2005, the winery was complete and Sugar Loaf Mountain was making its first vintage.

Pictures: Michael McGarry, Co-owner of Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard

In 2011, Benoit Pineau took over the wine-making responsibilities. He hails from France and has been educated in oenology and viticulture in Bordeaux and Toulouse. As of January, 2013 Manolo Gomez has become the official winemaker, with Benoit Pineau the consultant winemaker.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Co-owner Michael McKenna,  Benoit Pineau and Manolo Gomez in Maryland

Sugar Loaf Mountain Vineyard specializes in Bordeaux style wines. They grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot; and three white varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Viognier.

The Wines 

I recently visited Sugarloaf Mountain with Aaron Nix-Gomez (Hogshead), whi took and published tasting notes, and a number of other food and wine writers and tasted the following wines.

Picture: Sugar Loaf Mountain Wines

2011 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Pinot Grigio, $19

100% Pinot Grigio. Aged for 6 months in stainless steel.  Alcohol 13.0%.

Hogshead: There was a very subtle nose. In the mouth the flavors showed restraint but also had some ripe white and yellow fruit. There was good acidity, a softer finish, and perhaps a note of lees.

2011 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Circe, $24

Blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 7% Merlot. Aged for 5 months in 20% new French oak.  Alcohol 12.5%.

Hogshead: The nose bore very young fruit. In the mouth there were grapey red fruit flavors which tickled the tip of the tongue. It became very tart with red berries and grape tannins.

2011 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Comus $26

Blend of 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Malbec. Aged for 12 months in 25% French oak. Alcohol 13.0%

Hogshead: There were flavors of bright red fruit, structure, acidity, and a little bit of black fruit in the finish. A little young and should benefit from short-term aging.

2010 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Evoe! $39

Blend of 51% Cabernet Franc, 22% Petit Verdot, 16% Merlot, and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 24 months in 25% new French oak. Alcohol 14.5%.

Hogshead: The nose was nice with black berries. In the mouth there was focused, moderately ripe fruit with some grip. There was enjoyable texture on the tongue. My favorite.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA

Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crabs and Wine

Schiller's World of Seafood

Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Owners/Winemakers Owners Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce in Baltimore, Maryland

Blue crabs are iconic in Maryland. Few food and wine aficiniados, however, would point to premium wines, when talking about Maryland; instead, Maryland has the reputation of being a mediocre wine producer. But Maryland winemakers are very successfully changing that. Increasingly, winemakers in Maryland are moving away from fruit wines and non-European grape varieties that have long plagued the East Coast to produce wines that can compete with the best wines in the world.

As Drew Baker of the brand-new Old Westminster Winery explained to Frank Morgan, a popular wine blogger, “Maryland has great potential and I believe that the quality bar is rising quickly. Soon, poorly made wines will be the exception in an otherwise great region.” Old Westminster Winery, led by the three siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli, who manage the vineyard, winemaking, and marketing, respectively, has not yet released any wine, but is already generating a buzz. Other promising newcomers include Black Ankle, Slack, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Port of Leonardtown. Add to that the Maryland classics Boordy, Basignani and Elk Run, which are in the process of changing gears. 

See also:
At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA
Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA
Maryland Crabs and Wine
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

This is one posting in a series of 3 profiles of Maryland wineries:
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Black Ankle Vineyards

Black Ankle sets the new standard for what is going on in Maryland wine. Black Ankle has won numerous awards for their wines, including recent Maryland Governor’s Cup Awards.

Picture: Black Ankle Vineyards

Owners Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce (both former management consultants) planted their first vines in 2003 after a lengthy search looking for farms with the worst soil. They succeeded, buying a 142-acre farm on Black Ankle Road in the rolling hills of Carroll County near Mt. Airy.

Ed and Sarah explained that the meager 1 1/2 feet of soil is 60 percent rock with a solid layer of rock below. Although this soil environment would be a nightmare for a farmer planting traditional agricultural crops, it proved perfect for their vision of a world-class vineyard growing vinifera grapes.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Owners Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce, Black Ankle Vineyards

Currently, Black Ankle has 42 producing acres. Since Ed and Sarah purchased the property, they have made and applied compost in place of chemical fertilizers and they have never used herbicides of any kind. “Although we are not yet able to farm 100% organically, we are optimistic that with more research and ingenuity we will get there before too long,” say Ed and Sarah. “We have also made the decision to farm with the principles of Biodynamics. Black Ankle’s barrel room holds 300 French oak barrels. It is constructed with hay-bale walls coated with a plaster made from the farm’s earth and wood harvested from their acreage.

