October - Union Square Association

News and Notes from around the neighborhood
October Union Square Association Meeting
Wednesday, October 1, 2014 7pm
1401 Hollins Avenue. All are welcome.
1.
2.
3.
Meet Our Business Partners – MTD Bakery
Request for support of re-zoning 100 S. Stricker – Bill
Adler
Neighborhood events/activities
a. SOWEBO 5K - Ivan Leshinsky
b. Sunday Sounds in the Square - Bif
c. Fall Festival in Hollins Market Nov. 8th
d. Progressive Dinner – Diana/Dagmar
e. Tree lighting and Cookie Tour
f. Update on actions from Mayor's Initiative
october 2014
www.unionsquarebalt.com
Spotlight on business:
Jack's Poultry - Chuckie's Fried
CHicken
By Kathy Filosi Nelson
Established in 1846 and located in the old Lithuanian section of
Southwest Baltimore, Hollins Market is the oldest of all the city
markets in Baltimore. Up until the late 1950’s, Hollins Market had
outdoor stalls where vendors sold their wares. In the 1940’s, Irvin
Kaplan worked for one of those vendors. “He used to kill chickens on
the corner as a little kid. That’s how he got into the chicken business,”
Irvin’s son, Chuck, told us. Eventually Irvin and his wife, Iris, saved
up enough money and, in 1953, bought Jack’s Poultry. “But they
didn’t have enough money to buy a new sign so they just kept the
name.” After studying business at Catonsville College and the
University of Baltimore, Chuck decided to join the family business and
thirty five years ago this month, finally the family added to that sign
over the stall and opened Chuckie’s Fried Chicken.
The longest standing vendor in Hollins Market and sixty one years
later, Jack’s Poultry and Chuckie’s Fried Chicken is now a Baltimore
institution, having received numerous accolades for their fried
chicken, chicken and dumplings, and vanishing fried chicken livers and
gizzards (you have to get there early for those bits of goodness).
Chuck estimates that they go through more than two tons (yes, tons!) of chicken a week! They have a loyal following, some
customers going back three generations. But loyalty extends well beyond the customers at Chuckie’s Chicken. Mary Petty has
worked there for more than twenty-five years. “Chuckie’s a very good boss. We’re like a big family here. I raised two kids and
bought a house working for him. But the best part of my job comes every morning when Chuckie give everyone a hug to start the
day!” Check out Jack’s Poultry and Chuckie’s Fried Chicken. You will not be disappointed. And, you might just get a hug!
Open: Monday 8:00am – 4:00pm, Tue. - Fri. 7:00am – 5:30pm, Sat. 7:00am – 6:00pm
Like them on Facebook at Jack’s Poultry and Chuckie’s Fried Chicken
This Month's Menckenism
The cynics are right nine times out of ten. H.L Mencken
Street beat
By Catherine Neely
This fall the city will implement a new eradication program to combat the size of the rat population in Baltimore. At the same time,
a new program for rat proofing garbage bins is being piloted in North Baltimore in Pimlico.
This month burglary numbers have decreased for the first time this year and total crimes overall is down 16%.
Of the new police cadets graduating in April 2015, 28% are from Baltimore. A change in the current academy protocol is
“friendliness” and emotional awareness. The cadets are being taught that the goal is to emphasize a friendly personality and a
personable approach by giving their first names. The cadets are also being trained to handle members of the public suffering from
mental illnesses.
save the date
October 9, 6-9pm
The Board of Directors of The Chesapeake Center for Youth
Development, 40th Year Anniversary Celebration
Embassy Suites Grand Historic Venue
225 N. Charles St | Baltimore, MD 21202
Tickets are $100 each
Wednesdays, October 15-November 19, 6:30-8:30pm
Snapshot: Photography Series
Cost: $20 for 6-week series
Location: Clay Pots, 1635 W. Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21223
To sign-up, call 410-233-1133 or email [email protected]
Saturday, October 25
SOWEBO Progressive Dinner. See this issue for details.
square roots
By Daniel Rodenburg
One Hundred Sixty-Fifth Anniversary of Poe’s Death – A Halloween Tale!
No one knows exactly what happened to Edgar Allen Poe. Did he drink himself to death? Was he robbed and knocked unconscious?
Since he was found dead on Election Day, that fateful day, wearing strange cloths, one theory is that Poe was "cooped." Political
gangs kidnapped him and forced him to vote multiple times at different polling sites in different clothing in exchange for liquor. Poe
may have been forced to drink alcohol to make him go along with “the plan.”
Poe's death on October 7, 1849, was described in the press as “almost a suicide prepared for a long time." Poe's remains were
exhumed in 1875 and moved twice. As the Sun Paper reported at the time,"…only his skeleton and perfect white teeth remained
inside…" nothing else. Wild speculation ran to gravediggers, an especially big business in Baltimore catering to the need of several
medical schools. In those days, the Baltimore black market regularly plundered graves for cadavers for use by medical institutions.
