Al studied history in college and never lost my appetite for it. One thing that really appeals to me is the history of food and cooking. And here in Maryland we have quite a few Food Historians. And as he told Chef Jerry Pellegrino, one of my favorites is a local lady called Kara Mae Harris, who has written a wonderful book called “Old Line Plate”.
Kara Mae has been writing her blog (also called “Old Line Plate” for years, which features the old Maryland recipes she’s been collecting. For her, the story and history behind the recipe is just as important, and her book reflects that. The book has about 50 recipes and stories to go along with them.
The first recipe that caught my eye is for a favorite dish: potato salad. The recipe grew out of the integration of all-girls Western High School, where African-American students launched a project to teach their white friends about soul food. This recipe, created by Thomasina Falcon, features the usual ingredients plus shredded carrots, diced pickles, chopped green peppers, plus pickle juice, mayonnaise and vinegar. It sounds like a happy collaboration between the mayo school of potato salad and the vinegar approach.
Kara Mae tells us that although Maryland Fried Chicken is widely known, there is little agreement on what it is or how it’s prepared. One common, but not universal theme is a milky, creamy gravy that accompanies it. Kara Mae’s research points to 1880 as the first time the dish is talked about. Despite Virginia claiming to be the origin, she defends its Maryland roots. And to be authentic she insists on cream gravy, corn fritters and fried mush. She quotes Mrs. Charles Gibson’s recipe that calls for a chicken cut into 7 pieces, floured, seasoned with salt and pepper, and fried in lard. She then has us make pan gravy with cream and parsley. We should serve the chicken with fried mush cakes and creamy gravy. And all that would be classic.
The third recipe has a great story attached. It seems that about a century ago, it was a common college practice in women’s dorms to whip up improvised late-night meals called “spreads”. One popular idea approximated Italian risotto. A 1912 cookbook called “College Cookery” spells it out. Essentially, you cook a half pound of rice (type not specified) in butter along with chopped onion. When the rice browns, you add a quart of beef stock and finish it with grated parmesan cheese and a pinch of saffron. Not exactly the classic approach, but I’m sure it tasted swell.
You can order Kara Mae’s book “Old Line Plate” on-line by going to https://oldlineplate.com/shop/ It will be a welcome addition to your kitchen.
