Old Bay Seasoning is a blend of celery salt, paprika, black pepper, and other spices used to season seafood, especially crab. It was created in Baltimore, Maryland, by Gustav Brunn, a German-Jewish immigrant spice merchant who founded the Baltimore Spice Company in 1939; the seasoning itself debuted in 1941, first as Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning before being renamed Old Bay after a defunct Chesapeake Bay steamship line. The exact recipe remains a closely guarded trade secret, but its flavor is savory and peppery with a subtly sweet, warm-spiced edge. In the Chesapeake region it seasons steamed crabs, crab cakes, shrimp, and even french fries, and it is also used more broadly on poultry, soups, and stews. McCormick, which bought the brand in 1990, now sells it in low-sodium and specialty versions, including seafood-boil and popcorn blends.