During my last visit to Washington DC, I got the chance to visit the Municipal Fish Market with my cousins to buy ingredients for dinner. It was my first visit to the market and what a treat for the senses. Yes, including the nose, it is a wharf after all. The stalls were filled with the colorful rainbow of the sea, from the vibrant fish to the lush scallops.
The Municipal Fish Market
The open-air fish market is nestled next to the Potomac river and has an amazing variety of seafood, fresh and cooked. From fresh oysters, clams and fish, there was plenty to choose from for our family meal. All I cared about were the bushels of blue crab. Being from California, we primarily enjoy the hearty meat of the dungeness crab. I love the sweetness of blue crab and always try to eat it when I visit my east coast cousins. We ordered our box and had them cooked on location.
I loved the salty smell in the air coming from the steamers in the back of the stalls. I found myself hopping from foot to foot in a happy dance of anticipation, a well as from the chill that had settled over us as the sun set. Fortunately, fresh clam chowder was available to warm us up and tide us over until dinner. Absolutely delicious!
If you happen to find yourself in Washington DC and are looking for seafood, visit the Fish Market. Visit The Fish Market website for more details.
As for the blue crab, my cousin made his much coveted Crab Cakes for dinner that night. Stay tuned for his family recipe on the blog.