TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Marylander Foods
MAIN INGREDIENTS
No other dish represents Maryland's cuisine better than the crab cake - a fishcake consisting of crab meat and ingredients such as mayonnaise, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, and seasonings. The blue crab is considered to be the ideal choice of crab for the cakes.
They are usually served on a bun, accompanied by french fries, coleslaw, or macaroni salad. Originally, the dish was first prepared by the Natives, long before the arrival of the settlers. It was one of the first dishes that were adopted by the Chesapeake Bay region settlers.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Crab Cake
MOST ICONIC Maryland Crab Cakes
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Pit beef is an American barbecue technique originating from Maryland. The technique features beef, usually top round, that's grilled quickly over charcoal, becoming crusty on the exterior while remaining succulent and almost rare on the inside.
The meat is later sliced into thin strips and often used as a sandwich stuffing, preferably on Kaiser rolls or rye bread. The sauce for Maryland pit beef contains horseradish instead of the usual barbecue sauces based on ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar.
It is believed that pit beef first started gaining popularity in the 1970s in Baltimore's working-class neighborhoods.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Barbecue
Fudge is a creamy American confectionery made with milk, sugar, butter, and various toppings and flavorings. It is created by boiling milk, butter, and sugar to a degree of 240 °F/116 °C, and then beating it while it cools down, creating creamy but firm blocks which are later cut into delicate individual pieces.
In the United States, modern producers replaced the milk with cream, creating an even smoother and sweeter product. Although fudge is probably an original American invention, it is thought that predecessors to fudge were French classics such as fondant and caramel.
VARIATIONS OF Fudge
Pit beef is a traditional sandwich originating from Baltimore. It consists of minimally seasoned charcoal-grilled beef (usually top round roast) that's thinly sliced and served on a bread roll or sliced white bread with condiments such as horseradish, mayonnaise, and thin-sliced raw onions.
The meat should, ideally, be rare in the middle. According to Baltimore food writer Richard Gorelick, the sandwich was first served just before the 1970s at stands around Pulaski Highway. Pit beef was also a memorable part of the plot in John Waters' 1998 cult movie Pecker.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Crabmeat Dewey is a traditional dish originating from Maryland. The dish is usually made with a combination of crabmeat, butter, mushrooms, bell peppers, scallions, sherry, hot peppers, half-and-half (equal parts whole milk and cream), parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
The bell peppers, mushrooms, and scallions are sautéed in butter, and then mixed with the sherry. The mixture is simmered until the liquid is reduced by half, and it's then mixed with the hot peppers and half-and-half. The mixture is seasoned with salt and pepper, the crabmeat is added to the pot, and the dish is stirred over low heat until everything is blended.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Chicken Maryland is an American dish that is basically a combination of Southern fried chicken and cream gravy. The gravy is usually made with a mixture of flour, chicken stock, heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Although there is no definitive recipe, it is still debated whether the chicken should be rolled in flour, dipped in batter, or dipped in eggs and breadcrumbs.
Even the famous Escoffier had a recipe for chicken a la Maryland in his book called Ma Cuisine. In England, the dish is prepared with battered chicken pieces that are fried and served with a corn pancake and battered and fried pineapples and bananas on the side, while in Australia the term chicken Maryland refers to a whole chicken leg with thigh and drumsticks.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Fried Chicken
Designated as the official dessert of the state of Maryland, Smith Island cake is a layered cake filled with either icing, fudge, cream, and/or crushed candy bars. The best-known variety is the one with yellow layers and a chocolate icing filling, but the recipes vary in the number of layers, and the cakes can be made with various different flavors.
This hot dog variety consists of a kosher beef sausage that is fried with bologna slices until golden brown and slightly crispy. The sausage is then wrapped in bologna and placed in a split bread bun with a dill pickle spear. The whole dish is additionally topped with a generous squirt of yellow mustard.
Although the history of Baltimore-style hot dog is quite murky, some believe that it was invented during the Great Depression, when people added bologna slices to the hot dog in order to make it a fuller, heartier meal.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Hot Dog
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Caramel tomatoes is a Prohibition-era side dish that's especially popular in Maryland and other parts of the American South. The dish is usually made with a combination of large peeled and cored tomatoes, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and butter.
The tomatoes are arranged in a large skillet with the cored side up. They're dotted with butter and sprinkled with salt, pepper, and sugar. The tomatoes are baked until lightly browned and soft. During the baking process, they're basted with the juices.
White potato pie is a traditional sweet pie originating from Maryland. In order to make it, a pie crust is filled with a combination of mashed potatoes, butter, sugar, salt, baking powder, whipping cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, and (optionally) lemon slices for garnish.
The filling is poured into the crust and it's then baked in the oven until done. This creamy and velvety pie is especially popular at local church potlucks and Thanksgiving dinners. In some recipes, this pie is also referred to as the Eastern Shore white potato pie.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Marylander Food Producers
Doc Swinson's is a boutique whiskey brand based in Washington State, USA, known for its innovative blending and finishing techniques. Their lineup includes unique series like Alter Ego, featuring whiskeys finished in rum, sherry, and cognac casks, and the experimental Exploratory Cask Series.
The Blender’s Cut Series highlights expertly crafted bourbon, while the Session Blend offers a more approachable, everyday whiskey experience. Committed to curiosity and innovation, Doc Swinson's combines global flavors with traditional American whiskey craftsmanship.
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
BEST Doc Swinson’s Spirits
AWARDS

