Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. December 2017 - January …chowdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DEC-2017-JAN-2018-CHo… · 2016-12-08  · cluding Smithsonian magazine,

Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. (CHoW/DC)founded in 1996, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to the study of the history of foodstuffs, cuisines, and culi-nary customs, both historical and contemporary, from all parts of the world. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

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NOTE: This is a combined December-January

newsletter. Please see page 2 for the January 2018

meeting information.Save these future

CHoW Meeting Dates:

February 11, 2018March 11, 2018April 8, 2018May 6, 2018

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Inclement Weather Advisory

If there’s a question about whether the weather will cause a cancellation of a CHoW meeting, first check your e-mail.

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Renew Your Membership in CHoW NOWfor 2017-18!

The membership year runs from September 1 to August 31. Annual dues are $25 for individuals, households, or organizations. Dues include e-mail delivery of the newsletter CHoW Line.

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The Evolution of TasteSpeaker: John McQuaid

Sunday, December 10, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center

4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

Culinary Historians of Washington, D.C. December 2017 - January 2018 Volume XXI, Number 4

Every food trend, every new dish we create and con-sume, manipulates not only the senses, but our physiology ― and collectively, human biology. This distinguishes the culinary arts from all other creative endeavors, and it’s been this way since humans first appeared on the scene. Flavor is at the center of what we are as human beings. John McQuaid’s presentation is an exploration of the origins of the human sense of flavor, the invention of cook-ing, and the strange twists and turns that brought us up to the present moment of global food systems and tasting menus.

John McQuaid is a journalist and author, most recently of the book Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat (Scrib-ner 2015), which explores the biology and history of flavor from the origin of life to the modern food system. While working for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, he was lead reporter on a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper series about market-driven fisheries collapses around the world, and co-writer of a series that anticipated the city’s near-demise by Hurricane Katrina. He has also written about city-destroying super-termites, mountaintop removal coal mining, and the global flower business for publications in-cluding Smithsonian magazine, The Washington Post, Wired, and Scientific American.

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Creating a Wine Culture: Why the Mid-Atlantic Will Rival Bordeaux and Burgundy as a Great Winegrowing Region

Speaker: Tom CroghanSunday, January 14, 2018, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

The history of winegrowing in the Mid-Atlantic can be traced to the Huguenots who settled in New York in 1562; to the first settlers in Jamestown; to Lords Cal-vert and Baltimore in Maryland; and of course, to Thomas Jefferson. But it has been only recently that Mid-Atlantic growers have recognized the advantages of the region, and learned to mitigate the challenges, to produce fine wines. In this discus-sion, Tom Croghan will discuss the features of the region ― the soil, the climate, and the

spirit of the growers themselves ― that led one expert to conclude that the Mid-Atlantic could become one of the great winegrowing regions of the world, on a par with Bordeaux and Burgundy, and better than Napa Valley, California.

Tom Croghan is the owner and winemaker at The Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville Maryland. After successful careers in immunology, medicine, human rights, and health policy, Tom and his wife, Polly Pittman, returned to Polly’s ancestral home at Dodon. First purchased by her family in 1725, Dodon is now home to three generations of the Pittman family, a thoroughbred training operation, 400 acres of woodland, and more than 28,000 grapevines. Focusing on the land and the vines, Polly and Tom use agroecological methods to sustain the land, enhance the environment, and produce age-worthy wines of balance, harmony, depth, and character from grapes grown exclusively on the property.

Survey of the History and Changes in Food as It Relates to Candy…with Tasting

November Speaker Susan Benjamin provided each attendee with a clear bag of candy samples that paired with the information in her talk. We first tasted a cube of pure cane sugar. Other samples included:

• licorice root - brought from England to 1600s Boston;• black shoelace licorice - invented by the American Licorice Company for a Charlie Chaplin movie role in which he had to eat his shoes to stay alive;

• red string licorice - 1950s non-licorice licorice (fruit flavor); • sorghum drop - easy to produce at home; a Civil War favorite;

From left: November speaker and CHoW member Susan Benjamin; CiCi William-son, past president of CHoW. Photo by Judith Mazza, CHoW Vice President.

