Maryland Delights, Act III : Old Bay Seasoning

And this is the third and last installment of the Tale of the Maryland Delights which Alicia sent me. The last item is a tin of Old Bay Seasoning, without which, I am told, no Southern kitchen is quite complete.

It is a mix of celery salt, mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon and paprika, very well balanced and somewhat spicy when you taste it as is. But if you look closely at the ingredient list, you will notice that it says spices, including the ones I just listed : so haha! there may very well be a secret ingredient, for it is, in fact, a secret recipe, developped 60 years ago by one Gustav Brunn, a German immigrant.

I adore the old-fashioned tin it comes in, which fits so nicely in one's hand, and has three (yes, three!) different pourers : would you like a light sprinkle, a heavier shake or a good sturdy pour? Just open the right lid, and let the tin work its magic!

It is said to work wonders on grilled or steamed seafood, but also on burgers, veggies, chicken, salads, dips -- well, just about anything! The tin even sports a few nice and simple recipes, for crab cakes, steamed shrimp, steamed crabs, and a spicy marinade for chicken.

And look how well the tin is settling in on my spice shelf! It has already started making friends, and I do sense a great friendship developping between the Old Bay Seasoning and the Piment d'Espelette.