A visit from Bryan's aunt Gladys prompted an evening in baltimore with Daniel, and an overnight at home for some time to spend together chatting over inconsequential subjects like postmodernism, love, and the end of the world as we know it.
But first we had to have crab.
And if you have ever gone "pickin crab" you know that it is a very messy ritual involving a hammer.
After ordering the number of crab you would like, the waiter brings you a big piece of butcher paper to cover the table and then dumps a bucket full of crabs all over it.
The rest is up to you.
Introducing Aunt Gladys to this maryland tradition, she was more than just a good sport but embraced the experience with fervor. Unlike Daniel (who is normally adventurous when it comes to food) who had to leave the table to get some air. One can get kind of squeamish after the lesson of how to disect the little beasties. Pulling the tab (breastplate) and then popping their top (pulling the shell apart) is hard enough, but removing gills and brains and other such muck to get to the good stuff can sometimes turn an appetite inside out.
I have to admit fighting back the squeems but my big issue was patience.
I just don't want to work that hard for my food.
But putting the work aside, with hammer in hand, once you get a system going it is kind of fun.
And very tasty.
poor little beasties.
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