Level Up Your Goldfish Crackers With A Spicy, Classic Seasoning

The cheesy little fish-shaped crackers called Goldfish are perfect. It's a favorite snack for hungry folks of all ages. Julia Child even served the signature snack on Thanksgiving. They have a cheddar taste with a crispy, crunchy texture. Even so, sometimes, the snack that smiles back just needs something with a bit more spice, which is why you ought to bring a shake or two of Old Bay to your next Goldfish snack attack. 

Many people are unsure what's in Old Bay seasoning mix, but it's quite popular in Maryland, where they use it to season pretty much everything, especially the state's famous crab. Goldfish sold Old Bay-flavored crackers for a limited period, so the combo is nothing new. But you can't just walk into the store and buy them anytime you like, and that's unfortunate. 

Luckily, it's easy to whip up a batch of well-seasoned Goldfish whenever you'd like. In a pinch, you can sprinkle some Old Bay over a container of Goldfish and mix. But you might want to step up your seasoning game a bit to really infuse those cheesy delights with flavor. For that, you can mix your Old Bay with melted butter and coat your crackers before baking them until they're perfectly crisp and toasty. 

Old Bay is most prominently known for being a seafood seasoning, though you can use it on pretty much anything. It was invented in Baltimore, Maryland in 1939. The seasoning was originally used on seafood, such as Maryland's coveted blue crab and the forbidden flavor Old Bay complements so well (called "mustard," it's really a fatty, liver-like organ common to crustaceans) 

The exact recipe is a trade secret, but it's essentially a mix of celery salt and several spices. Black pepper and paprika are included, but there are others no one's sure about. Whatever's in the yellow shaker, it's definitely delicious. It has a spicy, savory taste that can round out pretty much whatever you add it to. 

And as with everything else, it brings some much-needed complexity to the classic kids snack. Pepper is always a welcome addition to cheese, but the celery salt brings an unexpected, slightly herbaceous flavor that will have you coming back for more.