Crab Cakes (1898)

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   The Meredith Bernstein-agented FOOD FESTIVAL USA (2002) mentions on page 129 that the earliest citation for "crab cakes" is 1939.  The citation was taken from John Mariani's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD AND DRINK (1999).
   If Meredith Bernstein is wondering, this is all just wild luck on my part.  She signed a wonderful author.


   25 September 1898, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 15 (poem):
There dwelt in Gothic cottage
   A swell crowd from Baltimore.
(...)
In the gloaming came the gathering,
   "Feast of reason," "Flow of soul,"
When the best discussed of topics
   Was the flaky, steaming roll.
Such crab cakes as greet our optics
   When the dinner tocsin peals,
Will remain a memory with us,
   When we roam Elysian Fields.


   21 March 1906, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 5 ad for Siegel Cooper Co. department store, col. 2:
CRAB MEATS--"Tull's" fine quality Chesapeake Deviled crab meat and carefully packed immediately after being caught.  Delicious for making deviled crabs, croquettes, salad or crab cakes (crab shells free)...