Eastern Shore Foods

[bbw]

I am working on a book on the culltural/culinary history of foods on Maryland's Eastern Shore. I'm looking for stories, recipes, insights about how the shore's distinctive cuisine (high and low) evolved. I have books of old hand-written 'receipts', community cookbooks, have talked to hunters, watermen and farmers; eaten muskrat, turtle and wild persimmons and searched the fields for wild edible plants. But I've only scratched the surface. I would greatly appreciate any leads to people or sources of the history of the Shore's foodways. Many thanks.

[Mer_Made]

Nobody knows nothing? Damn.

I went to school at SSU and worked in their archive .If it still exists, you might want to check if for primary sources. For that matter, check with the History Department. They may have some contacts for you. The women who use to work as crab pickers would probably be a good source too. .

Lastly, the Foods of the World series had a chapter on Delmarva in Southern Style.

[ktmoomau]

You should definitely researcht he Smith Island Cake it is a traditional Easter Shore food, that is now the state cake of Maryland. Those women that make the cakes have a lot of knowledge.

[bbw]

Thank you both. I do know the Smith Island cake women and have even made a cake 'from the stump' (as they say for 'from scratch'). SSU is a great idea.

[shoregal2010]

the oyster fritter is also a shore classic that is usually only available at fireman's carnivals (Hebron/Sharptown) and many local church functions/socials/sales. the batter is the best part (basically fried goodness) and some people stay extra late to get the "batter sandwich" (at the end when the oysters are gone they make sandwhiches with only the batter left in the bottom ont he bowl)