How big is your voCRABulary?
Blue crab season is moving in, and that means there will be crabs and crabs all over the place in Maryland over the next few months. (As if they ever go away during the offseason around here.) As we dive head first into the most delicious time of the year, we thought you might want to get to know your favorite shellfish a little better so you can impress your friends and family with all sorts of crab terminology this summer.
VoCRABulary 101
When you’re obsessively stuffing your face full of top-notch crab cakes, you probably don’t necessarily care about keeping up with your vocrabulary. But if you’re as obsessed with crabs as we are, it’s good to be in the know. You might want to make flash cards — the test is next week.
- Apron: An abdominal covering on the bottom of the crab that helps determine the sex of the crab. (It’s also kind of a tail.) Female crabs carry eggs under their apron.
- Fun fact! Male crabs’ aprons are skinny and long like the Washington Monument, while lady aprons are broader and shaped like the Capitol Building. Blue crabs love Maryland as much as we love them!
- Callinectes sapidus: The scientific/taxonomical name of the Atlantic blue crab. Callinectes is Latin for beautiful swimmer and sapidus is Latin for tasty or savory.
- Claw meat: The “dark meat” of the crab, obviously taken from the claws. Least expensive crab meat, best used in soups, stews, and chowders.
- Jimmy: A male crab
- Jumbo lump: The largest (and most delicious!) pieces of white meat from the crab. This is what we use in our famous crab cakes.
- Mustard: No, not the condiment. It’s commonly believed that this mustard-yellow substance is fat, but it’s actually kind of like the crab’s pancreas. It’s an organ that filters impurities out of its blood. It’s best not to eat this part, on account of the toxins that it filters out.
- Sook: An adult female crab
VoCRABulary 102
It should go without saying that all of those terms above only very barely scratch the surface of all the vocrabulary that exists out there. If you really want to bone up on your crab terminology, check out this HUGE list from BlueCrabInfo.net. Those guys sure know a thing or two about blue crabs.
On the Other Hand…Just Eat ‘Em!
If you have any questions about our world famous Maryland Crab Cakes, please contact Box Hill Crabcakes by calling 410-515-3662 or feel free to order online. You won’t be disappointed! . If you ever have any questions or comments about Box Hill or our Maryland crab cakes, use ourcontact form here.
Located in Abingdon, Maryland, we have a strong commitment to customer service and satisfaction in a family-friendly environment. Boxhill Crab Cakes are proudly made from a secret family recipe and have grown in popularity for over 25 years.
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