Which Maryland County Calls Sauerkraut a Thanksgiving Should Have? – Conduit Avenue

Thanksgiving traditions and meals fluctuate throughout the nation, and Maryland isn’t any exception. One significantly distinctive vacation staple could be present in Baltimore.

While sauerkraut is usually related to sizzling canine, brats, or Reuben sandwiches, in lots of Baltimore households it’s additionally a beloved Thanksgiving facet dish. By the late nineteenth century, European immigrants handed via the Port of Baltimore, an estimated 25 % of the town’s residents have been German. Although sauerkraut didn’t originate in Germany, it grew to become a dietary staple there because of its affordability.

As Germans immigrated to America, they introduced their culinary traditions with them, together with Sauerkraut. When Thanksgiving grew to become a nationwide vacation in 1863, the dish discovered its place on Baltimore tables alongside turkey, stuffing, and different traditional fare.

So how did it develop into a real Baltimore Thanksgiving custom? According to Baltimore-born journalist H.L. Mencken, “No self-respecting Baltimore household would be caught without kraut brewing in the basement. There was no leeway around it.” Chef John Shields, cookbook writer and proprietor of Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen, echoes this sentiment: “It’s a tradition. It is a pretty uniquely Maryland thing.” – Food and Drink

Whether or not your loved ones serves sauerkraut for the vacation, in Baltimore it stays a cherished Thanksgiving custom.

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you want to your county featured in Fun Facts, please get in contact with Amanda Grosskrueger at agrosskrueger@mdcounties.org.