Left: Chef John Shields prepares crab cakes in the kitchen of his restaurant, Gertrude's, in Baltimore. Right: Chef Hans Schadler presents crab Randolph, rack of lamb, and other foods served at Colonial Williamsburg.

Though I'm a daughter of the Deep South and know its foods well, I enjoy visiting the different areas and trying regional fare. To explore the foods of Maryland and Virginia, photographer Meg McKinney and I traveled to Colonial Williamsburg, the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and Baltimore.

Back to Old Virginia
The restaurants and taverns of Colonial Williamsburg feature foods similar to those prepared by early Virginians. Many of the current recipes call for ingredients such as okra, peanuts, beans, and watermelon--foods introduced to America from Africa. At Christiana Campbell's tavern, chef Hans Schadler--culinary director of Colonial Williamsburg--together with chefs Lynood Blizzard and William Swan whipped up some tavern favorites for us, including crab Randolph, oysters on the half shell, fried chicken, and rack of lamb. The team also turned out breads and rolls based on old recipes, including Sally Lunn, the golden egg bread traditionally baked in a tube pan.

Charmed by the Chesapeake
The Chesapeake Bay is a rich source of oysters, flounder, and clams, but if there's a single ingredient that defines the food of the area, it's the blue crab. To reach the source of this bounty, Meg and I sought out some of the colorful towns and fishing villages that dot the Eastern Shore of Maryland. On a pier in Tilghman Island, we watched bushels of live blue crab being packed up straight off the boats to be shipped to grocery stores and restaurants. Near Chestertown, Cathy Redman welcomed us to her family's farm where she grows and sells lima beans, corn, tomatoes, and other essentials of this area's cooking.

Maryland, My Maryland
Located at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Gertrude's restaurant is a fun, jazzy gathering spot that chef John Shields named for his grandmother. John works magic with traditional local ingredients, and although he continually develops new recipes, he says, "It's important to keep one foot in the past, so that there are roots and pride in our regional dishes."

John serves rockfish with crabmeat and toasted pecan butter, and he pairs fried oysters with r�moulade sauce. Both Gertrude's varied menu and welcoming setting celebrate the chef's creativity and Chesapeake heritage.

This article is from the Favorites 2005 issue of Southern Living.