Maryland having a bit of an upswing of interest in reflection on our local cuisine. If my cookbook collection is any indication, this tends to come in waves. At the turn of the 20th century, there was a general sentiment that Maryland food was high quality, and cookbooks banked on this reputation. Then came the…
This unusual casserole is one of the less notable recipes from Mrs. J. Millard Tawes’ “Favorite Maryland Recipes.” I love her little book for easy weeknight dinners but this recipe may have confirmed my suspicion that her book contains a lot of filler between the classics. It’s fitting then for me to post it today because…
“The root cellar, when properly made, will always be found one of the best paying out-buildings upon the farm.” – The Baltimore Sun, 1861 It was unpleasantly cold this past week. The warmth of family members crammed into small spaces cooking and eating comforting meals is a quickly fading memory. It’s been replaced by drafts,…
In 1906, The Frederick News printed a whimsical explanation for the ‘bakers dozen.’ A Dutch baker in the 1600’s bickered with an “ugly hag” over whether a dozen was twelve or thirteen, stingily sending the woman away with only twelve New Year’s cakes. His shop became cursed until the baker conceded that a dozen was…