The cadavers were pickled and packed in whiskey barrels, 1/4 full. The cadavers were then sold to medical schools and the
whiskey in the barrels sold to the students. This liquid became known as “rot gut whiskey.” Buyer beware!!! Happy Halloween!!!
Interested in Advertising with Us?
The Union Square Newsletter is now running paid advertisements to offset costs and benefit community projects. If interested, please
contact Daniel Rodenburg at [email protected] for rates. It’s a great way to let people know about your company while supporting
the neighborhood! In return, we will feature your business in one of our upcoming newsletters.
Culinary Architecture
By Chef Sylva Lin
Fall is here! Pumpkin flan is the ultimate comfort dessert for chilly evenings. Serving the flan
with ginger whipped cream might be gilding the lily to some; it’s also very good all by itself.
The secret of this ultra creamy flan recipe is evaporated milk!
Ingredients
Serves 6
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
One 5-ounce can evaporated milk
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup cooked or canned pureed pumpkin
2 tablespoons dark rum
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
Make caramel syrup by spreading half of the sugar in the bottom of a heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat until the sugar starts to
melt, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir gently so that the sugar melts evenly. Cook watching carefully to prevent burning, until the sugar turns
dark, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir gently so that the sugar melts evenly. Remove from the heat and carefully pour into six 1-cup custard
cups or ramekins. Immediately turn to coat the base and sides evenly with the hot caramel. Set aside. Combine the milk and
evaporated milk in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-high heat until bubbles appear around the edges. Add the cinnamon sticks
and cover. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a baking pan large enough to hold the ramekins snugly with a clean kitchen towel and
bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. (The towel will prevent the ramekins from hitting the pan as they bake.) Beat the eggs with
the remaining sugar and the salt in a large bowl until light and lemon colored. Beat in the pumpkin, rum, ginger, and nutmeg. Pour
the milk mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the bowl and discard the cinnamon. Stir the mixture until smooth and ladle equal
amounts into the ramekins.
Arrange the filled ramekins on the towel in the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and carefully pour in enough of the
boiling water to reach about halfway up the sides of the dishes. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30
minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool on wire racks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very well
chilled, at least 6 hours. To unmold, run a knife around the flan to loosen. Hold a dessert plate or individual serving bowl with a flat
bottom over the ramekin and invert quickly. Caramel will pour out and surround the flan. Whip the cream with an electric mixer
until it forms soft peaks. Add 1 teaspoon sugar and whip until it holds soft peaks. Serve the flans with a dollop of whipped cream and
a sprinkling of crystallized ginger.
SOWEBO Progressive Dinner
The Progressive Dinner in the Union Square neighborhood is a long standing tradition. It is being planned by Amy McDade,
Dagmar Wehling, and Diana Geis.
This year it will take place Saturday, October 25 beginning with appetizers at the Mencken House and ending with desserts at the
home of Galen and Ebony Zook. Between the appetizers and dessert, dinner will be served in various homes in the community in
sets of 8 – 12. Each participant is asked to contribute $8.00 and choose among 4 options to contribute to the evening’s enjoyment.
Based on the options indicated on the required registration form (and money) the committee arranges and assigns all the
participants to the various houses who volunteer to host the dinner portion.
It’s really quite fun and a nice way to get to know the neighbors. The conversations around the table and over appetizers and
desserts are stimulating and verify what a wonderful and interesting set of people choose to make their home in the Union Square
neighborhood.
If you have questions about the process or need a registration form, email us:
Amy
[email protected]
Dagmar
[email protected]
Diana
[email protected]
bloom your block
By Catherine Neely
In The United States and Canada, plant hardiness zones divide into 11 areas based on a 10 degree
Fahrenheit difference in the average annual minimum temperature. The US falls within Zones 2
through 10. Baltimore is situated in Zone 7. This is a zone which permits the late fall and winter
flowering of some chosen plants. Some shrubs like leatherleaf mahonia, the ultra-fragrant flowers
of many daphnes and the flower buds of Pieris japonica persist from fall through winter as they are
hardy in our zone.
If you prefer blooming indoor plants, think of cyclamen, jasmine, Kalanchoe and of course the amaryllis and Kaffir Lily. If you want to
decorate your house, garden or stoop for the fall, here is an idea: use real pumpkins as mum containers as table centerpieces. For that,
select pumpkins that are about 2 inches taller and 4 inches wider than the mums' original containers. Insert a carving knife carefully
through a pumpkin's thick skin. Remove the top of the pumpkin. Scrape the seeds and pulp from the pumpkin's interior with a spoon.
