“In speaking of our adopted citizens of foreign birth, we hardly ever make any mention of the Welsh miners who have settled in Allegany and Garrett Counties, although they form a most industrious and intelligent portion of the mining population. We have no information as to their numbers, but from the fact that they have at least two churches at Frostburg, we infer that there must be not less than five hundred Welsh families living near the coal fields.” – the Baltimore American, 1873
The previous owner of my copy of the circa 1980 “Favorite Recipes from the Women’s Welsh Club of Baltimore” tried at least two of its recipes. In the margins next to the recipe for “Welsh Bara Brith (Speckled Bread)” they wrote “1981 good St. David’s Day.” Beside the recipe for “Welsh Ginger Cream Cake (Teisen Hufen Sinsir)” they wrote “St. David’s Day 1981 odd but good.”
The feast of Saint David, patron saint of Wales, is observed on March 1st, the anniversary of his death in 589 AD. The holiday is a celebration of all things Welsh, from food to clothing to flora.
Although no single wave of immigration resulted in a large Welsh community in Baltimore, people of Welsh origin came to work in the city’s industries, or ended up there via migration from Appalachia and the “Welsh Tract” of Pennsylvania.
In the 1830s, miners were recruited from Wales to Western Maryland due to their familiarity with the equipment and technology used by the George’s Creek Coal and Iron Company.
Continue reading “Mildred Hailey’s Ginger Cream Cake”