Helen's Crab Stuffed Potatoes

By: www.crabplace.com
Dec 9, 1999

This week's recipe is another local award-winning recipe from the Annual Hard Crab Derby in Crisfield, Maryland. Many of our recipes are derived from the local community and are featured in this annual derby event. Some history of the Hard Crab Derby, held every Labor Day, follows: "The first derby was held fifty-two years ago in 1947. This first derby was a simple, uncomplicated affair by today's standards. It consisted of a number of crabs being unceremoniously dumped in the center of a circle which was painted on the street in front of the Post Office. From these humble beginnings the National Hard Crab Derby has grown into one of Crisfield's most successful festivals. The derby has changed locations many times and is now held on the grounds of the Somers Cove Marina. The race format has also been altered. Instead of the crabs being dumped in the center of a circle, they each have their own "starting gate". Once this gate is opened the crabs scurry down a platform to the finish line. In addition to the regular crab derby there is now a governor's cup race in which the governors of the states which constitute our union enter a crab contestant. Entries from Hawaii (1967) and Alaska (1968) have even won this race. The first cooking contest was held in 1965. This popular event was won in that year by Nina Coons of Marion Station. Nina entered a delicious crab casserole as her award winning recipe. Because of its superior cooking facilities, the contest has been held in Crisfield High School. Winning chefs have been mainly from Maryland with a few from Delaware and Pennsylvania."