Zum Wohl!

Although the name "Baltimore" is Irish, German culture is rich in the city (Berger cookies anyone?).  German immigrants began to settle along the Chesapeake Bay by 1723, living in the area that became Baltimore when the city was established in 1729. German Lutheran immigrants established Zion Lutheran Church in 1755. Early German settlers also established the German Society of Maryland in 1783 in order to foster the German language and German culture in Baltimore.

Zion Church host a few fabulous German events throughout the year including an authentic Christkindlmarkt.  Last week I had the pleasure of going to their annual Sour Beef Dinner, which was the 2011 winner of City Paper's "Best Church Dinner."  

In addition to the best dumplings I've ever had, we also enjoyed live German music, great beer, and traditional German dancing.  

                                               

                                             Deutschland Über Alles

Black Eyed Susan

The Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) has been the official Maryland flower since 1918 when it was designated the "Floral Emblem" of Maryland by the General Assembly.  I snapped these on my bike ride this morning.

Though not native to the state of Maryland, it did grow throughout the state and presented beautiful waves of orange/yellow in fields from late summer to autumn. It also reflected the colors, black and gold, that the first Lord Baltimore used in his coat of arms.

There was plenty of opposition to the black-eyed Susan. It was denigrated as nothing more than a common weed and not even native to the state. An article in the Baltimore Sun criticized the choice, referring to it as a common vagabond, " Susan came to Maryland, not on the Ark or the Dove, but as a migrant from the Midwest mixed in clover and hayseed.”

Loveliest City

"Baltimore is one of the loveliest and most beautiful cities in all of North America." -Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Holy Man of Maryland

Deviled Ham

I didn't take the best picture but the product was delish.  This recipe, from Maryland's Way, is great for leftover ham.

2 cups ground ham (leftover scraps, mostly lean)

cream sauce made as follows:

1 cup cream, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon flour, dash of red pepper, 1/2 tablespoon dry mustard.  Blend and cook until very thick, about 10 minutes.  Add ham, mix thoroughly, put in  lightly greased mould and chill.  Deviled ham may be turned out whole on a serving dish (good for Sunday night supper), or used as a spread for crackers.

Southern Maryland Stuffed Ham

Being of the Clan Coppage, I have Southern Maryland roots which go way back.  It's only fitting to have a traditional stuffed ham for family gatherings such as Easter.  Since it uses cold weather crops, it's also a good treat for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

Depending on your tastes, and where you're from in Southern Maryland, your ratio of kale to cabbage varies.  I prefer 50/50.  Remove and discard the spines from the kale and the outer leaves from the cabbage and wash thoroughly. Chop coarsely and mix with a chopped sweet onion and spices (crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard seeds, and celery seeds).  

Mix stuffing ingredients together in a large bowl using your hands.  

With a long sharp knife cut deep slices all over the ham and fill with stuffing.  Make sure to get a good amount of stuffing in each hole, but don't make the holes too big as over stuffing doesn't allow the ham flavor to permeate each stuffing pocket. 

Place leftover stuffing on the cheesecloth and place ham on top.  Tie the cheesecloth in a secure knot and place ham, stuffing end up, in the steamer pot. Cover and bring water to a boil.  Once it boils reduce to medium and steam for approximately 20 minutes a pound.  I cooked mine until it reached 170 degrees. 

I usually reach temperature around 10pm so I can turn off the heat and let it cool in the pot overnight.  In the morning I put the cooled ham in the fridge where it remains until dinner time.  

Viola! 

Slice and serve cold.  Makes wonderful sandwiches the next day....and green ham and eggs for breakfast.

*I used a 24lb corned ham

5-6 bunches of kale

2 heads of cabbage

1 large sweet onion

1.5 Tbsp crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp mustard seeds

1 Tbsp celery seeds

2 tsp cayenne

Clam Dip

Clam Dip is a staple at any family gathering.  A very simple appetizer to make and a definite crowd pleaser.  You must use Philadelphia Cream Cheese, lesser brands won't thicken properly. 

Put the cream cheese in the blender and add clam juice, reserving half.  Blend until thoroughly mixed.  Add reserved juice as necessary until desired consistency is achieved.  The amount of juice varies in each can so you just have to eyeball it.

Pour into serving bowl then dump in chopped clams and stir with a fork.  Add in desired amount of horseradish and stir again.  I'm heavy handed with the horseradish.

Grandma Utz are the best chips for this.  Although I have a few siblings who prefer BBQ chips.

Stephen Decatur

Born in on the eastern shore of Maryland, in Worcester County, the son of a U.S. naval officer who served during the American Revolution, Stephen Decatur was reared in the traditions of the sea and in 1798 joined the United States Navy as a midshipman aboard the new frigate, United States. That year, he saw action in the so-called quasi-war with France and in 1799 was commissioned a lieutenant. Five years later, during the Tripolitan War, he became the most lauded American naval hero since John Paul Jones.

