Photo by Jonathan Cooper courtesy of Charleston Wine + Food
There’s no better group activity than getting your hands dirty together—especially when the end results are edible. This is universally true, but what’s eaten varies by continent, country, state, city, and even neighborhood. (If you’ve ever engaged in a conversation about the color of roux for gumbo amongst New Orleanians from different sides of the river, you’ll understand: blonde versus dark roux is a hot, hot topic.) In the coastal South, these gatherings often unfold around the boiling of crustaceans, roasting of oysters, or frying of fish. What’s destined for the pot depends on the season, proximity to water, and who’s cooking. In Charleston, South Carolina, the Lowcountry boil (also known as Frogmore Stew) is king, bringing fresh shrimp and crabs to the forefront for a messy, festive feast.
Tia Clark, native Charlestonian and owner of Casual Crabbing with Tia, grew up eating blue crabs regularly with her large extended Gullah Geechee family. The Gullah Geechee community are descendants of enslaved Africans who lived and worked on the coastal Atlantic plantations, including South Carolina and the Sea Islands. Crabbing and eating crab play an essential part in Gullah Geechee culture—something Clark truly began to understand later in life after a health scare wake-up call, when she quit smoking and embraced an active lifestyle. Despite growing up in downtown Charleston, surrounded by water and seafood, Clark had never been to the beach until she was 17—and had certainly never caught