Pictures: Black Ankle Owners Sarah O’Herron and Ed Boyce, with Annette Schiller from wine tours by ombiasy in Baltimore

The business has been a bit of a juggling act for Ed and Sarah, who have kept their house in Silver Spring and, except at harvest time, alternate days at Black Ankle with working from home. They have five children, one in college and four at home.

The Wines

I visited Black Ankle Vineyards earlier this year with Aaron Nix-Gomez (Hogshead) and other wine writers and tasted some wines:

2012 Black Ankle Vineyards, Gruener Veltliner – (Barrel Sample)

We were greeted by a glass of a excellent 2012 Gruener Veltliner that complemented seasonal tartines.

Hogsheadwine: “The nose revealed white fruit then some weight yellow fruit aromas.  In the mouth the floral fruit had both good acidity and mouthfeel.  There were flavors of honeysuckle in this wine with good length and round aftertaste. Nice.”

2011 Black Ankle Vineyards, Bedlam

With grilled Chesapeake oysters we sipped the floral 2011 Bedlam, a blend of Chardonnay, Albarino, Muscat, Viognier and Gruener Veltliner.

Hogsheadwine: “There was a fresh, bright nose with herbs and the slight texture of white fruit.  In the mouth the flavors were of drier white fruit which was tart and mixed with acidity that made my tongue salivate on the sides.  There was a yeasty note in the middle.”

2010 Black Ankle Vineyards, Rollings Hills

This wine is a blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 21% Merlot, 8% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot which was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Alcohol 13.6%.

Hogsheadwine: “The nose was of light red berries.  In the mouth there were berry flavors and a hint of something bright.  The flavors had density with acidity at the back of the mouth.  There were some grapey tannins along with fine-grained tannins in the structure.  There was a cool finish.”

2010 Black Ankle Vineyards, Leaf Stone Syrah

This wine was aged for 18 months in 65% new French oak. Alcohol 14.6%.

Hogsheadwine: “The beautiful nose had depth with floral fruit that smelled proper and was evocative of the Northern Rhone.  The flavors were young and tight but still enjoyable.  There was some grainy texture to the fruit and a creamy feel to the blue, grapey, and red flavors.  There was a touch of lipstick in the finish.  The acidity was well-integrated along with a deft touch of ripe oak tannins.  Nice.”

NV Black Ankle Vineyards, Terra Dulce II

A fortified wine, made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Chardonnay, Albarino, Gruener Veltliner, and Muscat.

Hogsheadwine: “The color was a tawny garnet.  There was tangy red fruit in this fortified wine.  Herbs and acidity came out at first with the red fruit.  Then tea, tobacco, and more tobacco.  It was a little spirity at this point and could use some age for integration.”

schiller-wine: Related Postings

At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA

Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crabs and Wine

Schiller's World of Seafood

Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Boordy Winery in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Robert B. Deford, President, at Boordy Winery in Maryland

Blue crabs are iconic in Maryland. Few food and wine aficiniados, however, would point to premium wines, when talking about Maryland; instead, Maryland has the reputation of being a mediocre wine producer. But Maryland winemakers are very successfully changing that. Increasingly, winemakers in Maryland are moving away from fruit wines and non-European grape varieties that have long plagued the East Coast to produce wines that can compete with the best wines in the world. As Drew Baker of the brand-new Old Westminster Winery explained to Frank Morgan, a popular wine blogger, “Maryland has great potential and I believe that the quality bar is rising quickly. Soon, poorly made wines will be the exception in an otherwise great region.”

Pictures: Robert B. Deford, President, at Boordy Winery in Maryland and his Son Phin Deford

Old Westminster Winery, led by the three siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli, who manage the vineyard, winemaking, and marketing, respectively, has not yet released any wine, but is already generating a buzz. Other promising newcomers include Black Ankle, Slack, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Port of Leonardtown. Add to that the Maryland classics Boordy, Basignani and Elk Run, which are in the process of changing gears.

