Crabmeat in Skillet (2) - Ambassador Hotel Chicago

We are so lucky to live on the coast of California. When salmon season ends, crab season begins, and we get fresh oysters all year long. A few days ago, our dear friends Kate and Trevor pulled 50 dungees in their traps! Because they are awesome and super thoughtful, they dropped two off to us on their way up north. So naturally, into Grandmas index cards I went… The thing about fresh crab is that it doesn’t need much, because its just so tasty just by itself. This recipe was simple and looked delicious. Just fresh herbs, vinegar, butter and Worcestershire.

In the upper right hand corner of the recipe card was the notation “Ambassador Hotel Chicago”. The Pump Room was the restaurant at the Ambassador from 1938 through 2017. It was a swinging hot spot for decades. One variation of the song “My Kind of Town”, popularized by Frank Sinatra, has the line "Chicago is... the jumpin' Pump Room". The lobby of the hotel, including the entrance to the Pump Room, was seen in Alfred Hitchcocks North by Northwest. An incident at the restaurant inspired Phil Collins to name his 1985 album, “No Jacket Required.”
So, the Pump room and their recipes were most likely super impressive to Grandma and anyone who ate there.
After work yesterday, I took a walk across the square in Sonoma to the Cochon Tasting Bar. A nice man named Carlo gave my coworker and I such a lovely tasting and we talked for a while about pairing the crab, butter, tarragon, and chives. He suggested their Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley. I never go for Pinot Gris but I truly trusted this mans taste and recommendation. It was perfectly acidic and complemented the walnut in the champagne vinegar. Oh ya, instead of just white vinegar, I switched to a walnut champagne vinegar by Sparrow Lane, artisan vinegars and olive oils. I used butter from Daphne’s creamery in Petaluma. I really want to make these recipes my own and explore the accessibility I have to fresh ingredients and the amazing creaters in Sonoma. This recipe was meant to be a four ounce appetizer and we each downed an entire 🦀

Thanks Kate and Trevor! And Thanks Nona!

Crabmeat in Skillet (2) - Ambassador Hotel Chicago

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet until very hot. Add 8 oz crabmeat lumps. Sauté until heated through. Ad 2 teaspoons tarragon, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon chopped chives, 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce. Cover skillet and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Thaw crabmeat if frozen.