Crab Crunch

[Wilson Gray]

Are "crab boil" and "shrimp boil" in their various meanings actually
not in standard dictionaries? Amazing, given that bottled crab- and
shrimp-boil spices have been available on grocery-store shelves from
California to Massachusetts since at least 1972.

-Wilson


On Aug 3, 2005, at 4:59 PM, Mullins, Bill wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Mullins, Bill" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL>
> Subject:      Re: Crab Crunch
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
>
> shrimp boil
>
> An event:
> "Louisiana Brevities"
>  Texas | Port Arthur | The Port Arthur News | 1939-10-18 p. 6 col 4.
> "A shrimp boil for all members of Stanley Martin Post of the American
> Legion was staged at the Legion Home, it was
> announced by Commander L. A. Comeaux. "
>
> A foodstuff:
>
> Farmers Market Today
> Mrs. Fred Beck
> Los Angeles Times; Feb 13, 1953; pg. 4 col 1.
> "Another wonderful item in the same sphere is Rex Brand "Crab and
> Shrimp
> Boil."  This is a delightful blending of spices and herbs, of peppers
> and seeds, to be added to the water when cooking green shrimps or
> making
> bouillabaisse."
>
> crab boil
> a foodstuff
> [advertisement for Van Macs seafoods]
> Texas | Harlingen | Valley Morning Star | 1946-11-08 p. 16 col 2.
> "Louisiana Special Crab Boil.  Excellent Seasoning for Shrimp, Crab and
> Other Seafoods."
>
> crab boil
> an event
> LODGE CLAIMS IKE'S IN, BUT HE CAN'T SAY WHY
> CLAY GOWRAN
> Chicago Daily Tribune; Jun 26, 1952; pg. 5 col 2.
> "It will be celebrated with, among other things, a crab boil in New
> Orleans; a watermelon party in Marion, Ind.; a baby parade in
> Cincinnati; a barn dance in Lebanon, Pa., and the ascension of 5,000
> toy
> balloons in Hartford, Conn."
>
> low country boil
> foodstuff
> Savannah
> By RICK BRAGG
> New York Times; Mar 5, 1995; sec 5 p. 10 col 1.
> "Like its signature dish, the Low Country Boil -- a mix of sausage,
> potatoes, corn on the cob and shrimp in the shell, all dusted with
> spicy
> seasoning -- it is a genuine tast of the not-quite-tame country that
> borders the grand old city of Savannah."
>
> low country
> (lots of places can be called "low country"; this is the earliest I've
> found for the Southern Atlantic coastal region, from which "low country
> boil" is named)
> A Glimpse of Charleston.
> New York Daily Times; Nov 5, 1853; pg. 2 col 5.
> "The market affords a very singular spectacle:  abounding in blacks,
> who
> sit throughout it, offering their fruits and poultry for sale, and
> speaking their low country dialect."
>