An Ode to Old Bay

There are only three things I know about the city of Baltimore, Maryland - the Ravens and Orioles play there; "The Wire" was set there, and that Old Bay seasoning mix is made there. Named after the Old Bay steamship line, Old Bay was created in 1939 by Gustav Brunn, a German immigrant who fled Germany in 1937 at the outset of World War 2 with only a small spice grinder in his possession, according to legend. After founding the Baltimore Spice Company, Brunn created a blend of black pepper, celery salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika (among other things) that he originally called "Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning". While mainly used to season seafood, Old Bay soon found its way into recipes that use poultry, red meat, corn, potatoes, or grilled vegetables, and being sprinkled on eggs, popcorn, salads, and pizza. This ubiquitous spice blend was made by the Baltimore Spice Company until McCormick & Company acquired the legal rights to the seasoning brand in 1990; the rights to the Baltimore Spice Company itself were purchased by the Fuchs Group, a German spice company. Because it has so many uses, I consider Old Bay a must-have for any spice rack. If you need more convincing, try this recipe for the food that was there from the beginning.

Ingredients: Crab Cakes

454 g lump crabmeat (don't use the fake stuff)
30 g mayonnaise
10 g Old Bay seasoning
10 g parsley flakes
5 g yellow mustard
2 slices white bread, crusts removed and crumbled
1 egg, beaten

1. Mix the bread, mayonnaise, Old Bay, parsley, mustard and egg in a large bowl until its well blended. Gently stir in crabmeat. Shape the mixture into four patties.
2. You can either broil the patties in the oven for ten minutes without turning, or you can fry them in a pan on the stove until they turn golden brown on both sides, it's up to you. The crab cakes are good on their own or served with a green salad. Feel free to sprinkle on Old Bay if you like, no one will judge.