When I created the map of the Baltimore Sun’s recipe contest winners, I thought a lot about what the city looked like in 1911, when the contests were run.
I looked at old maps, and imagined life on the city’s outskirts. The 1898 Bromley Atlas showed a sprinkling of buildings out in the Northeast. By the 1915 Atlas, there were many more. (The area appeared in the Baltimore County atlases as it was not yet annexed into the city.) The streetcars were making it possible for families to live along Bel Air and Harford roads, and commute into the city for work and play.
By the late 20th century, the neighborhoods in the Northeast were as much “city” as other neighborhoods were, and as much a party to the various problems the city was facing.
In 1969, a group of church organizations banded together to form HARBEL, an umbrella organization encompassing social services and neighborhood associations. The name was a mashup of the two major roads through the area, Harford and Bel Air. Though HARBEL involved many religious groups, it also partnered with secular groups to offer mental health care, drug treatment, counseling, healthcare, food, housing, and more.
Around 2002, HARBEL produced a cookbook entitled “Honey Hens and Hankerings…” At the time, the executive director was Naomi Benyowitz and the president was Jack Ray. Recipes come from members of various member organizations, and there are a few recipes from local politicians like Kurt Schmoke and Sheila Dixon. There is also a recipe from Danny Price, HARBEL’s UPS man.
Today HARBEL counts about 25 neighborhood associations, several business associations, and many religious institutions as member organizations. Recent projects include greening efforts, COVID vaccine coordination, and fresh produce giveaways.
I was not able to identify the “Mother McBride” who submitted this recipe for “Catherine’s Barbequed Spare Ribs” to the cookbook, let alone the “Catherine” for whom the recipe is named. Below the recipe, McBride commented: “Truly a ‘comfort food’ perfect for cold, winter evenings. Reserve the essence and drizzle it over a hearty dollop of buttered mashed potatoes. Yum!”
I’ll assume McBride is someone who cared or cares about their neighborhood. She also contributed a recipe for macaroni salad so along with the ribs, it makes me think she is someone who would enjoy a nice barbecue in a Lauraville backyard.
Recipe:
- 3 or 4 Lb pork ribs
Mix the following and simmer for 10 minutes:
- 1.5 Cup water
- .5 Cup vinegar
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Cup packed brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon catsup, tomato
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine
Cut ribs into pieces and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Place on baking dish. Pour mixture over meat. Cook in 450° oven for 1 hour. Baste every 15 minutes and turn after 20 minutes.
Recipe from “Honey Hens and Hankerings: The House of Harbel Cookbook,” 2002, Harbel Community Organization, Inc.
