Our first menu item this week sounds a bit obscure, and indeed it's probably not the first thing you think of when you think about Maryland cuisine, old-school or otherwise.  Don't worry though, this week's SAVORY CRAB-SHRIMP CHEESECAKE does have a home-cooking pedigree.  There are plenty of "crab cheesecake" recipes out there, but my specific starting point for my version is the sort of dish that you'd make for a cooking contest at an Eastern Shore Crab Derby.  There is a recipe out there for just such a cheesecake, but with a little finesse and a touch of flair, we can transform this from home-cooking recipe contest fare to something that I'd be proud to serve in a nice restaurant.  I'll be using blue crab first and foremost, along with some finely chopped shrimp for a little texture, flavor and color.  This seafood will be folded into a savory cheesecake batter, poured over a simple ritz cracker crust, and baked until set just so but still luxuriously tender and rich.  I'm going to serve this with a simple tometoey old bay sauce too, for a bit of contrast and classiness.  This is a fantastic dish, and I know that nobody around here is serving anything like it.

Ever heard of coddies?  There are still a few places around that serve them, and I've seen them pop up at more modern places on occasion too.  You could basically describe a coddie as a "codfish cake", though the traditional cheap versions are almost entirely potato, with maybe a little smidge of dehydrated fish flakes (or a half-smidge of actual salt cod if you're lucky.)  There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I love me some coddies, but I think we can make this humble dish into FANCIER CODDIES.  I'm going to keep the soul of the dish intact: salt cod (no flakes here), and seasoned potatoes will make the base of the cakes, which are then fried until golden brown.  The fancier part comes in with the addition of shallots and parsley for a little freshness, and by using a higher proportion of quality salt cod.  There's exactly one way to serve these and I'm not going to mess with that... with saltines and yellow mustard.  If you're a fan of coddies you're going to love these, and if you've never had them this is a great way to try a classic Baltimore food.

Ask around... if there's one non-crab dish that Baltimore is (or was) known for, I bet it's BALTIMORE SOUR BEEF & DUMPLINGS.  Sounds weird?  If it does, that's probably because you haven't had the good stuff.  This dish is a descendent of a German dish called sauerbraten, and was served at plenty of German restaurants back in the day, though lot's of other restaurants served it too.  It's NOT sauerbraten though, just related to it.  Pieces of beef are marinated in a mixture of red wine vinegar, red onions, and a slew of herbs and spices for a few days, then braised until tender.  Then comes the part that makes this dish truly owned by Baltimore: thickening the sauce with gingersnaps.  Yup.  They add enough sweetness to tone down the acidic marinade, and give the sauce a particular texture that sauerbraten just doesn't have.  This ensures that the finished dish isn't "sour", it just has a pleasant tartness from the marinade.  I'll be serving this with homemade potato dumplings just as tradition demands, and the finished dish is some serious cold-weather "meat and potatoes" food, perfect for this time of year.  I love this unique Baltimore dish, and I bet you will too.

I'm breaking my own rules with our SIMPLE WINTER "SLAW" SALAD this week as it's not technically a Baltimore thing, but let me explain.  Normally, our main item this week would be served with something like jarred red cabbage or overcooked green beans on the side.  That's nice and all, but a fresh salad that mimics some of the flavors while contrasting others is a much better choice.  I'll be shredding carrots and just a touch of apple for a little sweetness, marinating that so that it's a little like a slaw, then serving that with fresh lettuces and a simple cider dressing.  While this might not get anyone to get all excited on its own, when served alongside our main item this week, it's perfect.

Have you ever had a slice of OLD-FASHIONED BLACK WALNUT CAKE? Probably not recently, if at all. Here's the thing that the kids today don't even know about: black walnuts have a completely different flavor when compared to "regular" walnuts. I only see them rarely in the stores, and when I do I buy them up. Luck was with us this past week, because I found some and slated them for this week's dessert. Black Walnut Cake can come in a variety of forms, and here's how I'll be making mine. I'll start with black walnuts obviously, and then fold them into a rich butter cake batter, which is similar to a pound cake but lighter. I'll bake that in a bundt pan, then after it comes out of the oven is where the secret step happens... I'm gonna poke holes in the cake and pour a sweet glaze over it, so that the glaze soaks into the cake (rather than being on the outside.) This method is used for Kentucky Butter Cake, and it's a fantastic way to get some sweet richness into the cake without complicating the walnut flavor with something like frosting. If you're a fan of desserts that taste like your grandmother made them, then this is right up your alley.