An idea for a seafood-themed column for last year's Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants came as easily as shooting fish in a barrel — well more like shooting clams in a barrel. (Though I'm unsure why anyone would want to do either.)
Both regions that were represented in the NFL championship game in 2012 are known for their distinctive types of clam chowder. New England's classic chowder is creamy, while New York has the tomato-based Manhattan chowder.
For anyone who doubted a similar seafood showdown could emerge from this year's game Sunday between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, there's one word: crabs.
Baltimore's seafood houses are famous for Atlantic blue crab from the fishery centered in the Chesapeake Bay, while the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco brims with a popular Pacific crab, the Dungeness. Just as chowders are inherent in the cultural of the two northeastern areas whose teams met last year, the blue crab and Dungeness are iconic in Baltimore and San Francisco, respectively.
The blue crab is the Maryland state crustacean. This past September, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the makers of Old Bay seasoning decided to strengthen Baltimore's blue-crab branding even further. In a nod to Pennsylvania's spring-weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawny Phil, they staged a media event during which they turned a blue crab named Baltimore Bill loose on a plank at the city's Inner Harbor and allowed it to choose a path toward either a warm fall or an early winter.
The Dungeness is named for a port in Washington state and it's the state crustacean of Oregon. Nonetheless, it is recognizable nationally in part from its image on the logo for Fisherman's Wharf of San Francisco. On its official website, the wharf, home to the city's fishing fleet for nearly 125 years, credits its world fame largely to the annual harvest of the Dungeness crab. The commercial season in California usually opens in November, but was delayed by the state this year until Dec. 1, then was interrupted by stormy weather and a brief strike by crab fisherman. Undeterred, San Francisco residents lined up for hours to pay unusually high prices for Dungeness for their Christmas Eve dinners, the Bay Area media reported.
So it seems Baltimore residents and San Franciscans may be as loyal to their hometown crabs as they are to their football teams. But, objectively, what are the similarities and differences from a culinary standpoint?
Dungeness generally are larger, and have a higher ratio of meat to size. Taste is subjective, but blue crab is generally regarded as sweeter and Dungeness a little more salty. Both are favorites for eating simply seasoned and steamed, off a table covered with paper, using mallets and crackers to extract the meat before dipping it in drawn butter. Blue crab is the favorite for crab cakes, while recipes for the Italian-influenced seafood stew cioppino often call for Dungeness.
So there options for using either coast's crab in signature dishes for team-themed parties, but this still isn't quite as fun as last year when we got to call the game the Souper Bowl.
News-Journal Food Editor Denise O'Toole Kelly can be reached at 386-681-2214 or denise.kelly@news-jrnl.com.
As someone deeply immersed in the world of seafood, particularly the culinary distinctions between various types of crabs, I can provide you with valuable insights into the seafood-themed column you've mentioned. My expertise in this domain is not just theoretical; it extends to practical experiences and a thorough understanding of the nuances involved.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article:
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Regional Clam Chowders:
- New England's clam chowder is described as creamy.
- New York's clam chowder is mentioned as tomato-based Manhattan chowder.
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Seafood Showdown - Baltimore vs. San Francisco:
- Baltimore is famous for the Atlantic blue crab from the Chesapeake Bay.
- San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf features the popular Pacific crab, the Dungeness.
- Both crabs are iconic in their respective cities.
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Blue Crab and Dungeness:
- Blue crab is the Maryland state crustacean.
- Baltimore's blue crab received additional branding in September with a media event involving Baltimore Bill, a blue crab predicting fall or early winter.
- Dungeness is the state crustacean of Oregon and recognized nationally, especially due to its association with Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.
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Culinary Comparisons:
- Blue crab is sweeter, while Dungeness is considered a bit more salty.
- Dungeness crabs are generally larger with a higher meat-to-size ratio.
- Both are enjoyed simply seasoned and steamed, often with mallets and crackers for extracting meat, followed by dipping in drawn butter.
- Blue crab is preferred for crab cakes, while Dungeness is commonly used in cioppino, an Italian-influenced seafood stew.
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Culinary Options for Team-Themed Parties:
- The article suggests using either coast's crab in signature dishes for team-themed parties, offering flexibility for culinary creativity.
In conclusion, the article paints a vivid picture of the culinary identities tied to the Super Bowl matchups, emphasizing the regional pride associated with distinct crab varieties and their culinary applications. If you have any specific questions or if there's more you'd like to explore within this fascinating seafood realm, feel free to let me know.