In 1801, President Thomas Jefferson ordered U.S. Navy vessels to the Mediterranean Sea in protest of continuing raids against U.S. ships by pirates from the Barbary states--Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, and Tripolitania. Sustained action began in June 1803, and in October the U.S. frigate Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli and was captured by Tripolitan gunboats. The Americans feared that the well-constructed warship would be used as a model for building future Tripolitan frigates, and on February 16, 1804, Stephen Decatur led a daring expedition into Tripoli harbor to destroy the captured vessel.

After disguising himself and his men as Maltese sailors, Decatur's force sailed into Tripoli harbor and boarded the Philadelphia, which was guarded by Tripolitans who were quickly overpowered by the Americans. After setting fire to the frigate, Decatur and his men escaped without the loss of a single American. The Philadelphia subsequently exploded when its gunpowder reserve was lit by the spreading fire. Famed British Admiral Horatio Nelson hailed the exploit as the "most bold and daring act of the age," and Decatur was promoted to captain. In August 1804, Decatur returned to Tripoli Harbor as part of a larger American offensive and emerged as a hero again during the Battle of the Gunboats, which saw hand-to-hand combat between the Americans and the Tripolitans.

"From the Halls of Montezuma,To the Shores of Tripoli"

"Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right; but our country right or wrong." -Stephen Decatur

Maryland's Son

Born on 3 January 1888, in Rising Sun, Maryland Major General Norman T. Kirk, saw 4 wars and every battlefield of his country's involvement from 1912 until 1947.  There was nothing military or medical in General Kirk’s background to indicate what he was to become. He came from a family of farmers. He attended the Tome School then went straight to the University of Maryland Medical School.



 He was appointed Surgeon General, United States Army, on 1 June 1943. Under his guidance as Surgeon General, the U.S. Army in World War II achieved a record of recovery from wounds and freedom from disease never before accomplished in history.

Along the way he garnered many honors including the United States Legion of Merit and the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor, the Italian Order of the Crown, the Order of the British Empire and the Swedish Order of the Northern Star.

Under his administration the Army death rate from disease which was 165 per 10,000 patients in World War I dropped to 60 per 10,000. His skills as a physician as well as administrator were recognized by President Harry S. Truman when he chose him as his ‘personal physician’ during the Potsdam Conference.



Kirk's “Amputations, Operative Technique” has gone through several editions and is considered a classic in its field



Through the Army's preventive medicine program deaths from disease were reduced to 0.6 man per thousand men per year as against 16.5 in World War I. The dysenteries, which once put entire regiments and armies out of action, occurred among less than 90 out of every 1,000 men per year and were readily controlled. During World War I, 38% of the men who contracted meningitis died compared with 4% in this war; and 24% of those who contracted pneumonia died, compared with only six-tenths of 1% in this war.

In 1947 he retired to in Montauk where he worked as a country doctor and treated all the local fishermen for free.  He died in 1960 and is memorialized at Kirk Park just west of the village. This oasis of green is owned and maintained by the Montauk Village Association and honors a man who did so much for this community and for his Country. The memorial plaque reads:

“Major General Norman T. Kirk”
“Village Physician, fisherman, friend”

Pit Beef Grad

Baltimore is known for Pit Beef so I figured it's time I learned to master this piece of Maryland history.  Pit Beef was created as a way to make a cheap cut of beef edible.  However, Chuck isn't so cheap anymore so I settled for an upgrade to top round.

My cousin was kind enough to let me use his heirloom skewers(from my uncle the pit master) and his homemade pit.  He threw in some hardwood lump and we put the beef near the flame for radiant.  Then we played the waiting/drinking game.  I did get yelled at once for walking past the pit without checking on the meat. 

I learned a homemade baste recipe which we liberally applied whenever we turned the beef.  And voila!  A few hours later glorious Pit Beef:

I wish I had made some of my homemade white bread but hand-sandwiches worked too.

Baylieve Hon

Old Bay has up a great "Baylieve" billboard in support of the Ravens but I don't have a camera so- no picture.
According to wiki Old Bay "was developed by German immigrant Gustav Brunn in 1939.....Old Bay Seasoning is named after the  Old Bay Line, a passenger ship line that plied the waters of the Chesapeake Bay from Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia, in the early 1900s. Gustav Brunn’s company became the Old Bay Company in 1939, the year he fled Nazi Germany, producing crab seasonings in the unique yellow can container until the company was purchased by McCormick & Co in 1990."
My cousin takes Old Bay and adds more spices to it and it makes a huge difference. I haven't gotten around to make it myself yet but here is a recipe for homemade Old Bay:

Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon ground bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
3/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoons red pepper
1/4 teaspoons ground mace (optional)
1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom (optional)

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in an airtight container and store in a cool place. Makes about 1/4 cup 

When I make it myself, I'll post the results.

Maryland Pride Ink

You can't swing a cat in Baltimore without hitting someone sporting a Maryland tattoo.  I found this out at the bar.  Forgive the quality of my horrible flip phone camera.  The Wye Oak(RIP) with the Maryland flag.  Better posts to follow.  I might dip into my Maryland's Way cookbook to make a traditional recipe this weekend.

Maryland by Vonda Shepard

I don't have a camera yet so this song will have to do for now.