• boiled sugar with mint - once a medicine, it become the “Starlight Mint,” a favorite at bridge games and a treat given by grandmothers from their purses;• Wilbur Buds (the original chocolate “Kiss“); and • Goldenberg’s Peanut Chew - made in Pittsburgh in the 1900s and one of the first mass-made candy bars.

Susan spoke about the marsh mallow root, the role of sugar cane in slavery, and many other topics. She also an-swered questions from attendees.--CiCi Williamson

Photo by Judith Mazza

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How to Post to the CHoW Google Group

The CHoW-DC Google Group is for communicating culinary history matters ONLY. It is not intended to be an open forum.

You must be a member of CHoW, and your email ad-dress must be in the CHoW database.

It’s important to remember that if you change your email address, you need to inform the CHoW Membership Director so that it can be updated and you will continue to receive messages and newsletters.

The easiest way to post a message to the Group is simply through an email. Here’s how.• Open a new email• In the address line or “To” box, enter [email protected]• Enter a subject in the subject box• Enter the text of your message

o NOTE: If you are announcing an event, please make sure you include all relevant information, plus a website or phone number for additional information. • Please sign your message as a courtesy to everyone.• Add your email address for replies.• Send the message! DONE!

CHoW Programs 2017-2018September 10 John Kelly, “Small Plates: Historic Restaurant Tidbits from the Pages of The Washington Post”

October 8 Andrew Coe, A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression

November 12 Susan Benjamin, “Survey of the History and Changes in Food as it Relates to Candy…with Tasting” December 10 John McQuaid, “The Evolution of Taste”

January 14, 2018 Tom Croghan, “Why the Mid-Atlantic will Rival Bordeaux and Burgundy as a Great Wine Growing Region” February 11, 2018 Paul Anthony Brazinski, “Food Practices in Early Christianity” March 11, 2018 Cecelia Glembocki, “The White House Egg Roll History”

April 8, 2018 Cooperative Supper, Alexandria House May 6, 2018 Sandra Gutierrez, “The Influence of Latino Immigration on Foods of the U.S. South”

What Happened at the November 11 CHoW Meeting?

President Barbara Karth called the meeting to order at 2:08 p.m. Thirty CHoW members and six visitors were present.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:1. Regee Newport brought copies of her first cookbook, Co-conut Kitchen, published in the Philippines. It contains both Filipino and international recipes. Cookbooks are available for $10 each ([email protected]). Regee is the founder of a CHoW sister organization in the Philippines— CHoP (Culinary Historians of the Philippines). Check out their site: chopphilippines.blogspot.com

2. Amy Riolo announced an upcoming Ancient Dinners event, “Cena: An Ancient Roman Feast.” The dinner, which recreates an ancient Roman feast, will be held on December 5 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Aperto Restaurant in D.C.

WHATZITS:Judith Newton brought several small plastic forms, each with two holes which several attendees correctly guessed to be chopstick holders.

PROGRAM:Judy Mazza introduced this month’s speaker, Susan Benjamin, who presented a“Survey of the History and Changes in Food as It Relates to Candy...with Tasting.” See synopsis on page 2.

REFRESHMENTS:• Francine Berkowitz – Halloween pretzels• Regee Newport – Coconut macaroons• Jane Olmsted – Lemon cake • Clara Raju – Apple cake • Pat Reber – Elizabeth Ellicott Lea’s huckleberry pudding and lemon butter; spiced chocolate crabs• Amy Riolo – Italian cookies – Pan dei Morti (Day of the Dead cookies), pizzelle, petrali (Calabrian fig cookies), pistachio/cherry/white chocolate biscotti, tetu (Sicilian chocolate clove cookies)• Sharon Shepard – Tahini halva brownies• Amy Snyder – Pumpkin and ghost Peeps; white choco-late pumpkin pie M&Ms• CiCi Williamson – Deviled eggs

DOOR PRIZE: Thank you to speaker Susan Benjamin for donating her book, Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Be-came America’s Favorite Pleasure, for this month’s drawing. See book review on page 5.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,Sharon Shepard, Recording Secretary

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Upcoming EventsSmithsonian Holiday FestivalDecember 2-3, 2017Fee: free (see three events below)The National Museum of American History

1. Cooking Up HistorySaturday, December 2, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Location: Coulter Performance Plaza, 1 West

Each month, Cooking Up History showcases a guest chef and a Smithsonian host preparing a recipe and talking about the history and traditions behind its ingredients, culinary techniques, and enjoyment.

