When I was 14/15, I spent Saturdays working at a seafood store in Richmond alongside my best friend (her parents owned the store). Making crab dip was one of my favorite tasks because I got to spread great globs of the stuff on crackers after I was done packing it into containers.

The key here is to mound-spread it on thick, so each bite is loaded with creamy, crabby goodness. Serve with white wine or a small glass of dry sherry.

1/2 lb./200 g./1 cup crabmeat
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup/50 g. mayonnaise
3 tablespoons grated Vidalia or sweet onion, or 3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons Old Bay or Poudre Grande Caravane (Epices Roellinger), plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry, optional
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs, optional
bread rounds or crackers
something green (parsley sprigs, chervil, sprigs, green onion bits) for garnish

Pick through the crabmeat to check for bits of shell.

Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, spice blend, Worcestershire sauce, and sherry (if using) with your hands (which are already messy from the crab) or a whisk until smooth. If the mixture seems too loose, stir in the breadcrumbs. Fold in the crab, then refrigerate 4 hours or overnight to allow the dip to thicken and the flavors to develop.

Mound-spread the dip on bread rounds or crackers. Sprinkle with more spice blend (for color), and garnish with something green. Makes 2 cups dip