I had crabs!
And a Maryland tradition is finally complete – I had crabs!
And I whacked with them with a mallet (they were dead), I did the ‘roll back’, and I pulled the meat from the legs – yeah! And mighty fine it was too. Naturally, Old Bay Spice was part of the experience. It seems to be the spice of choice for both crab and chicken wings!
Beer and crabs (no wonder I’ve put on 10lbs since I’ve been in the USA!)
I love that Americans are so keen to share their traditions with us……
‘Not had crabs before?! Let’s get some then!’ And off they went to get some, so we could share the crab love.
The deed is now done – my Maryland crab virginity is well and truly taken 🙂
The mystery of the mailbox flag
UK peeps: did you know that if you have one of these mailboxes and you put your flag up on your mailbox and put mail in it, then the postman will collect your mail.
An expat Brit who has lived here for thirteen years told me this today (and I love that she admitted she had only found this out last year!).
Amazing! 😉
To clarify: you don’t have to go to the post office! If you want to send items by mail you just place the item into your mail box and raise the little red flag on it to signal the mail delivery-person that you have items in your box and he/she will pick it up. I always wondered about those little flags.
Please collect the mail, Mr Mailman
Sadly, I don’t have one of those mailboxes, so I will never experience such joy.
ukdesperatehousewifeusa 
I had my first crabs yesterday too. Delicious and messy!
Yep, a lovely mess!
Ha,ha. Can’t believe it took your expat friend that many years to learn about the mailbox.
Every time you are surprised we are as well….I thought “no drive-thru banking in the UK” was the big shock,,,but the mail- THEY DON”T PICK UP YOUR MAIL IN THE UK?!? I never knew they make you go in to the post office! Did you know you can buy stamps, you can put the money in the orange envelope(they’ll give you those free) and you order supplies, stamps, boxes for shipping stuff, they’ll bring it to your house. They also do charity drive to collect for food banks, they leave each address a bag and a week later you put out your bag full of cans or boxes and they collect all of these. I love that a lady spent all those years wondering what the flag is for!
I had no idea!!!! Well I never!
If you want to put crabs on the map you can vote for them as best regional dish here: http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-iconic-american-foods/ If I am ever in Wisconsin I must try the fried cheese curds!
Voted!