Small Town: Cockeysville (Part 1)

Date of Visit: July 31, 2021
Weather: Sunny, somewhat crisp, temps in the low to mid-70’s
Music: Ninja Sex Party

This Saturday’s excursion was a bit more abbreviated than I had initially anticipated. I took my husband out to get coffee, but he didn’t like the place we ended up going, and they were out of all the sweet treats we both wanted to try. We also did not go to the place I wanted to go to for dinner because my brother-in-law decided to make homemade Japanese food, and I am not going to say no to that.

I have a bit of an advantage in going to places in Cockeysville as I live QUITE close to it, and have been in and around the environs for the better part of a decade. It’s more suburb than rural small town, but it still comes in within the population limit I set for myself at the beginning of this adventure (21,038 in 2019). Cockeysville was founded in Baltimore County in the 1700’s by members of the Cockey family. Thomas Cockey settled himself in the area in 1725, and his son Joshua Frederick Cockey was responsible for constructing one of the first homes in 1798, as well as the first hotel in 1810. His son, Joshua F. Cockey, built the train station in the 1830’s and some of the prominent commercial buildings. The local Episcopal church, Sherwood Episcopal, was established in 1837 during this time of growth. Joshua’s son, Joshua F. Cockey III, founded the National Bank in 1891, and developed home along what was then known as the York Turnpike, and is now present-day York Road. [1] Part of Cockeysville are more developed than others, mostly to the South. The farther North you go, to the East and West, things become sparser, and the suburbs give way to a more rural feel.

On this sunniest yet crisp last day of July, we drove out to John Brown Coffee off Falls Road. Every day, their Instagram page shows the goodies they have for sale. We went about two hours after they opened, which was a mistake only because there was nothing left by the time we got there. If you truly want to have a chance at getting some of their goodies, you must stop by when they open, or very soon after.

Though sad, I was undeterred, and got myself an iced vanilla latte. I’m sure many of you have noticed a theme of my getting iced coffee from these coffee shops. And, well, iced coffee is the bomb, especially during the summer. The barista used whole milk, and it was delicious and creamy, with just a hint of vanilla. I am looking forward to going back for another or trying another of their specialties. They also have concoctions such as honey thyme lattes, cold brews, chocolate dirty chai, and London fog. I think the London fog is calling my name for next time.

The cashier told us that the butcher’s next door might have some cookies, so we went into John Brown General and Butchery. Almost immediately when you enter, you can smell cooking meat, and you see the large meat case with almost every type of meat you can imagine: whole chickens, pork cheeks, racks of lamb, sirloin tip steaks, dry-aged rib eye, and no less than three different types of Japanese wagyu beef. There is also a case on the other side of the register with house-made sausage (ask about the Frito Pie sausage). We continued browsing, and towards the back saw their freezer cases where they are dry aging their meats, before getting to their extensive collection of wine and other spirits near the indoor eating area.

In addition to all these products, there are numerous bottles of different kombucha brands; cheeses; prepped meats in bags to bring home; house-made broths; lard; ice cream from a local farm; specialty mustards; miso paste; different vinegars; and spice rubs, among with items. They were even selling bread behind the counter, and a loaf of sourdough came home with us, along with the special mustard, and prepped pork shoulder. In addition to all of these, if this wasn’t enough, you can also order lunch from the counter. Their menu changes often so make sure to come back more than once. We will certainly be coming back to see what sandwiches we can get and experience how delicious they are, along with some other goodies.

The next time I venture out to Cockeysville, there will be more than just one stop, but sometimes life gets in the way, and we have to improvise. I hope I’ve once again inspired you to take a little visit somewhere you might not have otherwise known about. As always, enjoy the journey!

John Brown Coffee- 13501-13523, Falls Rd, Cockeysville, MD 21030
Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 7 AM-4 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8 AM-5 PM
Website: https://www.johnbrowncoffee.com

John Brown General and Butchery- 13501 Falls Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 10 AM-6 PM
Website: https://jbgbutchery.com

[1] “Cockeysville, Maryland”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockeysville,_Maryland.

