Prince George’s County hasn’t made many appearances on this blog thus far, despite being my place of origin. Awhile back, I came across some “Maryland Cooking” recipes printed in The Washington Times in 1921, from “The Melwood Cook Book.” I managed to find a copy and photographed it for archive.org before passing it along to the Maryland Historical Society.
A lot of the names in the book are members of prominent families from the Upper Marlboro area – Duvall, Bowie, Pumphrey. This recipe was attributed to “Mrs. Fred Binger.”
Frederick Binger was the son of Henrietta and John Binger, Germans who moved to Pennsylvania before or around when Frederick was born (1851). Census records throughout his life list Frederick Binger as a farm “laborer.” Frederick’s first marriage ended in tragedy in 1876 when his wife dropped an oil lamp, which exploded and caught her dress on fire. She did not survive the accident.
Frederick and his brother John acquired an estate near Upper Marlboro known as “Mount Clare.” The property had been owned by Richard O. Mullikin, a planter (tobacco, presumably) who “moved in the same social circles as the Claggetts and Bowies, and other wealthy landowners of the Marlboro area.”
1878 Atlas showing Fred Binger’s property, Maryland State Archives
In 1896, Fred Binger married a distant relative of Mullikin’s. Rosa Lee Duckett, the daughter of farmer Benjamin Lee Duckett, who was “one of the most highly respected citizens of [Prince George’s County,]” according to the Washington Times.
Rosa is, I believe, the “Mrs. Fred Binger” found in the Melwood Cook Book. In the early 1900s, Rosa took prizes in the state fair for her rolls and sweet pickles. She contributed all kinds of recipes to the Melwood cookbook: cakes, chow-chow, apple butter, and scrapple (remember, Mr. Binger was technically a Pennsylvania German), just to name a few.
I haven’t done anything with rhubarb this year and I love pineapple, so this Pineapple Rhubarb Marmalade seemed like a good choice. Technically it is more of a preserve than a marmalade since there is no citrus peel in it. When it came off the stove, the cooked pineapple taste was dominant. I figured this recipe must have been an economical way to get more mileage out of the pineapple. As it cooled down and sat a few days, the rhubarb tartness came through.
Mount Clare/Charles Branch/Binger Farm, Maryland Historical Trust
I’ve always been a big fan of Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler but now I can see the appeal of rhubarb preserves. Without committing to finishing an entire cobbler, I can snack on this taste of spring at any time for weeks to come.
Rosa Binger died in 1959. Some Washington Post mentions indicate that some of Fred and Rosa’s descendants still reside in the Upper Marlboro area.
I’ll have to try to make more of the P.G. County recipes from the Melwood Cook Book and Eat, Drink & Be Merry in Maryland. There is a lot of history to learn about, and plenty of recipes to go along with it.
Recipe:
- 5 Lb rhubarb*
- 5 Lb sugar
- 1 pineapple
Cut rhubarb and pineapple fine, add sugar and let it stand over night. Put in preserving kettle and cook until like jelly.
Recipe from “The Melwood Cook Book” by the Women’s Club Of Melwood District
* I divided this recipe in third by weight.