Terraolivo IOOC - Prestige Gold
2016, 2015, 2014

Terraolivo IOOC - Gold Medal
2015, 2014
BEST Pompeian Olive´s Way Olive Oils
FireFly Farms, located in Maryland, specializes in producing artisanal cheeses. Established in 2002, it is committed to sustainable farming practices. Their products, such as their notable goat cheeses, are crafted using milk sourced from local family farms.
FireFly Farms cheeses have received numerous awards.
AWARDS

World Cheese Awards - Gold
2021

American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place
2018, 2016, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2002
BEST Firefly Farms Cheeses
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
BEST Baltimore Spirits Company Spirits
AWARDS

Great American Beer Festival - Gold
2020
BEST Silver Branch Brewing Co. Beers
AWARDS

Great American Beer Festival - Gold
2020
BEST Mirror Image Brewing Co. Beers
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Marylander Food Products
AWARDS

Terraolivo IOOC - Prestige Gold
2016, 2015, 2014
Doc Swinson's Bottled in Bond Straight Rye Whiskey is a 7-year-old rye whiskey made with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. Bottled at 100 proof, it delivers a bold and balanced flavor profile with notes of spice, dried fruit, and subtle grassy undertones.
The whiskey has received accolades, including a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Gold at the Ascot Awards. Its smooth finish and complex layers make it a standout choice for rye enthusiasts. Available for $69.99, it reflects Doc Swinson's commitment to crafting premium spirits.
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024, 2023
Cabra La Mancha is a cheese produced by FireFly Farms, a creamery based in Maryland. This cheese is made from goat's milk and is known for its smooth texture and rich, tangy flavor. The cheese is aged to develop a creamy consistency and a complex taste profile.
FireFly Farms takes pride in using locally sourced ingredients and traditional cheesemaking techniques to produce their artisanal cheeses.
AWARDS

American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place
2014, 2012
AWARDS

American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place
2011, 2002
Bella Vita is an artisanal cheese from Firefly Farms, known for its rich, creamy texture and distinctive flavor profile. This cheese has won awards, including first place at the American Cheese Society competition, highlighting its quality. Bella Vita is made using traditional methods and emphasizes sustainable farming practices.
It's an excellent addition to cheese boards or as an accompaniment to various dishes, making it a favorite among cheese enthusiasts.
AWARDS

American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place
2016, 2010
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2023
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold
2024
AWARDS

Great American Beer Festival - Gold
2020


TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.