I'm back home this week after a month away in Spain and Ukraine.
And what was one of the first things I did? Go eat clams and crabs on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Maryland Blue Crabs are a big tradition in my home state’s Chesapeake Bay. It's one of the many reasons I love living here! But I have been eating crabs since I was a little boy growing up in Asturias. The crabs I love from Spain are the Centollos, the spider crabs from the North that almost look like they’re prehistoric. They give a world of flavor in a single body, from the sweet, tender leg meat to the iodine rush of the liver and brains. Really, they are the only thing superior to a Maryland Blue Crab.
I have always been a boy who loves the sea, so I make a point of finding something delicious that is still dripping with seawater where ever I am. But don’t expect sauces, spices, or fancy garnishes! All of this comes cooked in water and salt—nothing else. It takes a lot of guts to leave something as it is, and we Asturians have plenty of guts.
I also love eating Cherrystone Steamer clams. As you can see in the video above, my favorite way to eat them is to add the water they’re cooked in, with some butter, salt, black pepper, and a touch of lemon. In Spain, I eat lots of almejas—clams of all shapes and sizes—but one of my absolute favorites is razor clams.
These jewels are harvested by courageous divers who brave the seas of the rocky Galician coastline, in Spain’s northwest. Razor clams are long, thin and plump, naturally briny from saltwater; they are a true taste of Spain. All I add is a simple squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh herbs. Boom! Here in Maryland, I am a regular at the Bethesda Crab House, where the owner Yen will text me where the crabs are coming from and how big they are. I bring my family, friends, famous Spanish chefs, and journalists who come over to my house. We all eat at the Crab House.
They even keep four wine glasses on one of the shelves whenever I come by. (They don’t have any other glassware in the restaurant!) Because, of course, seafood is always better with a glass of crisp Albariño or Cava in your hand!
Cheers my friends!
Crabs and Clams on Maryland's Eastern Shore