▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland , ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁pre domin antly ▁working - class ▁town ▁through ▁much ▁of ▁its ▁history ▁with ▁several ▁surrounding ▁aff lu ent ▁sub ur bs ▁and , ▁being ▁found ▁in ▁a ▁Mid - At l antic ▁state ▁but ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Mason - D ixon ▁line , ▁can ▁lay ▁claim ▁to ▁a ▁bl end ▁of ▁Northern ▁and ▁Southern ▁American ▁trad itions . ▁ ▁Food ▁ ▁Blue ▁c rab s ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁prominent ▁example ▁of ▁Baltimore ' s ▁distinct ive ▁flav or ▁is ▁the ▁city ' s ▁close ▁association ▁with ▁blue ▁c rab s . ▁This ▁is ▁a ▁trait ▁which ▁Baltimore ▁shares ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁coast al ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Maryland . ▁The ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁for ▁years ▁was ▁the ▁East ▁Coast ' s ▁main ▁source ▁of ▁blue ▁c rab s . ▁Baltimore ▁became ▁an ▁important ▁hub ▁of ▁the ▁c rab ▁industry . ▁In ▁Baltimore ' s ▁tour ist ▁district ▁( located ▁between ▁Har bor place ▁and ▁F ells ▁Point ), ▁numerous ▁restaur ants ▁serve ▁ste amed ▁hard ▁shell ▁c rab s , ▁soft ▁shell ▁c rab s , ▁and ▁l ump ▁back fin ▁c rab c akes . ▁Many ▁district ▁sh ops ▁even ▁sell ▁c rab - related ▁mer ch and ise . ▁ ▁Trad itionally , ▁c rab s ▁are ▁ste amed ▁in ▁rock ▁salt ▁and ▁Old ▁Bay ▁Season ing , ▁a ▁fav ored ▁local ▁sp ice ▁mixture ▁manufact ured ▁in ▁Baltimore ▁for ▁dec ades . ▁ ▁Southern ▁State ▁cook s , ▁Maryland ers