Over the last few years, the Cape Charles Rotary Club has celebrated its crab cake fundraiser with a published peek into how the event has evolved into a much anticipated gastronomical treat each July 4th and Thanksgiving holiday. The Club has shared its crab cake recipe and how the production process has continuously improved to the level that 1,500 crab cakes are made on a typical Friday morning.
Many have asked, “Just what is the origin of the crab cake?” Long ago, crabs were only available along the East and West Coasts and were not as nationally popular as they are today. They were thought to be dangerous and too difficult to eat. Over time, fishermen mastered harvesting the crab’s meat and the crustacean became a popular dish along the coastlines. On the Eastern Shore, we know that lobster-like delicacy to be the blue crab.
For years, blue crabs were one of the most abundant creatures in the Chesapeake Bay and they became a popular food in the surrounding area. Many cooks used crab in their recipes, combining the delicious meat with spices and breadcrumbs or crackers; however, the term “crab cake” was first coined by Crosby Gaige in the 1930s. In his cookbook titled, “New York World’s Fair Cook Book”, he gave his popular recipe the name “Baltimore Crab Cakes”.
Old Bay Seasoning is one of the not-so-secret ingredients in the Cape Charles Rotary’s 100% blue crab meat, no filler, crab cakes. Old Bay Seasoning was developed by German immigrant, Gustav Brunn, in the 1940s. The seasoning is named after the Old Bay Line, a passenger ship line that traveled the waters of the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore to Norfolk in the early 1900s.
Hopefully, this short retrospective will encourage you to support the Cape Charles Rotary Club’s community projects by investing in a tray of six 100% blue crab meat, no filler, crab cakes. The crab cakes will be made on November 17th and are sold for $6.00 each. Please order early because the Rotary has met its 1,500-production limit for the last three cycles.
Many long-time supporters purchase multiple trays and freeze them for use through the holidays.
To order yours, please call Bill Payne at 331-4047 or send him an email to him at payne1942@msn.com. The Cape Charles Rotary thanks its friends for their continued support.
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We sure do love these CC Rotarycrab cakes! We serve them as part of our crab cake Benedict to our guests at the Inn and they LOVE them! So easy too, you keep them frozen, thaw and cook your preferred method. We see it as a win/win….support a great local service organization plus have an easy and delicious go to meal for guests ( or dinner for us!)