In December, come celebrate the holi-days and the 50th Anniversary of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival with a trip to the Caribbean. Jennifer Selman, chef/owner of Crown Bakery in Washing-ton, D.C., will shatter any negative notions you have about fruitcake with her Trinidadian version. She will also brew up the healthful and tangy holiday drink, sorrel. Jennifer will be joined by long-time Folklife Festival researcher and presenter Camila Bryce-LaPorte, who is also the last person in her family to continue her own Caribbean and Panama-nian fruitcake traditions. Learn how the Caribbean commu-nity of Washington, D.C. builds community through food and fellowship, especially during the holidays.

2. From Bean to Bar - Mars Heritage Chocolate DemonstrationSaturday, December 2, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.Sunday, December 3, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.Location: 3 West Eat and drink chocolate samples and share recipes made with American Heritage Chocolate.

3. HamiltonSaturday, December 2, 12:00 noonLocation: Main Store, 1 Center Books available for purchase. Laura Kumin signs copies of her book, The Hamilton Cookbook. What was it like to eat with Alexan-der Hamilton, the Revolutionary War hero, husband, lover, and family man? In The Hamilton Cookbook, you’ll discover what he ate, what his favorite foods were, and how his food was served to him. With recipes and tips on ingredients, you’ll be able to recreate a meal Hamilton might have eaten after a Revolutionary War battle or as he composed the Federalist Papers.

Kwanzaa December 26, 2017 – January 1, 2018At the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Museum on Dec. 26, writer and director Marjuan Canady will present the play, “A Callaloo Kwanzaa,” based on her book Callalloo a Jazz Folktale. Celebrations during the seven-day festival often include traditional feasts.

After Hours at Highland, home of President James MonroeFridays December 8 or 29, or Saturdays December 9 or 304:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Fee: $28 (Each event limited to 10 people)2050 James Monroe Pkwy. Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

Are you looking for a special taste of Highland? Join us for an after-hours holiday tour and open hearth cooking at the home of President James Monroe. This small-group pro-gram will be offered at twilight on four dates in December. Open hearth cooks Pat Willis and Maria Greco will lead participants in making several different Monroe era desserts, which guests will enjoy by candlelight. While the desserts are cooking, guests will enjoy a guided visit of the Presidential guest house and museum spaces decorated for the holidays.

Chocolate Lovers FestivalFebruary 2-4, 2018, various timesCity of Fairfax, Virginia The festival includes the Taste of Chocolate, the Chocolate Challenge, the ever-popular Kiwanis Chocolate Chip Pancake Breakfast, open houses at historic buildings and much more. The first fes-tival was held in Febru-ary 1993 and continues an annual tradition attracting chocolate lovers from around the country. The festival is a joint effort of the City of Fairfax, Cen-tral Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Fairfax Coalition, Downtown Fairfax Merchants Association, and George Mason University. The purpose of the festival is to draw visitors to Old Town Fairfax, to encourage com-munity participation, and to foster cooperation among the city government, the business community, and local residents.www.fairfaxva.gov/government/parks-recreation/special-events/chocolate-lovers-festival

CiCi Williamson is past president of CHoW and Les Dames d’Escoffier Inter-national. She is the author of six cookbooks and hundreds of newspaper and

magazine articles on food, culinary history, and travel.

BOOK REVIEWSweet as Sin. The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became

America’s Favorite Pleasureby Susan Benjamin, Prometheus Books 2016, Paperback, $18.00, 320 pages

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By CiCi Williamson

Seein’ as how I won the door prize, Sweet as Sin, Susan Benjamin’s book on candy his-tory, I thought a review was in order. Not only that, I was thrilled to win Susan’s book since—possibly by inheritance from my Schwitzerdütsch (Swiss-German) grandfather—I have an insatiable sweet tooth. [FYI: Swiss per capital candy consumption in 2016 was 25.4 pounds per person topped only by its neighbor Germany (28.7 pounds), and Ireland (26.2 pounds.) The U.S. wasn’t in the top ten. Okay, I realize these stats aren’t part of a book review, but I found them interesting candy consumption facts.]

