In August on the east side of Mobile Bay, Ala., from Daphne to Fairhope and through Point Clear, a blissfully beautiful phenomenon occurs. It’s what the locals so eloquently describe as a jubilee. The meeting of fresh and salt water, with the right wind and tide conditions, creates an oxygen-deprived environment for the bottom-dwellers of the bay. Thousands of shrimp, crab, flounder, stingrays and eels rise to shallow waters along the coast and wash ashore, ripe for the picking. For the historically poor people of the region, this crop was heaven-sent, and before modern harvesting laws, people would fill whole truck beds of crustaceans and flat fish.
Jubilee typically takes place in the wee morning hours. Bells ring and shouts of joy can be heard up and down the bay. Porch lights flicker on, one by one, in a delicious game of telephone, until all the populace reach the shoreline to harvest whatever they can get their hands on. When a slight change in wind and tide inevitably draw this delectable surplus back to the depths, rendering the easily grabbable treats to their rightful place, the moment passes and jubilee ceases.
Sometimes jubilee provides too much bounty, as if too much delicious seafood is a thing. This being the case, one of my favorite recipes is a pickled shellfish recipe I have eaten since I was a kid. In this version, I use shrimp, but mussels, scallops, crabmeat—really any seafood—work. Jubilee is a celebration, and this recipe is a great way to serve something delicious and exciting at your own celebration.
