Old bay. The words may mean something to you or you might know what I’m talking about, but if you say those two words to any Marylander, they will know exactly what you are talking about and generally respond very positively about it. For those that don’t happen to know what Old Bay is, it is a seasoning the comes in a square box with an eye-catching red, yellow and blue pattern with a crab on it of course. The seasoning itself is a delicious yet zesty blend of spices and herbs. It was first created to be put on shrimp or crabs, however today it is put on anything imaginable because people love the taste so much.

Coming from Maryland, Annapolis, the capital, lies upon the Chesapeake Bay as do many other parts of the state. Being so close to the water, Maryland is known for its delicious and plentiful blue crabs. The blue crab is native to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and considered to be the state crustacean, but more importantly, one of the things Maryland is known best for. With this in mind, Old Bay was created over 75 years ago in Maryland to go along with their well known crabs and seafood. Therefore, not only is the crab an important part of the state’s identity, but Old Bay has now become very well known, especially to those form Maryland, as well.

For someone from Maryland, Old Bay is not only a seasoning or something that we simply consumed, it is a part of our identity and something that people share a common love and appreciation for. Today, if you were to wander the endless aisles in various grocery stores it is very likely that you would not only find Old Bay, obviously, but other items incorporating this delicious flavor. Anything from old bay chips to cheese curls to batters and much more. There is even a large selection of Old Bay merchandise that can be seen around such as t-shirts, hats and more. The wide variety of products that incorporate Old Bay seasoning or its label come to show the significance of the product and the brand in the state of Maryland.

While it may seem a little crazy to write a whole blog post about a spice, it is not so much the seasoning itself that is important, although it is delicious, but more so the significance that it holds in the state. Old Bay is known by all Marylanders and something that they all love, it is rare that you come across someone from the state who doesn’t enjoy the product. I can understand that those from other states don’t hold the some appreciation for the seasoning however, I find it so strange when people have never even heard of the product here because at home it is something that unites the Maryland people. Although it does not seem link the most significant thing, it is part of the state identity because it is from the state, known by most people of the state, loved by most people of the state and contains significance and history in Maryland. It is a little something from Maryland that can be spread all over and if you have never tried it I encourage you to!