Halfway through February of 1958, the daily temperature had rarely been above freezing. The 11th started the morning at 5 degrees. Icebreaking boats made their way through the harbor, smashing paths to free ice-locked boats. When the possibility of snow was reported on Valentine’s Day, “the Weather Bureau said it could give no estimated snow…
A few weeks later I found myself in her house, flipping through a recipe scrapbook that had belonged to her mother-in-law.
The papers of caterer William Johnson, in the collections at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, offer a rare look at the finer details of the business of catering in the early 1900s. The documents aren’t extensive, but they include the purchase price of supplies like dishes and bottled water, the cost per person…
I once referred to Virginia Roeder as “Baltimore’s own Martha Stewart.” The statement is a little out of character for me, but I wanted to convey my impression of Roeder’s business savvy, the way her “immaculate home” was described in the Sun, her reputation for culinary acumen, and the sense that Roeder was one of…
When Maryland started enforcing car registration laws on Smith Island in 1973, Beverly Guy took it in stride, despite the hassle. Her 1966 Falcon had never been issued the proper inspection certificate. Dealers just didn’t bother when the cars they sold were headed for Smith Island. Between July and August of that year, Guy got…