Listener Joanna Reed wanted to know how the crab seasoning, Old Bay, got started and how it became such a Maryland icon. So, food writer Jen Wheeler joins us this episode to tell the story of how a German Jewish immigrant made his way to Baltimore and ended up creating the best thing to ever happen to shellfish. We pay a visit to the inventor’s original spice grinder. And we try to get the McCormick spice company to reveal what’s actually in the secret mix.

In this episode, we hear from:

Food writer Jen Wheeler

Baltimore Museum of Industry Executive Director Anita Kassoff

McCormick Chief Marketing Officer Jill Pratt