▁The ▁most ▁famous ▁example ▁of ▁such ▁a ▁function ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁Columbia , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁in ▁late ▁November ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁in - state ▁C lem son ▁and ▁South ▁Carolina ▁football ▁game , ▁on ▁South ▁W acc am aw ▁Street . ▁ ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁The ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁est u ary ▁system ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁and ▁provides ▁an ▁abund ance ▁of ▁blue ▁c rab , ▁Ch inc ote ague ▁o yst ers , ▁and ▁cl ams . ▁It ▁is ▁located ▁at ▁the ▁boundary ▁between ▁the ▁South ▁and ▁Mid - At l antic ▁states ▁and ▁shares ▁cul inary ▁trad itions ▁with ▁both . ▁C rab ▁houses ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁C rab ▁sh acks ) ▁serve ▁fresh ly ▁ste amed ▁c rab s ▁and ▁are ▁found ▁along ▁both ▁sh ores ▁of ▁the ▁bay . ▁ ▁The ▁Maryland ▁C rab ▁Fe ast ▁(" C rab ▁Bo il " ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁phrase ▁used ▁in ▁Maryland , ▁as ▁is ▁in ▁Louisiana ) ▁is ▁a ▁popular ▁event ▁for ▁small ▁groups ▁of ▁friends . ▁Despite ▁the ▁name , ▁the ▁cook ing ▁technique ▁is ▁actually ▁ste aming . ▁C rab ▁p ots ▁have ▁a ▁raised ▁bottom ▁that ▁keeps ▁a ▁fitted ▁basket ▁above ▁the ▁liquid . ▁A ▁couple ▁of ▁inches ▁of ▁be er ▁( or ▁water ) ▁mixed ▁with ▁vin eg ar ▁is ▁brought ▁to ▁a ▁bo il . ▁The ▁c rab s ▁are ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁basket ▁and ▁spr ink led ▁liber ally ▁with ▁a ▁season ing ▁mix ▁( us