“A Maryland specialty is producing edibles that enhance some other state’s reputation. Nobody ever hears of Maryland maple syrup, or Maryland country hams or Maryland ducklings, although the State sends forth its share. All the world hears about, from Portland to Pakistan is what is passed off as Maryland fried chicken and which often proves a fowl play on Maryland’s cooking talents.” – The Sun, 1962
Last weekend I visited Oregon Ridge Nature Center for a muddy/snowy hike and a glimpse at the annual Maple Sugaring.
Oregon Ridge is a historic site in Baltimore County. The majority of maple sugaring in the state, however, occurs westward.
I tend to neglect the western region of our state, but the panhandle has at times boasted its own share of resources to rival that of the Eastern Shore. Although I probably won’t be following Zaidee Browning’s recipe for bear steaks any time soon, Western Maryland is also the home to a robust dairy industry, an assortment of wild game, forageable delicacies, and maple syrup.
“A letter from Grantsville, Garrett County, MD, says that the manufacture of maple sugar in that county is developing very rapidly. Sugar trees are abundant throughout the country and there are thousands of trees that have never been tapped. Each farmer has his ‘sugar camp,’ and in the season from the first of February until the first of April all hands are busy boiling sugar and syrup, each producing from 2000 to 4000 pounds.” – The Sun, Baltimore 1881
In 1893, an article appeared in many national newspapers revealing that the maple sugar from Maryland had tested as higher quality than sugar from Vermont. The Maryland Maple Syrup industry started to gain more attention in the 1920’s, and remained highly profitable, especially during WWII when sugar was rationed. Around this time, maple syrup recipes appeared frequently in syndicated news columns.
While I’m not a connoisseur, I seek out Maryland maple syrup when I do buy maple syrup. Considering it’s versatile uses for baking, marinades, sweets and dressings I’d like to start reaching for it more often.
I followed Martha Stewart’s recipe for Maple Butter. This caramel-like spread is great to have around when I want a sweet snack (which is often.)
1946 Baltimore Sun
I chose a simple biscuit recipe from “300 Years of Black Cooking In St. Mary’s County” to accompany the maple butter. The recipe was contributed to the book by Lucille Briscoe of Charlotte Hall.
I had a hard time finding any information about Lucille (that I could verify.) The Briscoe name hails from Sotterley Plantation owner Dr. Walter Hanson Stone Briscoe, passed on to the people he’d enslaved upon their emancipation. This is typical, and all around the region you can find unrelated families with names linking them to the place of their ancestors enslavement. The SlackWater Archive contains oral histories of people with the name of Briscoe, as well as histories of the slavery experience at Sotterley Plantation.
I either rolled the biscuits too thin or overworked the dough because they didn’t come out looking very biscuit-like, in the American sense of the word. They were perfectly tasty and flaky and made an ideal vehicle for the maple butter. I had some leftover crème fraîche so I dabbed a little of that on there too. In the photo at the bottom of this entry, the butter was spread onto a hot biscuit and is melting. The top photo shows the texture out of the fridge. It’s a little grainy. I believe that could be prevented by mixing in about a tablespoon of corn syrup to the maple syrup when heating. I don’t find that necessary, it still tastes fine.
Maple Butter:
- 1 cup real maple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Pour maple syrup into a medium saucepan, add cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook to 240 degrees, or when syrup is thick like hot caramel, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, remove cinnamon stick*, and stir in butter until melted.
Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer, beat on low speed until mixture is thick, creamy and stiffening. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.
Biscuit Recipe:
- 3 c flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- ⅓ c shortening
- 1 c buttermilk
Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening. Stir in the milk until all ingredients are moistened. Roll dough out to ½” thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into biscuit rounds and place onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.
Recipe adapted from “300 Years of Black Cooking in St. Mary’s County”, credited to Lucille Briscoe, Charlotte Hall