CHoW member and “candy historian” Susan Benjamin is the owner of True Treats Candy, the nation’s only research-based historic candy com-pany. She has two stores: Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, and Frederick, Maryland. The candy in her stores is arranged chronologically from the first in history to the mid-1990s.

Susan’s well researched book ends with 34 pages of reference notes, which bodes well for the preceding 19 chapters. The beginning? Susan leads off in a friendly voice telling of various family members’ relationships to candy including her own penchant that began with buying penny candy at the drug store.

Her history of candy in the U.S. begins with Native Americans who boiled or baked corn to extract its sugar, thus “corn syrup” (the boo-hiss villain of today’s diet watchdogs). Western tribes cooked the agave cactus, (agave sugar and tequilla, anyone?) among other plants, and those in cooler climates boiled maple tree sap. Susan also tells about sugar from native North Amerian fruits including the cranberry, blueberry, and strawber-ry—”one of the most popular candy flavors in our nation.”

TRUE TREATS HISTORIC CANDY144 High StreetHarpers Ferry, WV 25425

237 N. Market StreetFrederick, MD 21701www.truetreatscandy.com

In the next chapter on “Roots, Bark, and Beans,” Susan cites that Swed-ish scientists discovered the oldest evidence of chewing gum: a 9,000-year old hunk of birch tree gum complete with teeth marks. Native Americans of Maine also chewed it. And the sassa-fras root made the jump from Indians to Anglos via Charles Hires’ root beer.

Chapter 5 of the book tells about sweets in the world before Columbus discovered America. Included is the marsh mallow plant (Altheae officina-lis) a relative of the hollyhock family. Susan writes, “The marsh mallow plant originated in Europe and West Asia where the ancients used it to treat coughs and sore throats. It was also a sweet that ancient Egyptians boiled with sugar or mixed with honey around 2000 BCE.” But it was in France around 1850 when the root was blended with egg whites, sugar, and water, and even later, after the inven-tion of instant gelatin, that the “Jet-Puffed” marshmallow and “Peeps” entered the candy arena.

On to Chapter 8 where sorghum sugar “freed people from expensive sugar-cane” in the Civil War. This type of sugar had a resurgence during the Depression. But it is the sugar beet that became dominant to where today, “well over half of the sugar produced in the U.S. is made from sugar beets” (and 35% worldwide).

Susan provides brief histories of many, many iconic candies, including:• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup - in-vented in 1928 by Harry Reese who was a dairyman for Milton Hershey in Pennsylvania;• M&Ms - invented by Frank Mars in partnership with Bruce Murrie, son of the Hershey president (thus M&M) as a candy that wouldn’t melt in summer and could be sent to WWII troops;• Snickers - named for Mars’ horse.• Milk Duds - invented by the F. Hoffman Company of Chicago; named “Duds” because they were (on pur-pose) sagged, dented caramel balls;• Circus Peanuts - invented in the 1800s “for sale by traveling circuses”; • Charleston Chew - first made in 1925 in Boston and named for the dance, not the South Carolina city.

Although billed as a history of candy, Sweet as Sin encompasses wafers of social, cultural, and environmental history indispersed with entertaining facts and colorful characters, including several family members and friends. She has done a sweet service to culi-nary history by preserving both the history of candy and the memories she and other Americans associate with confections.

By Tom Weiland

Culinary Humor

Around 25 or 30 years ago there was a research pa-per from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on Santa’s delivery schedule (Google “physics of Santa”). Although tongue-in-cheek, it was seri-ous aerospace research, and has spawned a huge number of Internet threads over the years.

The original researchers controlled for the number of worldwide households containing Christian children (as-suming he only delivers to Christians—perhaps a poor assumption), distance between houses, time zone changes, speed of operations, etc. The conclusion was that Santa, his goodie-laden sleigh, and eight tiny, hypersonic reindeer would vaporize in earth’s atmosphere within millisec-onds of his first delivery. That doesn’t even address the thousands of G-forces incurred by the acceleration, which would make a Swedish pancake of Santa. Or the massive sonic boom that would flatten soufflés and Christmas dis-plays for miles. If Santa does exist, he apparently doesn’t feel obligated to follow the laws of conventional physics.

