August, 2010 marked my five year anniversary as a Maryland state resident. And this August provided to me various opportunities to complete my checklist of "things Maryland residents do". I saw a show at Ram's Head Tavern. I spent a crazy girls weekend in a beach house on the infamous Dewey Beach. Above all, I ate crabs.
Seth and Emily, also fellow New Yorkers have always been way ahead of me in their mid-atlantic assimilation. By now, they are old hats at the crab thing and Seth declares it his most favorite meal EVER. When asked why, he'll say its because it takes forever.....the crab eaters are forced to take their time with their meal. With their fingers occupied with crab-dismantling, there is ample time for beer and socializing. Eric and I were the lucky guests to Seth and Emily's first crab-christening of their new house in DC. I'm sure that a solid two weeks went by before the crab scent vacated their sparkling new home. Somehow, I don't think Seth was concerned.
I wish I could explain to you "how to eat a crab", but I can't. There is a method to the madness and a general process of tearing away the belly shell which Seth explained in a pre-dinner lesson, but after awhile your fingers take over and your mind mellows out in general crab-bliss. I honestly don't remember how I got all that crab meat into my mouth but I'm confident that if given the chance, I could easily do it again. Three days later Eric and I were still cleaning Old Bay seasoning out of our finger nails and scrubbing our hands with lemon. 
That reminds me: I'm not a true Maryland resident until I keep a canister of Old Bay in my spice rack. There. That's my assignment for Labor Day weekend. Then I'll be official. Or maybe, I should finally go and get a Maryland license.
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