Comments on: Old Bay Spices Up My Life

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 18:34:22 +0000

As Matt White noted, McCormick is also a Baltimore company of LONG standing (I remember smelling the spice plant in B’more when I was a kid on the way to visit my grandparents!), so I think we can give the Guys a pass. They’re still using locally-packaged ingredients, so I’m okay with it.

My aunt and uncle, who always do fabulous costumes, won a Halloween costume contest last year for dressing as a crab and a tin of Old Bay. My uncle, a really good artist, hand-painted every detail of the tin on a big cardboard box.

By: Courtney Davis

Courtney Davis — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:21:54 +0000

Hi i stumbled upon this article while trying to find the history of old bay and loved it! I grew up in Maryland right between Annapolis and Baltimore. I know the best of both worlds for Maryland Seafood! and the bay! I grew up using old bay on just about everything. Favorites include any type of potato. popcorn, plain corn, corn on the cobb, burgers, steak, chicken, and ANY KIND OF SEAFOOD ESPECIALLY BLUE CRABS!!!

By: Teresa

Teresa — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:27:36 +0000

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?

By: oldbayman

oldbayman — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:18:04 +0000

you can put olday on anythying buy my favotie to put it on besides crabs is popcorn its soooo good trust me :)

By: jose rodriguez

jose rodriguez — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:36:45 +0000

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.

By: Rose

Rose — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:45:31 +0000

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.

By: Matt White

Matt White — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:35:54 +0000

oops! I meant I wouldn’t be surprised! Changes the whole meaning.

By: Matt White

Matt White — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:34:41 +0000

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.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:29:06 +0000

I use it around the rim (like salt for a margarita) of a glass for bloody marys – very nice.

By: laura

laura — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:50:52 +0000

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!

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:48:31 +0000

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