But what about Santa’s diet? Ever wonder what cookies and milk do to the old waistline? When you’re Santa, it’s obligatory to leave half-eaten clues of your visit. Let’s lay out some assumptions. Excuse me while I nerd out.

• Assume Santa eats one cookie (in a Toll House cookie, 90 calories, 5 g of fat, 5 mg cholesterol, and 75 mg sodium) and ½ glass of 2% milk (61 calories, 2.4 g of fat, 10 mg cho-lesterol, and 50 mg sodium) per household visited.

• Assume there are 100 million households with Chris-tian children (a lot more if he’s non-denominational). Even the bad kids still get coal—no break for Santa.• There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, but don’t for-get about the weight of the fluid—the original study forgot about this. • You also have to wonder about how many zillions of bacteria are in milk left out overnight. According to CiCi Williamson, a food safety specialist for 26 years at the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, “Bacteria double in num-ber every 20 minutes after milk and other perishable foods are left out for more than two hours.” Santa would prob-ably be stricken with a foodborne illness midway through his rounds!

But back to Santa’s diet. Ready for the numbers? (Insert drum roll here.) That’s over 800 tons of fat, almost two tons of cholesterol, and 14 tons of sodium. His weight gain? Over 2,000 tons, or about 10 Statues of Liberty!

But wait! Assuming that Santa’s tired, old kid-neys can’t process out all the water in one night (5 Olym-pic swimming pools’ worth), his temporary weight gain

is about 15,000 tons, the weight of a small cruise ship (minus the buffet). That’s a big bowl full of jelly!

Cheers! TW

Prohibition Repeal DayDecember 5 On December 5, 1933, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, voiding the Volstead Act, and restoring control of alcohol to the states. The 1919 National Prohibition Act was no longer valid. Mark the Repeal Day however you wish.

Winter Solstice - December 21“Now commences the long winter evening around the farmer’s hearth, when the thoughts of the indwellers travel far abroad, and men are by nature and necessity charitable and liberal to all creatures. Now is the happy resistance to cold, when the farmer reaps his reward, and thinks of his preparedness for winter…” Henry David Thoreau, A Winter WalkCHoW members: Now’s the time to enjoy the foods and beverages of winter!

News of CHoW MembersAt Les Dames d’Escoffier’s 11th biennial symposium, “Cel-ebrating Food” on March 10, 2018, several CHoW members will be presenters.

Dianne Hennessy King, author of Memoir Your Way, will be a featured panelist at Les Dames d’Escoffier’s 11th bien-nial symposium, “Celebrating Food” on March 10, 2018. Dianne will speak on “Writing Family Food Memoirs.”

CiCi Williamson is chairing the culinary history session on “Food Heritage of the Chesapeake,” and Sheilah Kaufman will be doing a cooking demonstration.

CiCi is flying to Ann Arbor, Michigan, on December 13, to do a talk about the historical recipes and food styling of the six-year PBS-TV series, “Downton Abbey.”

‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly

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Culinary Byways

Tea and History at Victoria & Albert Museum

By Claudia Kousoulas

On our latest trip, my mother and I looked for a nonstop flight to a European city with lots to see. London was an easy choice, which gave us the opportunity to enjoy a curated Victorian Tea at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum.

London’s V&A Museum was established for edification and immersion. Reproductions of classical statues in the Cast Courts were created for students of drawing and sculpture, and in all the galleries you will still find students intent over their sketchpads.

Today, visitors can immerse themselves in decorative arts from around the world and through time—crafted in silver, ceramics, photography, textiles, and more. But sooner or later, like the peckish duchess who in-vented it, you will want tea. And the immer-sion can continue at the museum’s Victorian Tea, offered on Sunday afternoons, when the linens and good china come out.

In fact, the V&A was the world’s first muse-um to offer a café in 1856, at first in temporary Tudor-styles rooms that a leading newspaper described as “hideously ugly” and by the 1860s, in three grand, artist-designed and decorated rooms. The center Gamble room is the largest and is covered in majolica tiles colored yellow, burnt orange, and cream, with a ceiling of ornately enameled metal sheets. The ma-terials are bright and dazzling but also practical. They are fire-resistant, easy to clean, and don’t absorb odors.