See also:
At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA
Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA
Maryland Crabs and Wine
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA 

This is a posting in a series of 3 profiles of Maryland wineries:
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Boordy Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA
Black Ankle Vineyards in Maryland - A Profile, USA

Boordy Vineyards

Boordy Vineyards is the oldest commercial winery in Maryland. Boordy was founded in 1945 by Philip and Jocelyn Wagner. The Wagner’s enthusiasm for experimentation and the winery’s rapid growth eventually lead to a partnership with the Deford family who purchased  Boordy in 1980. The Defords moved the winery to its present day location at their Long Green Valley farm, just north of Baltimore. The farm has since been placed in permanent preservation with the Maryland Environmental Trust, demonstrating owner Rob’s commitment to agriculture.

Pictures: Boordy Vineyards, Maryland

The winery is currently housed in the ground-floor level of a 19th century barn. Next to the barn a new similarly sized building is going up.  The new building will become the home of the winery.  As it is purpose-built, future wines will see more gravity and less pumps along with being raised with more accurate temperature control.  The original barn will become a barrel cellar.

Boordy Wine Portfolio

Boordy produces three tiers of wines: Just for Fun, Icons of Maryland and the Landmark series.  The Landmark series is the very best of each vintage year; the Icons of Maryland are designed with food in mind; and the Just for Fun series offers sweet, party wines.

At a recent visit at Boordy with Aaron Nix-Gomez from Hogshead (Aaron took and published notes, see below) and other wine writers, we only tasted Landmark wines. These wines are produced from 100% Maryland fruit of which 95% is estate fruit.  The Landmark Project was begun in 2006. It follows the guidance of viticulturist Lucie Morton which initiated a complete replanting of the vineyards.  The vineyards were replanted with closer spacing, 1 meter by 8 feet, averaging 1500 vines per acre for all 45 acres.

The Wines I Tasted

Picture: Landmark Wines

2010 Boordy Vineyards, Landmark, Cabernet Franc Reserve – $25

Aged for 18 months in French oak.

Hogshead: There were concentrated aromas of black fruit and violets.  The wine had a weighty mouth feel, power, and an inky finish.  Nice. 

2010 Boordy Vineyards, Landmark Reserve – $35

Blend of 69% Merlot, 19% Syrah, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Petit Verdot which were fermented separately. Aged for 24 months in French oak.

Hogshead: The nose was light with racy blue and black fruit.  There was good fruit in the mouth along with concentrated drying tannins.  There were racy, weighty flavors in the finish.  The drying tannins mixed with vintage perfume in the finish.  The aftertaste brought some spicy, citric tannins.  This could benefit from a few years of age.

Pictures: Boordy Wine Cellars

2010 Boordy Vineyards, Landmark, Merlot Reserve

Hogshead: This had a nose of low-lying perfumed berries.  There was more structure to this wine with expansive almost grainy, blue and black fruit.  It had focused and a powerful structure at the end.  This needs age.

schiller-wine: Related Postings

At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA

Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA

Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crabs and Wine

Schiller's World of Seafood

Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA 

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller eating Soft Shell Crabs

Last year in May, wine guru and Maryland resident Robert J. Parker tweeted: “Maryland’s greatest culinary delicacy – blue channel soft-shelled crabs are starting to arrive … lightly floured and sautéed in butter.” Maryland – with the large Chesapeake Bay – is indeed blessed with Blue Crabs which came in different forms, when you eat them at a Crab Shack.

Bluecrab.info: “My definition of a crab house is any restaurant that serves hot steamed Maryland-style hard shell crabs. You know that you're in a crab house as soon as you walk through the door, the smell of steamed crabs is in the air and you hear the sound of wooden mallets banging against crab and table as hungry diners crack into the succulent claws. As you look around you see paper-covered tables with trays of cooked bright orange crabs, mounds of discarded shells, pitchers of ice cold beer, shakers of Old Bay seafood seasoning, and bottles of apple cider vinegar. And, yes, there's the occasional basket of piping hot shell-on spiced shrimp! Ah, the memories... there's nothing quite like the atmosphere of a genuine Chesapeake Bay crab house."

