This week, I’ve been on my family vacation to Ocean City. Other than making a frittata and a few batches of chocolate chip cookies, I haven’t done much cooking down here. So I asked my family what their favorite beach foods are, either foods that they can only get in Ocean City, or that they look forward to eating at the beach. Here’s what they said.
The kids, Darren and Jinae, like Thrasher’s French fries, the thick-cut potatoes fried in peanut oil and, if you like, topped with vinegar (like salt and pepper, bottles of vinegar are kept on the counter where fries are ordered):
Everyone from my cousin, Jake, to Darren to my parents likes to get crabs at the beach. There’s not a lot of meat in blue crabs, but still, the process of picking them – and sometimes dipping the meat in Old Bay, or even butter or vinegar – and eating them with beer is obviously a very Maryland thing to do.
And I crave black licorce candy when I’m at the beach. I know, I know, you can get licorce anywhere. Still, I only buy it in Ocean City.
Do you have a favorite beach food? I’d love to hear about it!
Where is the Fisher’s Caramel Corn? Where? I also love Kohr brother’s custard and Dolle’s Taffy. Oh and a margarita from just about any place on Rehoboth Avenue.
T minus 22 hours until I set off for my own weekend at the beach!
I second the Fisher’s caramel corn. The summer I lived at the beach, two of my jobs were right across the street from Fisher’s up in Fenwick. The lines people will stand in to get that popcorn is unreal.
Of course, that’s also the summer I had to face my nemesis head on and serve up fudge 6 to 10 hours a day.
Ice cream
Some more ice cream
and then even MORE ice cream
@Beth: I knew I would get called out for not including Fischer’s! I love their popcorn, but I haven’t been down to the end of the Boardwalk to get any this time. Also, I love the black licorce at Dolle’s – so good. Enjoy your weekend!
@Wendi: I also would struggle with serving ice cream every day and not eating it. I worked at Friendly’s once and lasted only a week. Too much temptation! (Not to mention that being elbow-deep in ice cream containers all day isn’t as much fun as it sounds.
)
@Nakiya: I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t wait to read about your earl grey ice cream! (If you decide to try it…)
Jen, I hated scooping the ice cream nearly as much as I hated having to be touching fudge. But I did enjoy the orange slices and other gummy candy.
Unfortunately the favorite beach food for us is what we pack in the cooler. The beach food offered here in our town is very limited and well, lets just say I think it is easier on the wallet and stomach if one avoids it. The beach vending business here is tightly controlled by the city, so we won’t be seeing any good beach food in our future either. I think I have to book a vacation to Ocean City ASAP!
@lifeinarecipe: I’m sorry to hear you don’t have good beach food close by. But you’re right, this is probably better for your stomach!
Oh, this brings back memories for me. I grew up in Baltimore County and my grandmother lived in Bethany Beach, Delaware, so we spent many summers on the Delaware beaches and in Ocean City.
Thrasher’s is a favorite, as is Fisher’s, but whenever I go to the beach I must stop in Candy Kitchen and get some fudge. The mint chocolate is my favorite.
@skeltzer: I love the Candy Kitchen too! I’m kind of a candy geek, so I am happy just walking around there and being around candy. I haven’t tried the mint chocolate fudge – will have to next time! – but I was surprised to learn recently that I like the orange creamsicle flavor. It seems like a flavor for kids, but I thought it was addictive!