To the right is the Poynter room, finished in dark wood and blue and white Dutch-style tiles painted by female students at the National Art Training School. Originally, it was a grill room, serving substantial meals, including jugged hare, steak pudding, and seasonal tarts. A “second class,” budget-conscious menu offered veal cutlets for 10 pence and buns and sponge cake for one pence.

It was also the preferred dining spot of artist, Edward Byrne-Jones, who helped his colleague William Morris design the third room, now called The Morris Room, where the Victorian Tea is offered today. When hired, Morris was relatively unknown and had just started his firm. The room is decorated in his medievalist Arts and Crafts style, done in mossy green paneling and covered in gilded panels of entwined fruits and vegetables, with murals of maidens at their domestic chores. Like the museum’s collection, the rooms are learning tools, each representing a different design theory.

The Victorian Tea’s menu was created by food historian Tasha Marks of her firm AVM Curiosities that explores

food as an art and immersive experience. The menu includes five savory and five sweet items based on 19th century recipes from Mrs. Beeton, Mary Allen, and A.B. Mar-shall, some slightly tweaked for modern palates. Choices include Mrs. Beeton’s cucumber sandwich as well as a Nasturtium Open Sandwich that features fresh anchovy. Marks points out that Victorians really liked fishy flavors. From the era of empire, an Indian ham sandwich uses chutney from a Mary Allen recipe.

Marks continues, “On the sweet side we have fruit scones, which weren’t exactly a fixture on the menu in the Victorian era—they came slightly later—but you can’t have an afternoon tea without them!” Likewise, tea choices include the traditional Earl Grey as well as English Breakfast, which became popular in the 1930s.

The immersion experience extends to the table settings—Burleigh china specially designed for the service and mixed flatware that look like lesser pieces from the mu-seum’s collection.

Fortified and refreshed, visitors can head upstairs to examine the silver collection’s many pieces devot-ed to tea. In fact, 18th century inventories showed that English households owned twice as many tea wares as coffee uten-sils. And as always, table service was an opportunity to show taste and wealth. More than an earthenware mug, a tea service of porcelain and silver might in-clude candlesticks, a salver tray, tea caddies, and more.

It’s lovely to see the artifacts in their cases, but perhaps even lovelier to see them spread out on a tea table for you.

Victorian Tea is offered every Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., for 35 pounds (about $39.50). Reservations are required; email: [email protected]

Entry to the museum is free although there is a charge for some exhibitions. The V&A is located on Cromwell Road at the corner of Exhibition Road in Knightsbridge. The closest tube stop is South Kensington.

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DIRECTIONS TO THE MEETINGCHoW/DC usually meets on the second Sunday of each month, September through May, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.

DIRECTIONS: Bethesda-Chevy Chase Services Center is located at 4805 Edgemoor Lane in downtown Bethesda, Maryland, in the two-story County office building on the plaza level of the Metropolitan complex, above a County parking garage. The building is across the street from the Bethesda Metro station.

From the Metro Station, take the escalator from the bus bay to the plaza level, turn left, walk past the clock tower and across to the Metropolitan plaza using the pedestrian bridge. The Center’s street entrance at 4805 Edgemoor Lane (corner of Old Georgetown and Edgemoor) is marked with American and Montgomery County flags. Take the elevator to Level Two for meeting rooms.

If you are coming south on Old Georgetown Road (from the Beltway use exit 36) turn right on Woodmont Avenue - the entrance is the second driveway on the left.

If you are coming south on Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike, turn right onto Woodmont Avenue, go south for approximately one mile, cross over Old Georgetown Road, and the parking garage entrance is the second driveway on your left.

Coming north on Wisconsin or west on Rt. 410, take Old Georgetown Road north, turn left at the second traffic light (Woodmont Ave.) and the garage entrance will be on your left. Take the elevators from the parking garage to the plaza level (P). The building is located at the center of the plaza. The American flag, Montgomery County flag, and the County seal mark the entrance to the building.

PARKING: Parking is free on weekends in the county parking garage. The entrance to the parking garage is marked with a large blue Bethesda Center parking sign.

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