Crab Shacks in the Washington Area

Here are my favorites in or close to the Washington DC area:

Washington DC City Area

The Dancing Crab - 4611 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington, DC (202) 244-1882. The family owned restaurant is a classic.

Bethesda Crab House - 4958 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, Maryland (301) 652-3382. There's a large outdoor patio available weather permitting.

Ernie's Original Crab House - 1743 King Street Alexandria, Virginia. (703) 836-0046. Located in the heart of Old Town Alexandria. Offers traditional Chesapeake Bay seafood dishes including steamed crabs.

The Quarterdeck - 1200 Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 22209, (703) 528-2722, Open Daily 11:30a.m. - 2a.m. A fixture of the Fort Meyer Heights neighborhood for over 30 years providing a relaxed atmosphere perfect for family dining.

Maine Avenue Seafood Market: You can pick up live crabs to steam at home or buy some already steamed at the Washington DC seafood market on Maine Avenue at the Potomac River. It is a fascinating place. 1100 Maine Ave.

Outside Washington DC City Area

Jimmy Cantler's: Be prepared for long waits on the weekends, but the tranquil riverside setting in Annapolis is worth it. About 45 minutes from Washington DC. 458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis.

Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant and Crabhouse: a favorite place for Harley riders and RocknRoll lovers on the western shores of the Potomac, about 1 hour south of Washington DC. 1510 Cherryhill Road, Dumfries

Captain Billy’s Crab House - 11495 Popes Creek Rd, Newburg, MD ‎ About 1 ½ hours from Washington DC on the Potomoc eastern shore.

Visiter: “And if you are looking for a Maryland crab experience, this is your place. Everyone is dressed down. There is nothing fancy. Less than 5 minutes after you order, your food is hot and ret' ta' go. You get a plastic bucket, a laminated menu and the best dang crabs MD has to offer. You are presented with only male crabs (unless you ask for a mix) Tip: Female Crabmeat is sweeter. Your drinks will be refilled, your crabs will be plentiful.”

Happy Harbor - 533 Deale Road, Deale, MD 20751, (410) 867-0949. A little dive located on the water, bar on one side, restaurant on the other. About 1 hour drive from Washington DC, on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

Stoney’s – 3 locations in Calvert County, Maryland: Broomes Island, Kingfisher’s and Solomons Pier. About 1 ½ hours from Washington DC on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Famous for its crab cakes.

Stoney’s: “We have since grown to a family of three restaurants and continue to serve the best that the Washington D.C. area has to offer. Our menus do not stop with crab cakes but also offer a variety of steaks, seafoods, appetizers, and salads. Each location offers stunning views of the Chesapeake Bay and whether you are looking for an upscale dinner or a casual happy hour, you will find that Stoney’s is the place to go.

Beyond Bay Bridge

These are all places where you have to cross the Chesapeake Bay. The Bay Bridge is about 1 hour drive from Washington DC.

Harris Crab House & Seafood Restaurant - 433 N Kent Narrows Way Grasonville, MD 21638 (410) 827-9500. Well worth the drive in Grasonville, overlooking the Kent Narrows

Fisherman's Crab Deck - 3032 Kent Narrow Way S Grasonville, MD 21638 (410) 827-6666. Also in Grasonville.

Waterman’s Crab House - Rock Hall. 10 nautical miles north of the Bay Bridge but 11/2 hours by car in weekend traffic.

Visitor: “Waterman's has been around for a long time, recently having expanded (again) to an indoor, rather plain restaurant seating perhaps a 100 or so and two enormous outdoor wooden decks with a sit down 20 seat bar and bandstand across from it, flanked on either side by the decks which are directly over the water.”

Visitor: “This afternoon, eighty degrees and sunny with only a few puffy clouds in the sky, both decks were mobbed with several hundred middle aged, full bellied, Rolex wristed crab eaters often accompanied with partners with big hair and a lot of gold. The six member band crooned Wilson Pickett, James Brown and a bit of Lloyd Price while mallets and pitchers were hammered and quaffed repeatedly. Almost every brown paper topped picnic table had a plastic garbage can at the side of it. It seemed everyone was eating crabs. This is as close to Heaven as I have ever felt in the state of Maryland.”

