TIME MACHINE ... 1915 Article Recalls Vanished Glory Of Eastern Shore Cooking

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August, 1915

(The Denton Journal)

In the Baltimore Sun of Saturday Dr. John F. Fulton heaves some deep sighs because of the vanished glory of the Eastern Shore cooking. Dr. Fulton knew the peninsula in the dear, dead days and he knows it now, very thoroughly. For the past two years his investigating work relative to health and sanitary conditions down there has kept him very constantly in its counties, so he speaks with real authority on the much mooted question:

"I have stopped constantly in hotels in Centerville, Cambridge, Salisbury, Easton, Chestertown, and Elkton," he said. "During those stops I have never been served a waffle, never a piece of Sally Lunn, never a single Maryland biscuit, and very seldom a piece of corn bread. Broiled chicken for breakfast? Never! The most usual breakfast is bacon and eggs, and fried potatoes."

"For dinner, at this time of year, fried chicken is often served at the hotels down there, but it is not the fine, crisp, fragrant fried chicken that used to be served on the tables of the Eastern Shoreman of 15 or 20 years ago. The sad part of it, too, is that it isn't just a matter of hotels. The Eastern Shore homes that have the famous old cooking that makes our mouths water just to think about are few and far between."

"How many families make their weekly batches of Maryland biscuits these days? How often does Sally Lunn appear on the tables down there? A number of dishes are almost lost in oblivion. I haven't seen a piece of milk-rising bread for years, and as for crackling bread, it's been years and years and years."

"Crackling bread used to be one of the most popular breads about hog killing times. It's made, you know, out of the abdominal fat of the hog after its cooked to a crisp. Mixed with flour and milk with a little soda and cream of tartar thrown in to make it light, it used to be put in a closed-top crock about a couple of inches thick and then placed on the coals of a Dutch oven to bake. It only took about 15 minutes. Then steaming hot, and all self-buttered, served with sausage, it was a dish fit for a king."

Dr. Fulton's eyes closed with delicious memories. But the memories evoked another plaintive question.

"And who ever sees tansy puddings these days?" he asked. "The present generation doesn't even know the tansy plant when they see it, I'll wager. All brown and fragrant, it was one of the most toothsome deserts. Then there's muskrats. They're not fashionable any longer, but a better dish one would hardly ask for."

"There's one thing about Eastern Shore tables, however, that's always been peculiar to it, and which still clings. It is the thinness with which they cut their steaks. When I was a boy I never saw a steak more than a half-inch in thickness. In those days they used to dip a steak in egg-water and flour and broil them, but they still have them thin and cooked so done they curl up at the edges. Eastern Shore beef is not good either, Most of it is locally killed, I believe."　

"But I have no complaint of the hotels in particular. Some of them are as good as the usual hotel anywhere, even though they haven't got those old dishes. That's not their fault. It's because the old-fashioned negro cook is disappearing. ( )..the one who takes her place is inefficient in comparison. The old cooks knew their art by instinct, and they leave no cookbooks to guide their successors."

　

December, 1925

The assistance by firemen from Pocomoke City and five other towns was credited with preventing a major fire in Ocean City from completely leveling the seaside resort. The fire started in The Eastern Shore Electric Light Plant and spread to the Atlantic and Seaside Hotels, the Ocean City pier, and several concessions. Ocean City firemen made an urgent call for help. A published report stated firemen traveled icy roads at high rates of speed to reach the scene. With no city water supply available, firemen chopped holes in the ice to draw water to fight the flames. In addition to the Pocomoke City firemen, assistance was sent from Berlin, Snow Hill, Princess Anne, Salisbury, and Laurel, De.

　

October, 1896

(The Landmark- Statesville, N.C.)

Hon. M.A. Cowles, ex member of the Virginia legislature from Northumberland County, was egged at New Church, Accomac County, while addressing a Republican mass meeting of about 200 people in front of the hotel.

　

January, 1986

Pocomoke City's mayor for 18 years, J. Dawson Clarke, passed away at age 80. The mayor had announced earlier in the year he wouldn't seek another term. A week earlier Curt Lippolt was elected to succeed him. Mayor Clarke was owner of the Marva Theater and for many years he operated WBOC's Pocomoke radio studio on Willow Street.　

　

　

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