Busted Sooks, Rank Peelers, and White-Belly Jimmies

Abstract

The trade in blue crabs remains an important part of the Eastern Shore economy, and it traces its origins back to the arrival of the railroad and advances in food processing and preservation in the late 1800s. This chapter begins with the regional vernacular nomenclature for blue crabs related to the fishery, marketing, and shedding for soft shell crabs. It includes details on crabbing and recipes. The chapter speaks to the creation of terroir and cuisine through language.