Visitor: “We liked Waterman's-a LOT! I would take this over Cantler's or Stoney's in a heartbeat! The setting is just truly fantastic. While not great crab cakes and a bit more expensive than other places on the Eastern Shore, this is a real find. I would suggest that Chesapeake Living magazine may be right: this may be my favorite crab house in Maryland. I would go elsewhere for crab cakes (Narrows) and perhaps for dinner (Suicide Bridge, Jerry's in Lanham). But for hard shells and to sit out on an incredibly scenic deck with a bit of Smokey Robinson in the background while hammering over the water, this IS what the Good Life is all about!”

Crab Claw in St. Michael's

Pictures: Crab Claw in St. Michaels

Schooners on the Creek in Oxford

Suicide Bridge - 6304 Suicide Bridge Rd Hurlock, MD 21643‎ (410) 943-4689 11:00 am – 10:00 pm. Waterfront dining overlooking Cabin Creek. In the Easton/Cambridge area.

Maryland Blue Crabs

The blue crab is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Coast of Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs undergo a seasonal migration; after mating, the female crab travels to the southern portion of the Chesapeake, fertilizing her eggs with sperm stored up from the last mating months or almost a year later. In November or December, the female crab releases her eggs. The crabs hatch in a larval form and float in the mouth of the bay for four to five weeks, then the juvenile crabs make their way back up into the bay.

Four Ways to Eat Chesapeake Blue Crabs

Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Blue crabs are most often eaten in the hard shell. Steaming them in large pots with water, vinegar and seasoning is the norm on the East coast. You need the whole experience: the smell of steamed crabs in the air, a pile of large steamed blue crabs covered with Old Bay Seasoning, ready to be cracked with wooden mallets, accompanied by corn on the cob, plus a roll of paper towels and a metal bucket for tossing the empty shells.

Picture: Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Soft Shell Crabs

The Chesapeake Bay is famous for its soft-shell blue crabs. As crabs grow larger, their shells cannot expand, so they molt the exteriors and have a soft covering for a matter of days when they are vulnerable and considered usable. Crabs caught just after molting are prepared as soft shell crabs: first cutting out the gills, face, and guts; the crab is then battered in flour, egg, and seasoning, then fried in oil until crispy. The entire crab is consumed, legs and all.


Picture: Soft Shell Crab

Crab Cake

Crab cakes is another delicacy. Crab Cakes are basically Hamburgers made out of crab meat. We ate it recently as a starter with tomatoes and avocado on the side.

Picture: Maryland Crab Cake

See more:
Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Maryland Crab Soup

Usually I start my crab dinner with a Maryland Crab Soup. This is a kind of an Italian Minestrone with crab meat.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, eating Maryland Crab Soup

See more:
Maryland Crabs and Wine
Schiller's World of Seafood

Maryland Wine

Blue crabs are iconic in Maryland. Few food and wine aficiniados, however, would point to premium wines, when talking about Maryland; instead, Maryland has the reputation of being a mediocre wine producer. But Maryland winemakers are very successfully changing that. Increasingly, winemakers in Maryland are moving away from fruit wines and non-European grape varieties that have long plagued the East Coast to produce wines that can compete with the best wines in the world. As Drew Baker of the brand-new Old Westminster Winery explained to Frank Morgan, a popular wine blogger, “Maryland has great potential and I believe that the quality bar is rising quickly. Soon, poorly made wines will be the exception in an otherwise great region.” Old Westminster Winery, led by the three siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli, who manage the vineyard, winemaking, and marketing, respectively, has not yet released any wine, but is already generating a buzz. Other promising newcomers include Black Ankle, Slack, Sugar Loaf Mountain and Port of Leonardtown. Add to that the Maryland classics Boordy, Basignani and Elk Run, which are in the process of changing gears.

Maryland’s modern wine history dates to the 1970s, but grapes have been planted in the area since the 17th century. Most of Maryland’s 60 plus wineries are in the Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland, but grapes also thrive in the Eastern Shore, Southern Plain, and Western Mountains: (1) A majority of the state’ vineyards are planted in Piedmont Plateau in central Maryland. (2) The Chesapeake Bay has always been among my favorite regions, but the Eastern Shore is also a fantastic growing region. The soil is sandy and well-drained, and the climate is moderated/protected by the water, perfect for warm days and cool nights. (3) In the Southern Plain in southern Maryland it can get rather hot. And stay hot during the night. Barbera, Sangiovese, and Chardonnay dominate. (4) Western Maryland is mountainous, and while there are only two wineries, there is a number of vineyards.

