322322 Thu Aug 31 19:14:43 -0700 2006 28 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 1846456 Tonight, I am going to O'Donnell's (my wife's birthday). What is this thing about Washington seafood restaurants and rum buns? I remember that Kushner's always had rum buns as well. (I think Bish Thompsons had a mini-bread loaf instead, and I have not been to Crisfields in so long I can't remember what they have). Mind you, I like rum buns, and I like O'Donnell's. I just have never heard of anyplace outside of the DC area where seafood restaurants serve them. Does anyone know the story behind this peculiar local quirk (or am I mistaken about it being a local thing)? Thu Aug 31 19:14:43 -0700 2006 29976 pgreen 1 1846964 It's a local thing - used to be the Flagship was the only one famous for them (and they always came first, before any other food) - The Flagship is no more, taken over by Phillips, and maybe the rum buns migrated farther down the dockside. Note: in checking Google for the existence of the Flagship (I haven't been to or paid attention to the DC waterfront in years) the response was headed with dozens of recipes for Flagship Rum Buns - and I'm sure they originally all came from Washington's Flagship Restaurant. Thu Aug 31 21:44:19 -0700 2006 1846456 14479 wayne keyser 1 1847124 When I arrived in Washington in 1976, Hogate's was famous for their rum buns. They had a bakery apart from the restaurant that sold just the rum buns if you like. AFAIK, it's still there. Thu Aug 31 22:58:35 -0700 2006 1846456 10156 Steve 2 1847298 O'Donnell's served them at their original location at 13th and F for nearly 150 years. They were so popular that all the other seafood places in town followed suit. This was back in the days when DC was famous for it's seafood and was actually a port town. Gone are the days--and the rum buns, raw bars on every corner, The Wilson Line, the working waterfront of Georgetown--the whole schmeer. Fri Sep 01 00:16:30 -0700 2006 1847124 10933 flavrmeistr 2 3740052 I also arrived in Washington in 1976 and promptly got a waitressing job at the Flagship for lunches and the Kennedy Center Lounge for nighttime. I remember the tour buses pulling up all day long and people streaming in....all those rum buns. We had to wear hairnets, and since I was in my twenties and terribly vain, I HATED WEARING THOSE NETS! I think I quit because of them! Oh, youth..... Sun Jun 01 18:12:23 -0700 2008 1847124 184073 susabella 1 1847456 I was wrong about Flagship being the only original rum-bun server. Fri Sep 01 01:42:06 -0700 2006 1846456 14479 wayne keyser 1 1847932 Interesting--and I forgot all about Hogates. The strange thing is that I have only the vaguest recollection of Flagship. I do recall traveling the Wilson line, however. Fri Sep 01 09:03:20 -0700 2006 1846456 29976 pgreen 2 3425931 I grew up in Baltimore. Our family often ate at the Hecht Co. restaurant. They served rum buns too. I would love to have the recipe. Fri Feb 22 17:48:46 -0800 2008 1847932 168611 kinley Karlsen 1 2276506 I went on line today to see if I could find the same recipe for the famous "Flagship Rum Buns" so far I have not. My mother cut out the recipe that was written in the Washington Post in the early 70's. I still have the original recipe she cut from the paper. Never made them but have always planned to. It is quite a lot of preperation but perhaps for this Valentines Day I will make them for my family. If anyone is interested in a copy of the recipe write and let me know! I too remember these incredible Hot sticky buns as the before dinner delight. As a little girl growing up in the Wash DC area and eating at Hogates, Flagship and O'Donald's (where you could pick a toy prize from their famous Treasure Chest as you walked in the door!) Anyone remember that?? Fri Feb 09 11:38:02 -0800 2007 1846456 73098 califkitten 2 2282774 I remember! I grew up in Rockville in the late 60's and early 70's Sun Feb 11 17:14:08 -0800 2007 2276506 12088 Jcooks 2 2440226 Califkitten, I would love to have the recipe for the "flagship rum buns"....Thanks! usskygal Sun Apr 01 09:51:49 -0700 2007 2276506 87690 usskygal 2 2689842 I'd also appreciate a copy of the recipe. Another memory of Hogate's we'd go to the one in ?Arlington near the top floor of an ?old school and the children's menu was taped to the front of a comic book. (Childhood being 1950's, memories of rum buns, timeless.) Sun Jun 24 17:12:53 -0700 2007 2276506 79896 shallots 2 3288441 My mother and I have been looking for the Washington DC Flagship Restaurant Rum Bun recipe for years. My brothers and I have fond memories of slathering them in butter and scarfing them down while washing them down with Shirley Temples. I'd appreciate it if you would send me a copy of the