Maryland culinary heritage is the food that defines the state which springs forth from the Chesapeake Bay. The Native Americans, British, Germans, and Poles were all influenced by the variety of fish, oysters, clams, crabs, and terrapins that could be harvested from the largest estuary in North America. In addition to seafood, other dishes associated with the region were developed because of the unique lifestyle created by living along the water. The Smith Island cake, for example, was created as a sturdy dessert that fishermen could take aboard ship during their long days fishing the Chesapeake. Also, the landowners who first arrived in Maryland, concocted ingenious uses for the chickens, squirrels, muskrats, and produce available on the fertile lands along the Bay. The book is not just about the past. The recent trend of eating local has brought about an effort to preserve the delicate nature of the Chesapeake Bay. Modern techniques such as oyster farming and fishing invasive species to protect the indigenous flora and fauna will be explored. Of course, recipes are presented to not only illustrate classic dishes that developed over time, but also modern versions created by some of Maryland’s top chefs.
Paperback. 224 pages. Size approximately 9"x7.5". Authors Kathy Wielech Patterson and Neal Patterson.