I have written extensively about a number of Maryland wineries, see:
At the Fifth Annual Drink Local Wine Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, USA 
Touring Wine Country Maryland, USA
Grand Tasting of Maryland Wines and Twitter Taste-off - Drink Local Wine Conference 2013 in Maryland, USA
Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

Schiller’s Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series. Here is a full list of all Schiller’s favorites postings so far.

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorites from the VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru – Presentation at Kloster Eberbach, 2012, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary

Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California 

Crab Cakes: Jeff Black from Black Salt and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jeff Black, and all the Chefs

A crab cake is a delicious American dish that looks like a Hamburger but is composed of crab meat and various other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, milk, mayonnaise, eggs, yellow onions, and seasonings. Crab cakes are traditionally associated with the area surrounding the Chesapeake Bay, in particular the State of Maryland.

The American Institute of Wine and Food (AIWF) National Capital Area Chapter and The Source by Wolfgang Puck hosted the 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA on June 9, 2013. The contest put eight of the area’s top chefs against one another in a crab cake showdown.

Picture: 8th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC

A jury composed of local chefs and food critics selected a winner, based on special plates prepared for the jury. Judges (from left right): Cathey Borrow (Washington Post), Chef Marjorie Meeks Bradley (Ripple) David Hagedorn (Washington Post) Betsy Apple (Washington Post) Eun Yang (Morning news anchor for NBC4/WRC-TV)

Pictures: The Judges

Guests had the chance to sample each chef’s unique take on crab cakes and vote for their favorites, as well as cruise oyster, beer and wine stations.

Pictures: Tasting

Chef Scott Drewno (Source by Wolfgang Puck) and Ris Lacoste (Ris) refereed.

Pictures: Chef Scott Drewno (Source by Wolfgang Puck) and Ris Lacoste (Ris)

The star-studded line-up of contestants was comprised of 8 chefs: Kyle Bailey (Birch and Barley), Jeff Black (Black Salt), Chris Clime (PassionFish), John Critchley (Bourbon Steak), Spike Gjerde (Woodberry Kitchen), Matt Hagan (Mussel Bar and Grille), Russell Smith (Wolfgang Puck Catering) and David Stein (Tony and Joe’s Seafood).

The Winner – Judges’ Choice: Jeff Black, Black Salt

Over the years, the Houston native Jeff Black and his wife Barbara Black, both chefs, have created a little empire comprising half a dozen establishments in D.C. and the surrounding suburbs: Addie’s, BlackSalt Restaurant and Fish Market, Black Market Bistro, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Pearl Dive, and Black Jack—with more on the way.

Jeff Black met his future wife Barbara in New York at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.. In 1991, Jeff followed Barbara to D.C., where she had family, and got his first job working with Kinkead’s chef Bob Kinkead at now-shuttered 21 Federal. He went on to work for revered chefs Roberto Donna and Jean-Louis Palladin at Pesce before opening his first restaurant, Addie’s, in Rockville in 1995.

See also:
Owner Jean-Bernard Grenié and Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos Presented the Wines of Chateau Angélus and Chateau Daugay at Black Salt Restaurant in Washington DC, USA

The Winner - Popular Choice: Chris Clime, PassionFish

PassionFish is a seafood restaurant located in the Reston Town Center, 40 minutes from downtown Washington, DC. It is a sister restaurant of the popular DC Coast, TenPenh, Ceiba, and Acadiana restaurants in Washington DC. Chris Clime is the Executive Chef at PassionFish, He is a native of Virginia.

Other Participants

Matt Hagan (Mussel Bar and Grille)

Chef-restaurateur Robert Wiedmaier pays homage to his Belgian roots at Mussel Bar and Grille in Bethesda

See also:
Tablas Creek Wines from Paso Robles and Belgian Food at Brasserie Beck with Tablas Greek GM Jason Haas and Chef Robert Wiedmaier in Washington DC, USA

John Critchley (Bourbon Steak)

A Michael Mina restaurant, this chic and contemporary steakhouse restaurant is located just off the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Kyle Bailey (Birch and Barley)

Birch and Barley is a Washington DC restaurant dedicated to an unparalleled collection of 555 artisanal beers.

