You might wonder why crab cakes got their name, especially since they don’t look like cakes.
Crabs are delicious and anything made from crab meat is equally delicious. You might wonder why crab cakes got their name, especially since they don’t look like cakes. Not all cakes are created equal, though, and some can be savory as easily as they can be sweets set aside for dessert. Let’s learn more about the history of crab cakes!
In Native American Cuisine
It should be no surprise that crab cakes have always been popular in the areas around the Chesapeake Bay, where blue crabs are plentiful. This abundance hasn’t gone unnoticed, either. Back then, the meat was scooped by hand out of the shells, as it is still done today. The settlers also adopted crab cakes into their cuisine, but put their own spins on it.
In the Early 20th Century
Let’s jump ahead in time, to the 1920s. Here in the early 20th century, crab cakes evolved. Maryland and Virginia became the hotspots for crab meat. The advent of refrigeration and refrigerated trains allowed for crabs and crabmeat to be transported across the country and spread out from where crab cakes originated.
Different Types
Different regions have different ways to prepare their crab cake. When you’re in Baltimore, though, you can’t beat the crab cakes at Costas Inn. There’s a reason that we are your seafood destination, and have been since 1971. In the north stretching from Baltimore to Pennsylvania, a thick cream sauce is involved in the process. The cakes then need to rest for a few hours before they can be served with tasty sides and cold beer or wine. Meanwhile, Eastern Shore crab cakes use egg and flour as complements to the crab meat, but do not detract or distract from it. Continental crab cakes come from the west, where bread and cracker crumbs are used as fillers to help bind the cakes and keep them intact when it’s time to eat.
YOUR SEAFOOD DESTINATION
Costas Inn has been a Baltimore tradition since 1971. You may recognize our restaurant, which was recently featured on the Food Network with Michael Symon on Burgers, Brew, and ‘Que! We were also voted the 2015 #1 Baltimore Seafood Restaurant by USA Today, as well as #1 Crab Restaurant 2014 in the Baltimore Business Journal. You may have also spotted Costas Inn during one of our 9 appearances on the Today Show or heard one of our many interviews on WJZ TV Channel 13 with Ron Matz and Marty Bass.
You can enjoy our famous crab cakes in-house or order them online for any time eating. We also provide some of the best seafood catering in the Baltimore area! You can also get your fill from Costas even when you’re not in our dining room: follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube!