Hot Crab Beer Cheese Dip
When I was 22 I was recruited by a modeling agent while I was shopping for shoes on Melrose.
I said no. Nothing about that interested me at all. At the time I was teaching anger management skills to gang members in south central LA, doing work that matter to me, walking around looking pretty meant nothing to me.
Maybe it was because I’m a people pleaser, or I’m detrimentally curious, but she was able to talk me into it. I took headshots and a few weeks later I was on a catwalk in Culver City modeling high waisted jeans, and a mesh top with no bra, with vines and flowers drawn on my face.
Backstage I was so nervous I felt like I was going to throw up. At 5”7’ and 118 lbs, I was the “short, fat” model that needed the 7-inch heels to make the $500 denim inseam work. I was in a world that didn’t belong to be, in an ill-fitting role. A seasoned model, one with dead eyes and the purse full of cocaine walked by and gave me a smirk, “First show? Good lucky, honey” in a voice as nasty as garbage.
A switch flipped. I’ve never been the mean girl, I’ve never been the center of attention girl, and I was learning how not to be push over. I smirked back.
I walked out on the long black stage, lights from all sides. Camera bulbs flashed. I was acutely aware of being nearly topless, and I owned it. I got to the end of the runway, I knew it was going well. When I got halfway back, I saw Dead Eyes at the other end, she’d paused. I put my hand up, forcing her to stop. I turned back around and did another pass, walking back to the end of the runway. For some reason, the crowed cheered at my double pass. Dead eyes had to wait, she was furious at the back of the stage. When I finally exited the stage, I did so with a death glare at my back. I very quickly changed my clothes, grabbed my things and left, vines and flowers still painted on my cheeks. I didn’t get paid for the show and I never did another, but it was worth it.
I’d much rather run around a kitchen that a runway. It was a reminder that sometimes when you don’t belong somewhere it’s not your loss. Sometimes, with a little luck, we just end up where we are supposed to be. And it fits really well.
Hot Crab Beer Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 2 tbs cornstarch
- 2/3 cup IPA beer
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- 8 wt oz crab meat
Instructions
- In a food processor add the cream cheese, sour cream, old bay, garlic powder, chili powder, hot pepper sauce, corn starch, beer, worchestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, and mozzarealla, process until smooth.
- Stir in the onions and crab meat.
- Add to an oven safe serving dish.
- Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until warm and golden brown.
- Stir, garnish with green onions.
Comments
Samantha @ Carpe Cibus August 18, 2014 um 6:46 am
It’s a much better fit for all of your fans too 😉
This dip will definitely enter the fall rotation. Do you have a favorite IPA to use?
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm August 18, 2014 um 11:30 am
YUmmmm this sounds GREAT!
Melissa August 19, 2014 um 2:22 am
Ha! great story. And this dip looks fantastic.
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen August 19, 2014 um 5:04 am
This looks so good Jackie! We’re glad you’re in the kitchen – otherwise you wouldn’t be bringing us great recipes like this!
Dean August 20, 2014 um 9:21 am
This post is fantastic. Love the Dead Eyes story!
Tamara August 20, 2014 um 11:51 am
I love this! I just stumbled upon your blog and then realized, all your recipes have beer. You’re my new favorite blog. Thank you for existing!
Meredith August 20, 2014 um 6:20 pm
There’s a lot to be said for knowing that you are where you belong. This dip is amazingly delicious!
addie | culicurious August 22, 2014 um 5:02 am
Oh i love crab dip, especially a warm one from the oven!! 🙂 YUM!
Dan August 26, 2014 um 9:15 am
Wow, this will be on the menu this weekend for sure! Looks fantastic!
Sandy June 4, 2015 um 3:30 pm
Where can I buy Ipa beer? Never heard of it! Is it found at any liquor store? Which brand should I look for it?
Jackie June 4, 2015 um 3:37 pm
It’s very easy to find. It should be in any grocery store. Look for a beer that says IPA or India Pale Ale. Sierra Nevada Torpedo is easy to find. Even a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale will work fine for this.
David June 14, 2017 um 4:13 pm
IPA stands for India Pale Ale. It is a style of beer. It tends to be on the hoppy, sometimes more bitter side of beer. It should be available in any liquor store (or grocer if your state allows that kind of awesomeness (mine does not)
I’ll be honest, I don’t like most IPAs but where I am on the East Coast they are wildly popular. My favorite is brewed by a company called Dogfish Head, their 90 Minute IPA is very good. Sam Adams makes on called Rebel IPA and another called Latitude 48 IPA, both of which are nice.
John November 21, 2018 um 2:17 pm
I’m making this for thanksgiving appetizer tomorrow. I’m using Alaskan king crab and a Alaska Kolsch. It will be gone in 10 minutes from the looks of the recipe.
Thanks,