David Stein (Tony and Joe’s Seafood)

Seafood Place at the Georgetown Waterfront. Tony Cibel, patriarch of the Oceanside Management Family of restaurants, which includes The Dancing Crab, Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place, Nick’s Riverside Grille, Kaufmanns Tavern, Cabanas and The Rockfish, is a native Washingtonian.

Assistants of Russell Smith (Wolfgang Puck Catering)

Part of the Wolfgang Puck empire in the US.

Spike Gjerde (Woodberry Kitchen)

Huffington Post: “Nestled in a long-closed mill in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood Woodberry Kitchen is a bastion of local and organic cooking. Since opening in fall 2007, the place has won acclaim for dishes by chef and owner Spike Gjerde”. The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema enthusiastically endorsed it, writing "One part Fannie Farmer, one part Alice Waters, Woodberry Kitchen is all heart. Go, Baltimore!" In Washingtonian magazine's list of the 100 best restaurants in the region for 2012, Woodberry Kitchen is the only Baltimore spot profiled.

See also:
Chef Spike Gjerde's Farm-to-Table Food of Woodberry Kitchen and Sarah O’Herron's and Ed Boyce's Premium Organic Wines of Black Ankle Vineyards, Maryland, USA

4 Oyster Producers

Chesapeak Gold Oysters
Hooper Island, Maryland

Hollywood Oyster Company
Hollywood, Maryland

The Choptank Oyster Company
Cambridge, Maryland

Barren Island Oysters
Hoopers Island, Maryland

Maryland Blue Crabs

Last year in May, wine guru and Maryland resident Robert J. Parker tweeted: “Maryland’s greatest culinary delicacy – blue channel soft-shelled crabs are starting to arrive … lightly floured and sautéed in butter.” Maryland – with the large Chesapeake Bay – is indeed blessed with Blue Crabs which came in different forms, when you eat them at a Crab Shack. Unfortunately, Maryland’s delicious seafood was on the backburner during the conference.

The blue crab is a crustacean found in the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Coast of Central America and the Gulf of Mexico. Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs undergo a seasonal migration; after mating, the female crab travels to the southern portion of the Chesapeake, fertilizing her eggs with sperm stored up from the last mating months or almost a year later. In November or December, the female crab releases her eggs. The crabs hatch in a larval form and float in the mouth of the bay for four to five weeks, then the juvenile crabs make their way back up into the bay.

Four Ways to Eat Chesapeake Blue Crabs

Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Blue crabs are most often eaten in the hard shell. Steaming them in large pots with water, vinegar and seasoning is the norm on the East coast. You need the whole experience: the smell of steamed crabs in the air, a pile of large steamed blue crabs covered with Old Bay Seasoning, ready to be cracked with wooden mallets, accompanied by corn on the cob, plus a roll of paper towels and a metal bucket for tossing the empty shells.

Picture: Hard Shell Blue Crabs

Soft Shell Crabs

The Chesapeake Bay is famous for its soft-shell blue crabs. As crabs grow larger, their shells cannot expand, so they molt the exteriors and have a soft covering for a matter of days when they are vulnerable and considered usable. Crabs caught just after molting are prepared as soft shell crabs: first cutting out the gills, face, and guts; the crab is then battered in flour, egg, and seasoning, then fried in oil until crispy. The entire crab is consumed, legs and all.


Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller eating Soft Shell Crabs

Crab Cake

Crab cakes is another delicacy. Crab Cakes are basically Hamburgers made out of crab meat. We ate it recently as a starter with tomatoes and avocado on the side.

Picture: Maryland Crab Cake

See more:
Wine and Crab Cakes: Amy Brandwein from Casa Nonna and Chris Clime from PassionFish win the 6th Annual Crab Cake Competition in Washington DC, USA 

Maryland Crab Soup

Usually I start my crab dinner with a Maryland Crab Soup. This is a kind of an Italian Minestrone with crab meat.

Pictures: Annette Schiller, wine tours by ombiasy, eating Maryland Crab Soup

See more:
Maryland Crabs and Wine
Schiller's World of Seafood

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