Cooking with crabs just could not get any better than it was at the 49th Crab Cooking Contest, a part of the 66th Annual Hard Crab Derby held in Crisfield, Md., last month.

This writer has had the privilege of serving as one of the judges for the 28th year, an honor that came with the luxury of tasting each entry. This year’s event brought out 20 aspiring cooks who believed they had the very best method of preparing crabs in either one of the four categories: Appetizers, Soups and Salads, Main Dishes, and Crab Cakes.

In the past there have been several family members competing (not in the same category), such as mother, daughter, brother, sister and once an entire family mother, daughter and son. This year a sister and brother entered. It was sister Helen Tomko who won first place in the crab cake division and the grand prize award with her My Everything Crab Cakes. Her brother, Eddie Tomko, placed second in the Main Dish category with his Maryland Blue Crab Ratatouille Cas...