For years, my in-laws rented a three-story beach house in Emerald Isle with yellow siding and white shutters on a cul-de-sac surrounded by live oaks and loblolly pines. We had no schedule, no agenda, but we knew there were a few activities we could count on: lots of reading, fishing, relaxing, and cooking. During our visits, you could find me taking in the ocean view from the large deck, meandering along the boardwalk, or fixing a seafood spread in the kitchen.
Being the family cook, I’d offer to make everyone breakfast — whipping up everything from omelets to buttermilk pancakes. My mother-in-law would pitch in, toasting leftover pound cake for a sweet start to the day. Morning beach walkers could smell bacon frying from the row of houses over the dunes.
Watch as Lynn Wells prepares her NC Coastal Crab Burgers.
If we weren’t having lunch at the Sanitary Fish Market & Restaurant in Morehead City, we’d be at the house grazing on snacks all afternoon while wondering what to eat for dinner. We’d plan one or two meals ahead while eating another — and laughing about how ridiculous we sounded.
Around 5 o’clock, we’d gather on the deck for cocktails and pimento cheese while pelicans dove into the surf nearby. I’d leave the sliding glass doors open while I cooked so I could feel the breeze and stay engaged with stories from the day.
As soon as the crab began to sizzle, everyone would migrate inside for dinner. Hungry family and friends cleared the day’s shell collection from the table and laid down the seafoam green placemats. I’d serve the crab cakes with a chilled salad and homemade tartar sauce, always made with dill pickles, never sweet. We saved sweet for dessert: summer pound cake with mint and lemon as fresh as the ocean air that inspired our feast.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
Yield: 4 servings.
For crab cakes:
1 pound backfin or claw crabmeat
½ cup breadcrumbs, toasted
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Tartar Sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons white onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
For serving:
4 hamburger buns, toasted
Iceberg lettuce cups
For crab cakes: In a large bowl, mix everything except for the olive oil and butter. Use an ice cream scoop to form 4 crab cakes, then place them on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a skillet over medium-high, heat oil and butter. Add crab cakes and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until light golden brown.
For tartar sauce: In a bowl, combine all ingredients and stir. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To serve: Spread tartar sauce on bottom bun. Place crab cake on bottom bun and top with lettuce and more tartar sauce. Serve immediately.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
Yield: 6 servings.
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
½ large red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, salt, and vegetable oil.
In a separate bowl, toss cucumbers and onion together. Pour dressing over cucumbers. Chill in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Drain cucumbers and onions in a colander. Discard dressing. Place cucumbers and onions in a serving bowl. Add herbs and red chili flakes; toss well. Serve cold.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
Yield: 16 servings.
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 sticks salted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup whole milk, warmed
Powdered sugar for dusting
Fresh lemon, sliced (for garnish)
Fresh mint leaves (for garnish)
Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder; set aside.
In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add extracts. With the mixer on low, add flour mixture a little at a time, alternating with milk and ending with flour. Pour batter into pan. Place into a cold oven, turn heat to 350°, and set timer for 1 hour and 20 minutes. When timer is done, remove from oven, cover with foil, and let cool.
Place on a serving platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with lemon slices and mint.
For decades, a remote piece of Currituck County has been a respite for wildlife. Now under the protection of conservationists, this land, the waters surrounding it, and the skies above will remain a constant in our coastal circle of life.
On North Carolina’s coast, boardwalks wind alongside our sounds, rivers, and beaches, reminding us that the journey is often just as delightful as the destination.
From Wanchese to Duck, these landmark businesses and the families who run them connect consumers with the daily catch.
As the sun sets at Grandfather Mountain, fireflies put on a magnificent show — for those willing to stop and pay attention.
