It’s been a crazy couple of days. On the one hand, the election is finally over. On the other hand, I’m not sure I’ve ever been more terrified. I respect our democratic process and support a peaceful transition of power. But wow. A blog feels silly and trivial right now. I do not talk politics in public forums almost ever. And I’m not going to go deep into it now. But I do want to focus on hope and kindness and the fact that it is up to all of us to build a bridge of healing in this country. I want to leave room for joy. I hope we as Americans will find a way to come together in the coming days and that words and actions of love overpower those of hate, no matter which candidate you supported. This is a true test for our country, and I really hope we pass.
So I guess let’s talk about this brunch I had in Baltimore before the fate of our nation was forever altered. Because I don’t know what else to do.
We made the hour drive to our charming neighbor to the north a couple of weekends ago in an effort to maximize a beautiful, warm fall day. Two things are always comforting to me: time with my husband and time by the water. Getting to do both at once truly soothes my soul.
The Boathouse Canton was a natural choice with its charming patio, sweet views, easy parking and delicious food.
We had a reservation, but it didn’t seem like getting a last-minute table would have been a problem either. We were directed to a prime spot in the patio’s corner and quickly asked what we’d like to drink.
I did as Marylanders do and went with an orange crush (fitting and ironic, I know). I’ll be honest, I don’t fully understand the appeal of these. They always taste watery to me. Perhaps I’ve never had a good one?
The patio’s atmosphere was very laid back and slow-paced. We never felt rushed, and were able to sit back and relax and take in the beautiful day.
I’ve been trying to clean up my eating a bit when I can, so immediately gravitated towards the toasty vegan option with smashed fresh avocado, beefsteak tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts and olive oil on multigrain toast.
This beautiful starter (you could definitely make it a meal in itself) was fresh and delicious with a great chew to the toast. It’s crazy to eat such gorgeous, fresh tomatoes this late in the year but I don’t hate it one bit.
I continued the vegetable theme with my entrée, the roasted veggie Benedict with fried eggplant, grilled zucchini, roasted red peppers, spinach, poached eggs and hollandaise. This was a really nice twist on traditional eggs Benedict and was cooked very well. I only wished I’d asked for the eggplant grilled instead of fried, as it kind of sat heavily in my stomach the rest of the afternoon.
Tom went a more traditional route with the Boathouse breakfast sandwich and a side of gouda jalapeno grits.
The sandwich was hearty and stacked high with a fried egg, white cheddar, pork sausage and a fried green tomato. Tom regretted not ordering his egg over easy, but I find the harder yolk makes for much easier sandwich eating. I’m sure the kitchen would be happy to make it either way. The grits were also delicious, and I couldn’t help stealing a bite or five and ruining my attempts at healthy eating. It was a valiant effort, anyway.
The Boathouse was the perfect first stop for a day trip to Baltimore and fueled us nicely for a day of exploring. More about the rest of the trip coming soon.
Thanks for the tip! I am heading down to Baltimore during the first week of December to visit some family there. Will be looking forward to reading more of your Baltimore posts for recommended restaurant suggestions. Also, what exactly is in an “Orange Crush?”
I actually don’t have that many restaurant recommendations, yet anyway, but Boathouse was definitely a fun stop. There are also some great breweries in town you should check out since you like beer. I’ll be talking about Union Craft Brewing in my upcoming post, but there are several others as well. An orange crush is sort of Maryland’s signature drink. It’s usually some sort of vodka (often flavored) with fresh crushed orange juice and sprite (I think). You can also get crushes with different types of fruit.