Old Bay Spices Up My Life
Old Bay on Chesapeake Bay crabs. Delicious. Image courtesy of the author.
This summer marks the 70th anniversary of the best spice blend ever known to humankind: Old Bay Seasoning. Mrs. Dash may have low sodium and Emeril may be bam-tastic, but no other spice has the kick and the nostalgia of summers past like Old Bay. According to the Maryland-based company, the history of Old Bay goes as follows:
German immigrant Gustav Brunn settled in Baltimore, among the crab lovers of Maryland. In 1939, he started a spice business and rented a space on Baltimore’s Market Place, opposite the Wholesale Fish Market. With only a small spice grinder and mixer, he began creating the secret recipe that would become OLD BAY Seasoning.
Thanks to Mr. Brunn, Old Bay is a Chesapeake Bay institution that packs a wallop of a punch on fresh corn on the cob, blue crabs, shrimp, and well, pretty much anything else. Similar in flavor to a Cajun southern spice, Old Bay is a delicious combination of celery salt, mustard, pepper (both red and black), bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon and paprika.
Yet it wasn’t until I went up to school in Boston that I realized that my second-favorite spicy seasoning (second to the dangerous Sriracha Rooster Sauce) was a regional treat.
One of the best non-crab uses for Old Bay is on french fries. Go to a boardwalk in Ocean City and you can’t walk a few feet without running into the seasoned french fries. But while I was up in school in Boston, I ventured to historic-meeting-house-turned-food-court-tourist-trap Faneuil Hall, avoided the chainariffic options, and ordered some fresh-cut french fries from a seafood stand. My requests for Old Bay were returned with blank stares. I am still disappointed, seven years later. New England may have clam chowder, but their flavor palate could use some work.
The Internet Food Association blew up a couple of months ago when their blasphemous New York blogger insulted the use of Old Bay on crabs, which is kind of like being angry about having Thousand Island dressing on your Reuben sandwich. Fortunately, the other IFA bloggers smacked their colleague down. I was reminded of the online debate the most recent time I cracked open some Chesapeake Bay crabs and was served a bowl of vinegar and a bowl of Old Bay with my crabs; this was new, but it was fantastic. Dip the lump crab meet in the vinegar, then into the Old Bay, and I’m smiling wider than I possibly can.
A last note—beware of imitation Old Bay. Not that the imitators aren’t good, but you just can’t call them Old Bay. Our web producer Ryan calls Utz’s “The Crab Chip” “a little bag of heaven,” but they don’t use Old Bay. Five Guys fries are legendary, but the Web is inconclusive as to whether or not their cajun fries (definitely superior to the already amazing regular fries) use Old Bay or not.
UPDATE: Just in from Five Guys HQ — they use McCormick’s Cajun Seasoning, not Old Bay. I won’t hold it against them.
The summer is winding down, which means crab season is almost over. So what else should I season with Old Bay? Any suggestions?
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I put Old Bay on tons of things, and I think I’ve been in Maryland for a total of 11 hours. I grew up in Hawaii with it on hand anytime my dad made crabcakes, but now that I live in NYC I sprinkle it onto homefries, scrambled eggs, and other hearty breakfast foods. Last night, in fact, I made skillet smashed potatoes from 101 cookbooks, covered them with a fine dusting of Old Bay and served them with thinned plain yogurt and more Old Bay mixed in. Strangely delicious.
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/loris-skillet-smashed-potatoes-recipe.html
Comment by Lauren — August 4, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
Old bay was always a seasonal treat spending the summers in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Now we use it year round- crab dip, on TATER TOTS (trust me on this one- the BEST), baked potatoes, fried eggs, seafood pasta, veggie dip… my stomach is growling for some now!, grilled chicken, steaks and my favorite (after the tater tots)- COTTAGE CHEESE. Delish. I know what I am having for dinner tonight!
Comment by laura — August 5, 2009 @ 11:50 am
I use it around the rim (like salt for a margarita) of a glass for bloody marys – very nice.
Comment by Jenn — August 6, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
Jenn: I believe that is called a Crabby Mary.
Also, since McCormick’s has owned Old Bay since the early 90’s, and they also own Zatarains for that matter, the distinction between Old Bay and McCormick’s Cajun may be less than we think and more about PR and mythologizing than actual ingredients. (both McCormick and Old Bay are MD companies and I would be surprised if both spices are mixed in their Hunt Valley plant.)
I hereby volunteer for any side-by-side taste tests.
I put old bay on burgers, chicken, and all manner of seafood. Tastes especially nice on a shrimp pizza, but use a mild sauce or hardly any sauce.
Comment by Matt White — August 10, 2009 @ 11:34 am
oops! I meant I wouldn’t be surprised! Changes the whole meaning.
Comment by Matt White — August 10, 2009 @ 11:35 am
thanks for the tip about using it for Bloody Mary, Jenn!
Yes, on cottage cheese! Also wonderful on any canned veggie.
Now, I can’t remeber why I originally bought it many years ago. I’m in San Jose, CA.
Comment by Rose — August 11, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
I´m mexican, and I discover Old Bay recently, four years ago but I’m in my sixties. First, I think the taste was very strong and impossible to combine with nothing but shrimps. Oh surprise, it´s incredible with mexican food, for enchiladas, huevos rancheros, chiles rellenos, etc. but now I’m very anxious to try the bloody mary, thank you for the tip.
Comment by jose rodriguez — August 17, 2009 @ 10:36 pm
you can put olday on anythying buy my favotie to put it on besides crabs is popcorn its soooo good trust me
Comment by oldbayman — September 21, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
Last winter we (in Spokane, WA) hosted my daughter’s boyfriend who was from Connecticut. He was amazed that we knew nothing about Old Bay Seasoning and that we couldn’t get it in our local grocery store. He had his mother send him some and now we love it. I grew up using Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and now can’t decide which I love most. Should I be loyal to the old favorite or should I embrace the new favorite?
Comment by Teresa — October 3, 2009 @ 3:27 pm