[Baltimore Sun] Bits & Bites: Pumpkin spice’s Baltimore connection, Atlas teams up with Ravens and Keith Lee hits Oh Honey at Hollins
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Officially, it’s not quite fall — we’ll have to wait until the equinox on Sept. 22 for that — but enthusiasm for cooler days, changing leaves and fall flavors pushes the unofficial start of autumn earlier and earlier each year.
We can’t control the weather, but stocking up on all sorts of pumpkin spice products is certainly within reach even before the first leaf turns orange. A grocery store display greeted me over Labor Day weekend with pumpkin spice cereal, cookies, pancake mix and more. Starbucks released its popular pumpkin spice latte on Aug. 22 — earlier than ever before.
By now, the comforting flavor, which combines cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice, is ubiquitous. But did you know it can trace its origins back to Baltimore? I take a peek into pumpkin spice’s past in today’s column.
A pumpkin spice history
They may or may not have been the first to bottle pumpkin spice, but McCormick & Co. played a major role in popularizing the now-foundational fall flavoring.
The Hunt Valley-based spice company known for Old Bay added pumpkin pie spice to its product lineup 90 years ago, in 1934, just five years after canned pumpkin hit store shelves. Some historians say rival Thompson & Taylor was the first to market the spice, citing a 1933 advertisement — but that didn’t stop McCormick’s version from catching on.
The combination made baking a pumpkin pie much simpler: until the 1930s, home bakers had to roast and strain their own pumpkin, as well as prepare their own spice blends. The concept of pumpkin pie dates back even earlier, with recipes for the dessert showing up in Amelia Simmons’ “American Cookery,” published in 1796.
Today, pumpkin pie spice is a top seller for the company, ranking fourth among its best-selling retail spices from September through November. A McCormick spokesperson told me that searches for the seasoning start to rise in August and reach a peak in November, with 80% of sales of pumpkin spice happening during the holiday season.
I was curious if the blend has changed at all in 90 years. “We don’t believe that the seasoning has changed much in flavor, if at all,” the spokesperson wrote, “but can confirm that there has been no change to the formula since June 2002.”
Keith Lee still has an appetite for Baltimore
Last week, we thought we might have heard the last of Keith Lee — but it turns out he had another Baltimore review up his sleeve.
The TikTok food critic, who recently paid a visit to the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area, highlighted another Baltimore dining spot with a review posted over the weekend.
The video, recorded Aug. 24, features Lee’s visit to Oh Honey on the Bay, a pop-up operation stationed outside of Hollins Market. The stand happens to be located next door to Rooted Rotisserie, which Lee previously gave a rave review.
Following up on a direct message claiming Oh Honey on the Bay is the “home of the biggest and best sandwiches in the world,” Lee sent family members to the pop-up to order a fish sandwich and french fries for $15.
He started with the fries — or “ketchup with a side of fries,” based on the ample dipping sauce. His verdict: “It just tastes like a seasoned, frozen fry with some pepper on it.”
The fish might have worked better solo than on a sandwich, Lee reasoned upon seeing the ratio of meat to bread. But he was impressed by the crispy fish and “sweet, salty, savory” sauce made from a blend of honey, Old Bay and hot sauce.
“This is literally just like backyard fried, seasoned crispy fish,” he said, rating the dish a 9 out of 10.
“Overall, would I call it a fish sandwich? No. Would I call it great fish? Absolutely.”
Lee said he returned to pay $2,000 for his food, plus a $2,000 tip and a donation to a book bag drive underway in Hollins Market that day. Judging by social media, Oh Honey on the Bay has been basking in the “Keith Lee effect,” with videos showing lines of hungry customers down the block.
Atlas teams up with the Ravens
Football fans can score discounts and giveaways under a new partnership between the Ravens and Atlas Restaurant Group.
The collaboration, announced this week, will offer Ravens ticket giveaways and other promotions via the Atlas Rewards app in a bid to combine the football team’s fanbase with Atlas’ following in the city and surrounding counties.
“We’re excited to join forces with Atlas Restaurant Group to bring more energy and excitement to Ravens fans this season,” Ravens Chief Sales Officer Kevin Rochlitz said in a statement accompanying the news. “This partnership not only underscores our commitment to enhancing the fan experience but also enables us to align ourselves with an industry-leading, nationally-growing brand right in our backyard.”
The Baltimore-based restaurant group, which has more than 20 bars and restaurants in the city, will also offer $12 “Purple Friday” burger-and-Miller Lite combos at some of its properties, including James Joyce, Watershed, The Valley Inn, Italian Disco, The Choptank and Waterfront Hotel.
“Our goal is to bring fans together, enhance the gameday experience and contribute to the vibrant spirit of Baltimore,” said Atlas CEO Alex Smith, a self-proclaimed “lifelong Ravens fan.”
Smith and his brother, Atlas managing partner Eric Smith, are nephews of Baltimore Sun owner David D. Smith, who is a partner in some Atlas restaurants.
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