Small Town: Monkton (Part 2)

Date of Visit: July 11, 2021
Weather: Cloudy then sunny, temps in the 80’s and 90’s
Music: AJR, Bo Burnham, Britney Spears

My second excursion to Monkton was as much of a delight as the first one, and this time, I had company. One of my friends came over, and we drove the scenic backroads of Monkton towards our first stop of the day for breakfast: The Monkton Hotel and Café. The building itself pre-dates the Civil War, built in 1858 [1], and is a landmark on the Northern Central Rail (NCR) Trail that snakes its way from Cockeysville, Maryland to York, Pennsylvania. Before the NCR Trail was established in the early 1980’s, Monkton was one of the many stops coming north or south, and the railway station is situated less than 500 feet away from the front of the building. In addition to being a hotel, there is a café on the ground floor where you can get breakfast, lunch, and other treats to eat in the seating area in front, or take to go. You can also opt to rent bikes for exploring the surrounding area or the Trail, or tubes to use in the nearby Gunpowder Falls waterway.

When we got to the parking lot, there was a small back up of about 3 or 4 cars in front of us, the occupants of which were taking up space while they got tubing equipment and got ready to go into the water (shedding outer clothing to their swimsuits underneath, putting on water shoes, etc). After waiting for awhile trying to figure out what to do, we had almost made the decision to leave when one of the café employees came out and made them move so we could park. We both appreciated that he had done that, and found out that that happens a lot when the weather is hot. As an aside, there is a lot of roadside parking along MD-138 W, with access to the hotel and the other outdoor recreation areas I mentioned. You may have to walk a little to get back to the hotel.

The café is quaint and cozy: a small table of local craft wooden bowls for sale greet you when you step over the threshold and onto the blue and white checkered floor. There is a small cooler with cold drinks next to the butcher block topped white counter, and there are baked goods from Stone Mill Bakery on the counter next to the register. The menu above, written in what looks like chalk marker, is sparse but straight forward. We both ordered smoothies- my friend had mango vanilla, and I opted for the mixed berry (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries)- and we opted to split a chocolate croissant, and a hot bagel sandwich. Everything was very delicious and hearty, and kept us full for hours, but I will be coming back specifically for that bagel sandwich, and won’t be splitting it with anyone the second time.

Once we were finished with breakfast, we drove out through more backroads and down Jarrettsville Pike, arriving at Ladew Topiary Gardens, a landmark in the area (crossing over into the Harford County portion of Monkton). The gardens were designed by Harvey S. Ladew after he purchased the land, which was previously known as Pleasant Valley Farm, from a descendant of the original family who had owned the land since the 1740’s: the Scarffs. The Manor House’s original foundation dates from 1747 and has been expanded throughout the centuries. There are 22 acres of gardens filled with various flowers, berries, and different topiary sculptures. Everything we saw was beautiful, and we didn’t even see everything while we were there, but some of my favorites included the Portico Garden, the Water Lily Garden, the Rose Garden, the Keyhole Garden, and the Temple of Venus.

I could have spent most of the day in the Portico Garden, thanks to both the serenity of the space, and the small water lily pond with small fish, and more than a few frogs that popped up to say hello. Ladew also boasts a seasonal butterfly house near the (currently closed) café that houses a variety of native butterfly species, and a few moths. I am looking forward to my next visit to see all of the places I missed, though I will make sure to wear sunscreen, as the weather turned from cloudy to sunny and I got a sunburn from standing out in the sun without protection. Once we were finished with the Gardens, we went over to Hampstead for lunch, which is detailed in the next entry!

Monkton Hotel and Café- 1900 Monkton Road, Monkton, MD 21111
Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10 AM-5 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 9 AM- 5PM
Website: https://www.monktonhotel.com/

Ladew Topiary Gardens- 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, MD 21111
Hours: Thursday-Tuesday: 9 AM-3 PM
Admission: Adults- $15, Seniors (62+) and Students- $10, Children (2-12)- $4, Children under 2- free
Website: https://ladewgardens.com/

[1] Monkton Hotel: About, https://www.monktonhotel.com/about.

Small Town: Monkton (Part 1)

Date of Visit: July 3, 2021
Weather: Sunny, breezy, temps in the lower 60’s for the morning
Music: NPR

Most people might not know where Monkton is, or that it’s even a place within the state of Maryland. That’s both the beauty and the curse of a small town; not a lot of people know it’s there so you are not inundated with tourists, but you’ll get a confused expression when asked where you are from or where you’re going and will have to name a more populated town (usually Baltimore) to give someone a location context. Growing up in the small town of Elkridge, MD, I always told people I was from the suburbs of Baltimore, just to prevent this.