Drill a hole in the center of one pumpkin's bottom. Mix a solution of 1 part bleach and 1 part water in a bucket. Put the solution in a
spray bottle. Spray the solution on each pumpkin's interior and exterior until the pumpkin is completely saturated with the solution.
The solution will preserve the pumpkins. Let the pumpkins dry completely. Place a 1-inch deep layer of potting soil mix in the
bottom of each pumpkin. Remove one mum from its original container, and insert its root ball into a pumpkin until it is about 1 inch
lower than the pumpkin's. Happy planting!
kids corner
By Megan Taylor
It’s been great seeing so many kids out in the park for the music on Sundays. It’s a reminder of just how many families there are in
the neighborhood. Check your email for Fall activities!
Are you a part of the Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance? Their whole focus is on making downtown Baltimore a place where
families can thrive. They always have upcoming events posted and a ton of great resources to check out, including information on
libraries, family-friendly attractions, child care, preschools, playgroups and much more. Check out their site and become a member
at http://www.dbfam.org/. They also have a listserv for Southwest families that connects a wide range of resources from
playgroups to child care and pediatric referrals. Send a request to get on the listserv today:
http://www.dbfam.org/resources/listservs/listservs/
Halloween is right around the corner. Here’s a few tips from the Baltimore County Police to keep our trick-ortreaters safe:
ü Adults should accompany young children, older kids should travel in groups.
ü Walk on the sidewalks.
ü Watch for trick-or-treaters crossing streets.
ü Respect property.
ü Make sure masks have large holds for eyes, or better, use make-up.
ü Carry a flashlight and use reflective patches on costumes.
ü GO THROUGH BAGS AT THE END OF THE NIGHT AND THROW AWAY ANYTHING DEEMED UNSAFE!!
Photography by Roger Miller, Copyright 2014.
Roger is one of Maryland's most distinguished and most published photographers with 36 books to his credit and a long time residents of Union Square.
See more at www.rogermillerphoto.net.
As I see it!
By Roger Miller
Help Clean the Park and our neighborhood
Grand Opening of the Urban Business Center
Enjoy the beauty of Union Square
Mencken Fountain – enjoy
Around the Square
By Bif Browning
As we transition from summer to autumn, it is a wonderful time of year to be in Union Square and the Southwest Partnership area neighborhoods
enjoying the sights and sounds of autumn. Go outside and take advantage of the cool weather to enjoy our beautiful park and watch the leaves on
the trees as they begin to change colors and the numerous squirrels as they rush around to gather acorns for the coming winter.
Bring out your chairs and picnic blankets on Sunday afternoon from 5 to 7pm for the next few weekends and join us for “Sunday Sounds in the
Park”. Relax and listen to great music and enjoy some complimentary popcorn from “The Friends of West Baltimore Squares”.
As the weather cools down you can keep your blood pumping by participating in 4th Annual Sowebo Landmark 5k at 9am on Sunday, October 5th.
The proceeds from this event continue to enrich our neighborhood the rest of the year through its support of the Southwest Baltimore Charter
School and Chesapeake Center for Youth Development (CCYD) and its new initiative, Docs in the Park, which encourages youth to exercise and
stay active through events in Union Square, Franklin Square, and Carroll Park as well as other places.
After all that exercise, join your neighbors for the annual Union Square Progressive Dinner on Saturday, October 25th. This is a great chance to
mingle with neighbors, stroll between houses, and enjoy a great meal.
Be sure to watch for our weekly email blast for more events in the area. In the coming weeks the annual Franklin Square “Franklin Scare” event
will be occurring. Hollins-Roundhouse is planning an art walk and they are looking for additional local artist to participate. Please email
[email protected] if you are interested.
In the past few weeks, you may have begun to notice an influx of students around our neighborhoods. The Southwest Partnership has partnered
with MICA on a design studio initiative that will have eight students, two each from four different degree programs, in our neighborhoods for six
hours every Tuesday for 16 weeks. There is another partnership with the University of Maryland – College Park’s School of Architecture,
Planning, and Preservation that will focus on the preservation of the historic character of buildings on our commercial corridor. In addition to
these programs, our very own Betsy Nix continues to do great work researching, documenting, and promoting the history of Union Square and
the Sowebo area with her students at the University of Baltimore and as a board member at the Baltimore Historical Society. If you see any of
these groups out in our neighborhood, please be sure to say hello and to thank them for all the work they are doing in our community.
community editorial and news submissions
We encourage news and editorial submissions, story suggestions, and comments from our community.We do our best to review all
submissions and will contact you within 1 week if we can publish your article. We will not consider anonymous submissions. The newsletter
staff is always looking for writers, reporters, artists, and idea people interested in volunteering for this publication. Email Kathy Nelson at
[email protected] for more information.
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