Maryland Official Visitors Guide - 2018 Maryland Official Visitors Guide
Culinary & Dining
2017-11-29 01:08:16
Savor the Tastes of Maryland
A delectable culinary scene thrives in Maryland with fresh-caught seafood and shellfish, mouth-watering barbeque, and unique dishes you can’t get anywhere else.
Succulent Seafood
From perfectly spiced steamed crabs with a sweet, buttery finish to a truly authentic codfish sandwich, affectionately called a “coddie,” Maryland serves up fresh dishes straight from the sea. For the quintessential Maryland steamed crab experience, bring family and friends to Hooper’s Crab House in West Ocean City and enjoy your feast dockside on an actual Chesapeake Bay crabbing deadrise boat. Another state delicacy, the soft-shell crab sandwich, is served particularly well at Crisfield Seafood in Potomac, where the crab is floured, pan fried and served whole on a roll with crisp lettuce and fresh tomato. With so much seafood to enjoy, why not follow Maryland’s Crab & Oyster Trails to savor the fruits of the Chesapeake Bay. Explore restaurants, seafood markets and festivals in all five regions of Maryland.
Amazing Oysters
Bursting with the crisp, clean soul of the Chesapeake, oysters from the bay are a traditional delicacy with culinary roots dating back centuries. Try them fried in an oyster sandwich with crisp lettuce and tomato; steeped in fresh, local cream and their own savory brine as an oyster stew; or simply shucked raw, straight from a skipjack. Maryland’s sweet, succulent oysters are a foodie’s dream, and the oyster connoisseur will want to sample some of Maryland’s outstanding artisanal farm-raised oysters like Chesapeake Golds, with their rich, salty flavor; delicately balanced Barren Island Oysters with their perfect blend of salt and sweet; and True Chesapeake Oysters—their clean, light flavor makes for a savory dessert. Or try a wild caught oyster. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the few places still producing these wild harvested treasures.
Unique Maryland Dishes
Maryland’s pit-beef is part of a regional tradition. Marylanders pride themselves on their lean-cut pit-beef, cooked over high heat, sliced thin right off the fire and served on a Kaiser roll. Other varieties include pit-ham and pit-turkey. Stop by Pioneer Pit Beef in Catonsville for a steaming, melt-in-your-mouth meal. For an equally tasty (and veggie) treat, try a fresh-from-the-vine, juicy tomato sandwich. Gertrude’s in Baltimore specializes in perfectly ripe, thick slices of tomato finished with salt, pepper and a dollop of mayo, served on soft white bread.
No trip to Maryland is complete without a taste of Southern Maryland stuffed ham. Smoky whole ham, stuffed with cayenne-spiked cabbage and greens, is a staple of everyday life in Southern Maryland, served best at St. Mary’s Landing Restaurant in Charlotte Hall.
Another favorite, although a rarity, is snapping turtle soup. The hallmark of a perfect turtle soup is a dark aromatic broth with a rich, beefy flavor. Captain’s Ketch Seafood Market in Easton is renowned for their bowl.
Sweet Treats
Saving the best for last, Marylanders are blessed with a sweet tooth and all of the mixings to satisfy it. For a rich after-dinner dessert, a Smith Island Cake does the trick. With up to a dozen wafer-thin layers of delicate yellow cake, each covered in chocolate icing, it’s no surprise it’s the official state dessert. The confectioners at Smith Island Baking Company will gladly cut you a slice.
Take to the Maryland streets for a great frozen treat—Snowballs, a Baltimore tradition since the 1900s, are the perfect mix of fine, shaved ice, delectable sweet syrups and, for the locals, a rich, gooey marshmallow topping. Also widely available at grocery stores and specialty shops, the Berger Cookie has a cakey cookie base topped with an extravagant amount of dark chocolate fudge, created by German immigrant Henry Berger in Baltimore in 1835. Candy fans go for Goetze’s Caramel Creams, made in Baltimore for nearly 100 years.
Flavorful Festivals
Plan a foodie excursion around these popular culinary events and festivals.
Maryland Craft Beer Festival (May)
Beer tastings from Maryland breweries (including a few breweries not yet open to the public!) pouring nearly 200 unique local craft beers. In addition, there will be live music, delicious food and an eclectic display of Frederick art along Carroll Creek Linear Park.
Wine and Food Festival (April)
Sample gourmet treats, sip local wines and learn cooking techniques from famous chefs at this festival in bustling National Harbor.
Whiskey Rebellion Festival (June)
The Allegany Museum in Cumberland gets its history on with a homage to that time in 1791 when people got really annoyed with a new tax on booze. Watch historic re-enactments, drink small-batch Maryland whiskey and play Colonial games.
Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival (August)
The festival is an all-you-care-to-taste extravaganza complete with more than 65,000 crabs, lots of beer, arts & crafts, live music, and family fun at National Harbor.
National Crab Derby (Labor Day Weekend)
The festival features crab races, crab cooking and picking contests, carnival rides, arts & crafts, vendors, live entertainment, beauty pageants, a parade, fireworks and more.
Maryland Seafood Festival (September)
Crabs, shrimp, mussels and other seafood fuel this two-day party at Sandy Point State Park. Sign up for beach soccer, groove to live music, test your stomach in eating contests and see if you can pinch a prize at the Crab Soup Cook-Off.
Maryland Wine Festival (September)
The oldest state wine festival features wine tastings from nearly 30 wineries from all across Maryland as well as live music, craft vendors, food and an opportunity to explore the historic Carroll County Farm Museum.
U.S. Oyster Festival (October)
Come to this festival at the St. Mary’s County fairgrounds in Leonardtown for oyster-shucking and oyster-eating contests, great local music, and the annual crowning of King and Queen Oyster.
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