Monkton itself is an unincorporated community in northern Baltimore County, accessible via Interstate 83 North or York Road/MD Route 45 North. You will be driving down two-lane backroads, so ensure you travel at speed, keeping watch out for bicyclists and slower moving vehicles. Monkton’s history dates to 1713, when the 3^rd Baron Baltimore, John Calvert, set aside 10,000 acres as a gift to his fourth wife, naming his estate “My Lady’s Manor”. [1]

Monkton feels like an out of the way place: surrounded mostly by farms and undeveloped woods and land, it’s a quiet corner of northern Baltimore County. With a population of around 4,856 as of the 2019 census, spread out across numerous acreages, it’s peaceful and almost rural. Two lane roads are de riguer, and most of the time, you will not find many cars out on these back roads. And so it was when I made my way to the Monkton Refillery on the morning of Saturday, July 3^rd, for breakfast.

The Monkton Refillery is on the corner of Shepperd and Troyer Roads, where State Roads 138 and 562 go in separate directions. It’s a small yellow building with three tables for seating on the large front porch, and more inside, which was very reminiscent of an old general store. The seating area is the perfect place to sit outside and enjoy your breakfast: it’s quiet, except for the birdsong, and the occasional growl of a car or truck going by, and the breeze is welcome on a summer’s morning.

Stepping inside, you might not at first realize that the Refillery is more than a coffee shop. Yes, there are delicious hot and cold beverages, breakfast sandwiches kept warm wrapped in foil, and a small assortment of pastries to go with your food (the apple turnover was particularly delicious), but the store is also a small natural market. Along with handmade soaps, reusable tote bags, konjac sponges, bamboo hair and toothbrushes, and other goodies, they allow you to bring in resuable glass or plastic containers to fill or refill with products you use daily: laundry detergent, liquid hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner, etc., and therefore reduce your plastic waste. It wasn’t something I would have expected to find attached to a coffee shop (or is it the other way around?), but I liked this place, and I plant to return for more breakfasts, or if my dish soap is running low.

Monkton Refillery- 17052 Troyer Road, Monkton, MD 21111
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 7 AM-7 PM
Website: https://www.monktonrefillery.com/

Further down the road, or just up York Road, depending on your direction, you will find Dough Run. Dough Run is a cute little bakery that serves delicious scones, granola confections, and gruffins, along with coffee, tea, lunch and breakfast sandwiches, and other goodies. Parking is in the rear of the building, along with the entrance, and there are outdoor seating areas as well for you to enjoy your morning coffee or your lunch al fresco. There is also a pick-up window on the back porch for order-ahead orders.

Inside, the women-led bakery is small with pink walls, with the dominant smells being coffee and baked goods. I recommend trying the mixed berry gruffin, or the maple pecan scone if they have it (“Both? Both? Both. Both is good.”)

Fresh off of my visit to the Refillery, I opted not to get a cup of their Black Acres Roastery coffee (a local roastery in the Highlandtown area of Baltimore City (https://www.blackacrescoffee.com/)), but that remains at the top of my list for my next visit. The mixed berry gruffin was moist, but not dense or too heavy. The maple pecan scone was a delight, and the light sweetness of it was enhanced by coffee my husband had brewed at home.

In addition to the above, Dough Run sells ice cream, bottled drinks, bags of granola, t-shirts, and bread, and numerous other items are available at their online store (https://dough-run.square.site/).

Dough Run Bakery- 16949 York Road, Monkton, MD 21111
Hours: Monday-Friday 6:30 AM-1 PM, Saturday 7:30 AM-Noon
Website: https://www.doughrun.com/

There are quite a few other places to explore in Monkton, so stay tuned for the other gems I have found in this often-unexplored corner of Baltimore County, including a brewery, a topiary garden, and a place to stop for dinner and bask in the history of the building. Until then, I hope that you may take a trip to these places I have found, or at least begin planning. As always, enjoy the journey!

[1] Monkton, Maryland, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkton,_Maryland