GREEN & SUSTAINABLE

With its “vortex” situated in the tidal waters of the great Chesapeake Bay—the larg­est estuary on the East Coast—Crabcake Nation was formerly one of the most productive and diverse food-producing ecosystems in the Americas. Its watermen regularly harvested tons of crabs, bay clams, oysters, eels, and other fish from their skipjacks, pung­ies, and bug-eyed boats. Its chefs in crab houses, smokehouses, and oyster bars dowsed these seafoods with sauces conjured up from Old Bay seasonings, horseradish, molas­ses, fish peppers, and mace.

The blue crab for which this nation is named provides sweet, delicious white meat for the signature dish, Maryland crabcakes. While blue crabs are in decline in many places, from Maryland clear down to Florida, they are increasing in other bays, functioning as an effective predator of immature clams and scallops.

The watermen of Tangier Island and other fishing villages have recently taken the lead in community-based conservation efforts, but much remains to be done. Inland, this region is extremely rich in fruit tree varieties, African-derived grains and root crops, and fish. Nevertheless, more than 45 foods of the Crabcake Nation remain at risk.

– excerpted from Renewing America’s Food Traditions, edited by Gary Nabhan, with the permission of Chelsea Green Publishing (www.chelseagreen.com)

Disappearing Foods | Recipes | Tips | Related Links | Full List of Disappearing Foods | Back to Map

Disappearing Foods

• Amy Apples
• Atlantic Halibut
• Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder
• Blue Crab of Chesapeake Bay
• Flatwoods Plum
• Gulfcoast Highbush Blueberry
• Hayman White Sweet Potato
• Nassau Grouper
• Tennessee Beauty Strawberry
• White Maypop Passionfruit
• See Full List

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Find EatingWell recipes for:

• Apples
• Seafood
• Plums
• Blueberries
• Sweet Potatoes
• Strawberries
• Tropical Scoopable Fruits

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Tips to preserve heritage and heirloom foods:

• Become a seed saver through the Seed Saver Exchange (seedsavers.org).
• Purchase heirloom produce and heritage livestock breeds (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, albc.usa.org).
• If you think a food is endangered, nominate it to the Slow Ark of Taste, slowfoodusa.org.
• Support community agriculture, farmers' markets and local food groups.
• Attend events that celebrate local foods.

Read more about Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT).

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Related Links

Essential EatingWell Seafood Guide
Crab Buyer's Guide
America’s Best Farmers’ Markets
Native Nutrition: A movement to preserve heritage foods

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Disappearing Foods (Full List)

Admiral Wilkes Jujube

American Crocodile

Amy Apples

Anne Arundel Musk Melon

Atlantic Halibut

Atlantic Monkfish

Atlantic Yellowtail Flounder

Aunt Rachael Apples

Beltsville Small White Turkeys

Blue Crab of Chesapeake Bay

Carter's Blue Apples

Cayuga Duck

Chimney Apples

Delaware Chickens

Dominique/Dominicker Chickens

Early Blood Turnip Beet

Fish Pepper

Flatwoods Plum

Gulfcoast Highbush Blueberry

Hayman White Sweet Potato

Hewes Virginia Crab Apples

Hog Island Sheep

Horse Apples

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

Killen Persimmon

Landreth Cheese Squash

Long Island Fig

Lucy Duke Pear

Mrs. Bryan Apples

Nanticoke Indian Turban Squash

Nassau Grouper

Ossabaw Island Pigs

Prussian Blue Pea

Rainbow Apples

Redfish/Red Drum Redfish

Shortnose Sturgeon

Stayman Apples

Summer (Fluke) Flounder

Summer Banana Apples

Tait's Norfolk Market Dent Corn

Tennessee Beauty Strawberry

Tunis Sheep

Virginia Greening Apples

Walker's Pippin Apples

Wallace Sweet Apples

Warsaw Grouper

White Maypop Passionfruit

White Rice Popcorn

Winter Flounder

Wood's Early Prolific Squash

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