recipe. Thanks! Sat Jan 12 11:26:49 -0800 2008 2276506 156849 dadigitaldiva 2 3601225 I would like to have a copy of the Flagship "Rum Buns" Recipe printed in the Washington Post in the 1970's. I have fond memories as a child of visiting the Flagship and enjoying the rumbuns. Thanks so much. Wed Apr 16 14:21:38 -0700 2008 2276506 184207 tabbycat17 2 3601427 I have that same recipe clipping from the Post! Wed Apr 16 15:10:26 -0700 2008 2276506 11196 anni 3 3604425 Would you mind sharing it. I would really appreciate it. My family and I visited the Flagship many times when I was a child and I remember my favorite part was the rum buns. Thank you. Thu Apr 17 12:12:33 -0700 2008 3601427 184207 tabbycat17 4 3607328 The MoCo library website has free access to the Post archives, so I did a quick search for you, and the recipe comes up on March 3, 1977 in Anne's Reader Exchange. Anyway, this version on cooks.com is completely identical (even the wording of the instructions) except that it replaces "compressed yeast cake" with dry yeast and it includes a teaspoon more of rum extract (the recipe in the newspaper called for 1 1/2 tsp rum extract). Hope this helps! http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,184,152187-254192,00.html Fri Apr 18 10:04:46 -0700 2008 3604425 10253 wookyluvr 5 3614323 Thank you. Mon Apr 21 07:36:20 -0700 2008 3607328 184207 tabbycat17 2 4254676 My husband - who grew up in VA - talks about going to the Flagship in DC and eating those rum buns ALL THE TIME. I would love to get a copy of the recipe you have and maybe surprise him with them at christmas. Also, we are going to the Baltimore/DC/Richmond area over the holidays - does anyone know of a restaurant there that still serves them??? Wed Dec 17 13:58:55 -0800 2008 2276506 249326 fransilver 3 4255492 O'Donnell's still serves them. Enjoy! Wed Dec 17 19:46:00 -0800 2008 4254676 135344 DCDeb 3 4271967 Sure. O'Donnells in the Kentlands (in the Gaithersburg/Darnestown area) is the only place I know of that still serves them. Of the original Washington area seafood restaurants that used to serve them, only O'Donnells is left. For whatever reason, I don't think Crisfields ever had them. They even sell them separately to take home. Wed Dec 24 15:32:58 -0800 2008 4254676 29976 pgreen 2 4269548 Hi Califkitten: I would love to have your Flagship Rum Bun recipe. Thanks and Happy Holiday. Tue Dec 23 13:11:17 -0800 2008 2276506 250875 gigi47 3 4269568 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/322322 Tue Dec 23 13:20:24 -0800 2008 4269548 10253 wookyluvr 1 2282583 califkitten, I would appreciate you sharing that recipe that your Mom cut from the Post. I was just talking with my son about those rum buns and how delicious they were! Sun Feb 11 15:52:39 -0800 2007 1846456 73715 talktothehand 1 3426319 A search for " rum bun recipe" on the web brought this up immediately: Found this "Flagship Rum Bun Recipe" on the web. As always, beware of internet recipes. http://www.recipelink.com/mf/14/27148 Fri Feb 22 20:33:14 -0800 2008 1846456 97659 chris9b9 1 3620574 Mmmm...love those rum buns. I grew up going to Anchor Inn in Wheaton. My father's friend is a chef who trained in this area and went on to own restaurants in Richmond. He told me that you can use any sweet roll recipe that you like. The secret is to use Myers Rum in the glaze. You pour the glaze over the hot rolls and the rum and glaze just soaks into the rolls. Tue Apr 22 17:51:49 -0700 2008 1846456 135344 DCDeb 1 3739533 I grew up in the Chillum/Takoma Park area. We frequented Kushners, Hogates, Flagship, Bish Thompsons and O'Donnells, all known for excellent food. Especially like the Norfolk recipes at O'Donnels! Rum buns are a DC area specialty. Every now and then Giant Food stores will have them in their bakery department. They aren't nearly as fresh or as good, but they do help one remember! Conrad Sun Jun 01 13:35:42 -0700 2008 1846456 197033 cwjudyjr 2 3739548 Great memories that I share. But to reiterate the OP's question: "I just have never heard of anyplace outside of the DC area where seafood restaurants serve them. Does anyone know the story behind this peculiar local quirk (or am I mistaken about it being a local thing)?" Sun Jun 01 13:44:51 -0700 2008 3739533 12245 Mister Big 1 4256066 A few years back the City Paper did an interesting piece that looked at the connection between rum buns and seafood places. My elderly inlaws looooove O' Donnells and the buns in particular and I had always thought it was sort of weird to have them before the meal. Here's the link. http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/display.php?id=28906 Scroll all the way down the page--their site is looking strange these days. Thu Dec 18 05:02:21 -0800 2008 1846456 14557 shellymck