This recipe comes from the “Maryland’s Way” cookbook via a “Mrs. Frederick W. Brune’s Book, 1860.” The source is likely the Brune Family Papers residing at the Maryland Historical Society. Other than delicious cornmeal waffles, the recipe led only to dead ends, with no real resolution or intrigue. There, I said it.
The Brune family legacy spans many generations in Baltimore, starting with the first Frederick W. Brune, a German who became a prominent Baltimore merchant after immigrating in 1799.
His son, and his son were also named Frederick W. Brune, so the whole thing gets confusing. Timing suggests this book belonged to the wife of Frederick W. Brune II, maiden name Emily S. Barton.
Frederick W. Brune II was a founding member of the Maryland Historical society (MDHS). His son Frederick W. Brune III was a president of MDHS, as well as chief judge in the Maryland Court of Appeals.
The “Confederate Waffles, Mrs. Hubard’s Way” mystery remains. I couldn’t figure out who Mrs. Hubard was, although there was a Confederate colonel who could have known the family through politics. The recipe is not labeled as “Confederate” in the family papers. It may have been an addition for publication in “Maryland’s Way.” An employee at MDHS was so kind as to look into the Brune family papers for me, adding that they do not know whether the Brunes were confederate sympathizers but “it seems likely, because if you were in rich in Baltimore..” The name could possibly be a play on the corn-based Johnnycakes, which originate in New England.
Well there you have it. Hopefully I’ll return next week with something a little more interesting.
Recipe:
1 cup corn meal
2 cups boiling water
4 tb butter (optional: use part bacon grease)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
½ tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
2/3 cup milk
Stir cornmeal into boiling water until smooth. Add butter and stir until melted. Let cool before stirring in eggs, followed by flour, salt and baking powder. Thin with milk & pour batter into heated waffle iron.
Recipe adapted from “Maryland’s Way: The Hammond-Harwood House Cookbook”. Served above with berbere-spiced black-eyed pea fritters from “Afro-Vegan” by Bryant Terry
November is upon us, and although the autumnal comforts of the past few posts (biscuits, pies, and cornbread) have been pleasant, I thought I’d better branch out, lest I lose my *edge*. For this week’s installment, I turned to the news for inspiration.
The fate of the building once occupied by the famed Haussner’s restaurant has been uncertain for a decade now. It has stood vacant, going through numerous sales and auctions while the surrounding neighborhood of Highlandtown slowly transforms around it. Last month it was finally announced that the building would be demolished to make way for an apartment building.
While I did fortunately have the chance to visit Eichenkranz, the city’s last remaining German restaurant, before it closed this past May, I had never been to Haussners. For the many who have, there has been no shortage of nostalgia stirred as a result of the announcement.
Haussner’s was more than German food. Haussner’s was known for their crab cakes, their beloved strawberry pie, and above all, their fine art collection.
Collected by the owner’s wife, Frances Wilke Haussner over the course of 73 years, the collection sold for ten million dollars after the restaurant’s closing.
“Master chef” William Henry Haussner opened the restaurant in 1926 upon emigrating from Germany. It is said that their novel-length menu boasted 112 entrees. William Haussner passed away in 1963 but the restaurant continued for several decades under Mrs. Hausner’s watch.
Mrs. Haussner passed away a year after the restaurant closed.
“Mrs. Haussner was the soul of Haussner’s,” said John R. Dorsey, former Sun art critic and restaurant reviewer. “She had a strong business sense, and her warm, welcoming, kindly presence, together with the comfortable food, made you happy there. She was an art collector both behind and ahead of fashion, and the art made Haussner’s a nationally cited tourist attraction. She is a Baltimore legend.”
Haussner’s “didn’t have a rival in the 1940s, 1950s and into the 1960s, and for years, there was simply no point in going anywhere else. It was one of those rare places,” said Carleton Jones, retired Sunday Sun feature writer and restaurant critic. “Mrs. Haussner was a tireless person who was always there. I admired her as I know hundreds of others did.” – Baltimore Sun
Apparently, Mrs. Haussner was a vegetarian. That didn’t inhibit the fame of Haussner’s food including “sour beef” that was a draw for former governor and mayor William Donald Schaefer.
My first memorable encounter with sour beef was at Crossroads Restaurant, which was not particularly far from where Haussners stood. It was the “house specialty” and when we inquired what it was the waitress crinkled up her nose. “I don’t really like it,” she reluctantly admitted. “It kind of smells weird…” I did not try the sour beef.
inside Haussner’s menu
Although recipes for that legendary strawberry pie persist on the internet, the sauerbraten seems a little more elusive.
It could be that marinating a roast in wine, vinegar, and a load of spices for several days is not appealing, or maybe putting gobs of sugar in addition to gingersnaps in a meat dish seems ill-advised.
I put my reservations aside and stuck close to formula with the exception of adapting the dish for the slow-cooker. This allowed me to enjoy this meal on a weeknight at a reasonable hour. I used a mix of available vinegars (none was specified in the recipe) but I think that cider vinegar would be best.
