Pot Pie of Wild Mushrooms, Old Angler’s Inn

I wasn’t surprised to learn that the Old Angler’s Inn doesn’t exactly date to the 19th century. Rather, the building in Potomac was built on the site of a previous Anglers’ clubhouse that had burned down in 1896. The current building, now a restaurant, dates to just after 1900. Perfectly respectable.

I was surprised to learn that the story of a nearby gold-mine, operated by a Union soldier, was absolutely true. The ruins of the mine still sit near the C&O Canal, just a mile away from the Old Angler’s Inn. The mine even has a historical marker validating its existence.

Legend has it that the Anglers’ Association, whose nearby clubhouse inspired the Inn’s name, boasted several U.S. Presidents as members.

Old Angler’s Inn, Maryland Historical Trust

The Old Angler’s Inn was first operated by Ida & Joseph Bodine. In 1910, Joseph’s occupation is listed as janitor at a “club house,” so that may explain the connection to the Anglers’ Association.

Upon Ida’s death in 1944, the Inn had a series of owners. In 1957, the business was purchased by the Reges family and has stayed in the family ever since.

Reviews of the Inn’s food have had their ups and downs over the years. Some reviewers remarked that the beautiful setting allowed for lackluster food. Others praised the seafood and the rack of lamb. I did not find any praise nor criticism of this mushroom pie, which was included in the 1995 edition of “Maryland’s Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes“. Packed with root vegetables and topped with puff pastry, the pie made a nice use of a few of the morels and chicken-of-the-woods that I found this spring.

Note: The recipe in the book calls for “commercial puff pastry” which I generally avoid. There are a lot of puff pastry shortcuts out there that are far preferable to store-bought, which is usually made with shortening. I was low on butter and time so I went for the lackluster freezer-section puff pastry anyhow.

The recipe was provided care of Jeffrey Tomchek, who served as the chef of the Old Angler’s Inn from 1993 through the late 1990s. During his time, the restaurant became well-known for creme brulee. The crème brûlée is mentioned in “Maryland’s Historic Restaurants…” but sadly, the recipe is not included. In 1996 Tomchek put out an entire cookbook of Old Angler’s Inn recipes. That book apparently has a recipe for a “Morel Tarte Tatin” which might have been a better use of my foraged spoils. Oh well. Maybe it has a recipe for the famous crème brûlée!

Recipe:

1 Cup wild mushrooms
2 to 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons shallot, minced
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
.25 Cup carrot, cubed
.25 Cup celery root, cubed
.5 to 1 Cup good quality red wine
1 Tablespoon flour
salt and black pepper to taste
2 to 3 sheets puff pastry
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Cut mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Melt butter in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat and sauté mushrooms, shallots, garlic, carrots, and celery root for about five minutes. Reduce heat, add 1/2 cup of wine. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If needed, add more wine. Stir in flour and cook for an another few minutes, until liquid is thickened. Season with salt and pepper and pour into casserole dish, pie pans or ramekins. Cut puff pastry to desired size to top, place atop pie(s) and brush with egg mixture. Finish in a 450-degree oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from “Maryland’s Historic Restaurants and their recipes,” second edition