Bloom is a chain of supermarkets run by Food Lion (or as some of us call it -- Food Kitty).  The idea was for a concept supermarket that analyzed changing trends and needs to create an unconventional layout to maximize customer convenience.  For example, you can buy milk at the front of the store, instead of having to go all the way to the back for it.

This week, the CCR reviews their store-made crab cakes.  How were they?  Read on and find out!

A while back, we reviewed Chesapeake Bay Brand's Crab Cakes as part of a crab cake throwdown.  You can read the review for their lower end crab cake, but suffice it to say, things didn't go well.  Which was disappointing, as these are the same folks who sell those gourmet crab cakes on QVC that got really good reviews.  But if you take a closer look, the product being sold online is for the Jumbo Lump crab cakes.  We reviewed the regular version!  Talk about comparing apples to oranges!  But sitting alongside that regular variety were the Jumbo Lump crab cakes.  Granted, the ones you get from QVC will probably not be frozen, but it should still be the same product.  So did they live up to the expectation?  Read on and find out!

Real crab cakes can be hard to find in the off-season, especially if you expect it to contain any precious Maryland Blue crab.  So when you are walking through the grocery store and spy a new brand of crab cake, the words "made with real crab meat" might pique your interest.  And if you are super proud of your country, then the "Made in USA!" will have that package jumping into your cart in no time.  Found at my local Giant supermarket, I decided to fight terrorism the only way I know how -- by eating crab cakes.  How were they?  Continue on and find out!

Back in January, the CCR encountered Handy Crab Cakes, hoping that stumbling across a brand they've never seen before might actually be a frozen crab cake that is a worthy substitute for when you can't get a freshly made one.  As it turns out -- not so much.  Alongside those regular crab cakes were the Crab & Shrimp Cakes.  Call us a glutton for punishment, or maybe just consider us adventurous.  But we went ahead and bought a package.  For science!  They are, according to their website,  America's oldest seafood processor, who still maintains a plant in Crisfield, MD.  In this day and age of rampant patriotism, we say let's support the local Maryland economy and give them another shot.  Were these any better?  Let's find out!

Shopping in a grocery store that you've never been to before is always an adventure.  New store layout, new brands that you might not have seen before, and yet another store card to sign up for in order to take advantage of the sale prices.  When touring foreign grocery aisles, I can't help but look and see if there is a new crab cake offering (both fresh or frozen) that may that one secret find that will satiate my crab cake hankerings without having to go to a restaurant (which gets expensive after a while).  One such trip introduced me to Handy crab cakes.  According to their website, they are America's oldest seafood processor, who still maintains a plant in Crisfield, MD.  Being a local seafood company, they should know a thing or two about crab cakes then.  Do they?  Let's find out!