FoodTrippin': Cambridge, MD

Really a perfect day, from the ChesapeakeFoodie view: Start with a visit to Ocean Odyssey. This restaurant has been in the family for three generations, since 1947, changing (and improving) with the times.
Grandpa had a seafood packing plant. In '86, the store in Cambridge became a seafood wholesale market. In the 90's, some family cooking became available, sandwiches served at a few mismatched tables out front. Then there
was dinner, and then there was a kitchen crew, and then there was a dining room and then there was full service in 2004. Left: Travis Todd.
Today, the picture's like this. You still can get your hands on some of the best crabs around, steamed
and picked crabmeat. You can also get your hands on the second and third generation's gifts to the business.
Travis Todd has taken over in the kitchen, with sister Laura handling the baking and salads.
Barbara's, Roy's and Nanny's recipes still abound. On his birthday, Travis received the cream of crab soup
recipe.
While some items on the menu go back years, Travis and Laura have brought deep-sigh,
eye-rolling, awesome additions: Ginger Marinated Calamari. Crab Tater Tots. Oysters Bubbafeller, made with Choptank Sweets
also from Cambridge. Pan-seared fresh fish served with a dijon-bacon-onion-caper cream sauce. Stuffed fish covered with lump
crab and imperial sauce. Pillowy fried oysters. Crabballs and our fave, the Bay on a Bun.
Next Stop: Farmer's Market Dinner at Bistro Poplar. We've been a fan of Ian Campbell and Bistro Poplar for a while now, and were happy to get there for special event.
Campbell and his staff were serving a special season-end Harvest Dinner to members of the Cambridge Farmer's Market, made
of the foods the vendors had donated to the dinner. Wow! What could be better? Super fresh local products prepared at a top
restaurant. Left: Ian Campbell fixes beet greens.
Here's the menu, and the producers: -- Eggplant Caviar with
Braised Beet Greens (Beasley Produce, Butter Pot Organic Farm) -- Marinated Carrots with Roasted Beets (Down
to Earth Farm, Butter Pot Farm) -- Cornmeal Fried Oysters (Uncle Ernie’s Oysters) -- Shepherd’s Pie
with Ground Bison and Sweet Potato Puree (SB Bison Farms, Harris Farms) -- Smoked Fresh Ham with Caramelized Apples
(Arlington Meats, Blades Orchard) -- Raspberry Scones with Whipped Cream (Wells Berry Farm) With dinner, we also treated ourselves to a glass (mm, okay two) of Pierre Henri Chardonnay 2008. At
right, Beth Anne Lynch, Cambridge Farmer's Market Mistress. More pictures are available on our Chesapeake Foodie Facebook Page. Take a look!
|
|
|
|