Story Behind the Card - The Baltimore Lemon Stick

If you're looking for a sign of spring, this week is Flower Mart, one of our favorite Baltimore events!  Flower Mart takes place each May in Mount Vernon.  Flower Mart is the oldest free public festival in the city and it's been around since 1911! It's a great spot to find plant and flower vendors to beautify your gardens, support local artists and enjoy Baltimore music and food.  And speaking of Baltimore food, Flower Mart is where you can try a Lemon Stick!

As fans of the legendary Baltimore sweet treat, Sam and I have designed several greeting cards that feature the iconic Lemon Stick. When we do local markets and pop ups, people pick them up and someone will always ask us "What is with the Lemons with the Peppermint sticks?" or "Is the Lemon Stick a Baltimore thing?" Yes hon', it is!

The history of the delicious Lemon Stick is a bit of a mystery. Some say they were first introduced in 20th century France or England. Another theory is that someone first tried the Lemon Stick on a visit to New Orleans.  So basically we don't know where the heck it came from or who thought this would be a great idea. I mean why would you even think to stick a peppermint stick in a lemon?  But somehow this sweet and sour treat made it's way to Baltimore, and it appeared in a child's essay written in 1911, the first year of the Flower Mart.  The Lemon Stick has been a tradition ever since and the Flower Mart wouldn't be the same without them.  But if you've never had one, what the heck is a Lemon Stick?

So if you're a Lemon Stick first timer, we definitely recommend you try them at Baltimore's Flower Mart for the ideal experience.  But you can also make your own at home.  And this is one of the simplest recipes you'll ever make.  First you need Lemons. I don't think we need to tell you where to find those. And second you need Soft Peppermint Sticks.  The typical candy cane you get at holiday time won't do.  It needs to be soft and porous to let the lemon juice seep through.  We like King Leo Peppermint Sticks which you can find here. So now you have your two ingredients and the rest couldn't be easier.  You're going to give your lemons a little roll on the countertop to ensure maximum juiciness and then cut the lemons in half. You can cut a small x in the center of the lemon to make it easier to insert your peppermint stick.  Then push your peppermint stick into the center of the lemon.  That's it!  Now you have the perfect sweet and sour treat!

Now use that peppermint stick as a straw.  The lemon juice will come up through your minty straw as the peppermint stick starts to dissolve and you will have the most delicious combination of lemony goodness and sweet peppermint.  Sound like a weird combination?  Just give it a try!  It wouldn't be spring in Baltimore without the Lemon Stick! If you're a newbie, let us know what you think in the comments below. Or share your favorite memory of this uniquely Baltimore treat.