When you think of Baltimore, you think of...

"The Wire", of course, that masterpiece of television.

The Orioles and the Ravens, Cal Ripken and Ray Lewis. (Hey, didn't Ray Lewis kill someone?)

That poor ship that recently destroyed the Key Bridge.

And, crabs, of course. Baltimore is known for its crabs.

And if you get crabs in Baltimore (mind out of gutter, please), odds are you will get them with Old Bay Seasoning, another thing synonymous with the city.

Old Bay is a mixture of salt, celery, pepper, paprika, and a list of ingredients that supposedly includes, but is definitely not limited to, mustard, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. The real recipe is a secret, designed by Jewish immigrant Gustav Brunn.

Brunn was incredibly lucky to escape Germany at the onset of World War II. He was even interned in Buchenwald before getting bailed out. (Such things were still possible before the war.) His family then arrived in Baltimore, where he used his knowledge of spices to create Old Bay.

Of course, those readers who keep to stricter kashrut laws will point out that crabs are not kosher. But you know what is...

Old Bay Seasoning!