Go get crabs in Maryland, and not just the itchy kind

For those of you who have continued to read this article, despite the scary headline, we intend to inform you of why Maryland is known as the "crab capital" of the U.S. and to provide some ways for you to enjoy them. Just to clarify, we're talking about the kind that you use Old Bay spice on and steam in a pot.

While the other kind of crabs can be found anywhere (especially on the streets of Baltimore) there are many places along the shores of the Chesapeake where you can find the tasty crustaceans Marylanders love to feast on.

There are many restaurants both locally and in Baltimore County where you can find delicous crab cakes and crabs by the dozen. A few come to mind such a s Crabby Dick's down in Fell's Point, City Lights in the Inner Harbor, the Rusty Scupper and McCormick and Schmick's (both located downtown.) Obrycki's is probably one of the best places to get crabs. They don't accept reservations, so either be prepared to wait, or have another place in mind just in case. The best things to get are the crab soup, crab cakes and the crab balls. They provide all the necessities of paper-covered tables, mallets and wet-naps.

For those of you who are fortunate enough to be in the sophomore class, you might remember the crab bake they had at Terrace. For many, it was the best meal that we ever had a Terrace. It's probably the only meal that didn't have the famed laxative-attack afterwards. Luckily, we had a Baltimore native as one of our friends who taught us all the proper way to eat crabs.

If you're going to buy crabs to eat at home, or if you're ordering in a restaurant, there are a few things you should know. Soft shell crabs are are very delicate and you can eat them whole. You don't have to break the shells on these suckers. Male crabs are called "jimmies" while the female's are called "sooks."

Breaking crabs is a very frustrating process because there is little reward for a lot of work. The most plentiful part of the crab is the backfin, and the best part to eat is adjacent to it, called the "lump." That is also the hardest part of the crab body to penetrate. If you want to do less work, crack open the claws and eat the brownish meat, which is not as delectible as the "lump."

In terms of your first experience with crabs, make sure you wash right after...because the smell of Old Bay will linger for days. But seriously, we suggest eating with a veteran crab picker. He or she will be able to tell you the difference between the intestine and the "lump."If you'd like to play a game while enjoying crabs, there is one that we like to play called "You eat it, I eat it." Try it, it's fun.

You probably should know that the crabs you are feasting on in Maryland are not always from the Chesapeake. The majority of crabs are shipped from the Gulf of Mexico. Hard shell crabs are shipped live from this distant point on the map. Crab cakes are often made of pasteurized crab meat that can come from as far away as Asia.

Not only that, but the price of crabs has gone up tremendously this year. The harvest was down and the cost of shipping has gone up. A dozen crabs (depending on size) cost between $36 and $60 this year. Thats a pretty penny to pay for our deep-blue friends.

Surprisingly, crabs were not even that popular nationwide until about 10 years ago. That was when sailors started bringing them from port to port. (Are we still talking about the food? It could definitely go both ways.) The edible ones, anyway, were largely a regional dish until they gained nationwide popularity. Sky-rocketing demand accross the U.S. made the prices go up, and shipments from other parts of the world increased greatly.