The other day, my daughter called around the time most mothers and wives are preparing the evening meal. I asked her what she was having and she said crab cakes, which was somewhat funny because I told her we were having salmon patties. Seems we were both on the same wavelength that day.
She said she had found a good recipe for crab cakes online that she was trying, and then even sent me a picture of them because they were so good! She is quite a good cook though!
I have a favorite recipe I always use for crab cakes and salmon patties, and know them from memory, but if you need a good recipe, where do you search? I’m curious how many cooks, when needing a recipe, go to the Internet versus picking up one of their trusty cookbooks.
It seems like cookbooks are becoming collectors’ items, and this is coming from someone who has a ton of them. However, all you have to do today is Google whatever you want and then print it off.
While my husband and I were shopping not long ago, we inquired about how long it would take to get a certain item we liked, and they said about ten weeks. His remark, “Are you kidding? This is the 20th Century. Don’t you have a button on your phone so we can get that tomorrow?” Seriously, that is what our world is becoming, right?
I’m not talking about cooking magazines like Williams and Sonoma, Food and Wine, Cooks Illustrated, Southern Living and the such; they’re going strong, and it’s because they cover much more than general cookbooks. Plus, doctor’s offices always have to have a few around (from which the good recipes are usually torn). I’ve bought several cookbooks in the past that have wonderful recipes with beautiful pictures, used them a few times, then stuck them on the shelf with the rest of my collection.
I used to collect the yearly editions of “Southern Living” cookbooks. Absolutely loved getting those – and I still have them but I don’t ever use them. I do, however, have a large stack of “take-out” menus from various restaurants piled on top of them.
A downside of using computer recipes is that when searching for one, you can get distracted by ratings, opinions and reviews stating, “I made this even better by adding...” All of this can make online recipes distracting, and if you don’t stay focused, you get lost in the sea of food, and remain floating out there until you finally snap out of your Internet world and go pick up a can of Sloppy Joe mix and a pound of hamburger!
There are YouTube videos and the 24-hour Food Network television station to show you how to make a whole, mouth-watering meal. I try to avoid television programs because the cooks make it seem so quick and easy, but then no one is standing behind you cleaning the mess you have made, and you usually don’t have the state-of-the-art equipment they have.
And, last but not least, you have emails (if you’re not careful about what you sign up for, you can spend your whole day deleting recipe emails) and newspapers, which allows you to either print or tear out a recipe, stick it in your purse and go.
So back to my point: Are cookbooks going the way of the dinosaurs? It is sad, I agree, but when you can just push a button on your phone while you’re at the market and get a recipe complete with a list of the items you need, can you blame anyone for giving them up? New generation; new era.
Now for my crab cake recipe, which is guaranteed to please!
Crab Cakes
1 pound lump crab meat
1 large egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
1/3 cup soft, fresh bread crumbs, no crust
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Ritz Crackers, about 12, crushed
Oil, for deep-frying
Combine the crab meat, egg, mayo, crumbs, parsley, Old Bay and pepper. Mix to combine. Form into balls using about a one-half-cup measure. Gently roll the balls in cracker crumbs, flatten slightly and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-hot for deep-frying. Gently place the cakes in the skillet, and then turn the heat down to medium low to prevent burning. Brown about eight to 10 minutes on each side, turning only once. I use two spatulas to turn so they don’t fall apart or splatter oil.