The result was pretty tasty although I don’t think this is a dish I’d make on a regular basis. I’m told this should be served with red cabbage and spaetzle. We had it with collards and mashed potatoes because that is what I already had on hand. Tart meat takes some getting used to but along with some mellow sides this does make a satisfying cold-weather meal.
Recipe:
1.75 Cup wine, Burgundy, Pinot Noir or similar
1 pint cider vinegar
1.25 Cup sugar
6 lemons halved and squeezed, juice reserved
.5 Lb chopped onion
.25 Cup pickling spice
2 sticks cinnamon
2 Lb beef pot roast
.5 Teaspoon salt
.25 Teaspoon seasoning salt
.25 Lb crushed gingersnap cookies
2 bay leaves
flour
In a glass or ceramic bowl (do not use metal), mix together 1.5 cups wine, vinegar, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon halves, onions, pickling spice, and cinnamon. Add meat and let it marinate in a cool place for a few days, turning occasionally. Be sure the marinade completely covers the meat.Remove the meat and place it in a slow cooker with about 3 cups of marinade. Cook for 6 hours on low. Skim off extra fat from pot liquid and/or roast and place it in a saucepan. Add enough flour to make a smooth roux. Cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.Into the roux, strain about 1 cup of oil and juices from the top of the cooking liquid and add reserved uncooked marinade. Add remaining ¼ cup wine, remaining ¼ cup sugar, salt, seasoning salt, gingersnaps, and bay leaves. Whisk together as mixture starts to bubble. Lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. If gravy is too thick, add water; if too thin, simmer a little longer to reduce. Slice meat and place on individual plates. Pour gravy over meat and serve.
Recipe adapted from “Maryland’s Historic Restaurants and their recipes”
By the time “The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook: Rediscovering the Pleasures of a Great Regional Cuisine” was published in the early 1990s, Maryland Chesapeake cuisine’s star had nearly faded into obscurity (as the title suggests).
Mid-century cookbooks such as Mrs. J. Millard Tawes’ “Favorite Maryland Recipes” and the edited and updated edition of Mrs. B.C. Howard’s “Fifty Years in a Maryland Kitchen” revisited the classics, but today their recipes seem dated with some of the culinary peculiarities that marked that time.
The return to fresh and local was just beginning to gain steam, and Shields’ books and television appearances brought those ideals back home to Maryland when he left his West Coast restaurant behind.
I had always intended to interview Shields for Old Line Plate. It was opportune then to learn that a 25th Anniversary Edition of “Chesapeake Bay Cooking with John Shields” was being released this fall on its rightful home, Johns Hopkins Press.
My recording device failed me (don’t use this thing) but nonetheless we had an informative little chat.
For those unfamiliar with John Shields, he is known for the aforementioned book plus several others, in addition to hosting an engaging public television show demonstrating cooking techniques and traveling Maryland exploring our culinary heritage.
In the past, Shields’ books have served as interpretation for some of the recipes I’ve featured on Old Line plate. When an old “receipt” says “add some cornmeal and cook it until it’s done,” the Shields version can clarify a little.
While the mid-century visitations of Maryland food sometimes took a few too many liberties, John Shields maintains the integrity of foods like scrapple, Maryland Fried Chicken, and Shad Roe. (The latter two are featured in the new book.)
Asked about how things have changed over those 25 years, Shields pointed primarily to innovations that may help bring Chesapeake delicacies back in a sustainable way. As John points out, traditionally, “oyster was king. It wasn’t until more recently that crab was popular.” And now oyster farming is taking hold and cleaning up the waters, companies such as Nice creamery are providing dairy from grass-fed and hormone-free cows, and local farms like One Straw are growing produce that tastes superior without sending damaging byproducts into the bay.
Where Maryland falls behind, according to Shields, is our lack of a practical distribution network for smaller farms. Models exist in other places such as Vermont and Portland.
Shields plans to explore some of these issues and their effect on the culinary scene in a future book.
Currently, Shields owns the locally beloved Gertrude’s restaurant at the Baltimore Museum of Art. I attended a recent event where proceeds were contributed towards the National Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Program. Since I didn’t get the ‘Soft-Shell Crab Moutarde’ that night I later made it at home to accompany this article. The recipe can be found in Chesapeake Bay Cooking.
According to Shields, some of the recipes have been cleaned up with some omissions or unfavorable changes made by the previous publisher corrected.
In the midst of wrapping up the re-released and updated book, and the flurry of press that goes with it, the executive pastry chef at Gertrude’s, Doug Wetzel, suffered liver and kidney failure while participating in a triathlon. He was in intensive care for months, and the Baltimore culinary community took to action.
Local chefs and restaurants pitched in to help raise money for Wetzel’s Medical care. Shields describes the response as “gratifying and humbling to see.”
To wrap up our chat, I asked about the controversial Maryland Fried Chicken steaming step, and Shields weighed in firmly “pro.” His recipe marinades the chicken in buttermilk, followed by a toss in flour. Next, “you brown the chicken in very hot oil, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to steam the chicken; this keeps the meat moist while producing a crisp coating.” Serve with the cream gravy. Alternative method: go get the chicken at Gertrude’s on Tuesdays.
