Hagerstown Maryland Food Tour

 If this nine months of dietetic internship has taught me anything, it's that I need to enjoy my weekends to the maximum. Luckily, living in Northern Virginia makes weekend activities a cinch! Within a two hour drive you can go to PA, MD, WV and the obvious DC. Or if you're driving south...still VA. After some serious praise for an Amish food market in Hagerstown Maryland, my food service site director convinced me I needed to head north. And he owns a BBQ catering business so I trust him. The man with a 20 foot meat smoker is a man with a plan.

Here's our Hagerstown MD agenda:

• Amish Food Market
• Antique Store
• Trout Hatchery (seriously)
• Flowers and Veggie Stand

The garden stop wasn't planned. In fact the planning was something like "LOOK!" (tires screeching). From colombines to at four varieties of mint, we spent time sniffing our way through the rows. My favorite find of the stop was chocolate mint which smells exactly as it's named and would make an amazing hostess gift. Or desk plant. Yum.

The ultimate reason for the trip was the Amish market, which in my mind, should have been an outdoor market with horses and buggies. Then my GPS took us to a strip mall and I felt a little ashamed about my mental stereotyping. As we pulled up 10 minutes before opening, we watched the masses step out onto the side walk to wait. People don't mess around . And as the open sign was turned people booked it in to retrieve their.....

fresh doughnuts, pastries, breads, Amish raised meats, cheese, milk, pickes and....pretzels.

The drive was entirely worth it for this one stop alone. The prices were great and the products delicious. This trip is a must! We came home with:

• Okra Chips
• Rye & Whole Wheat Bread
• Double Smoked Bacon
• A chocolate chicken and deviled egg
• Cheese Curds
• Birch Beer
• A Doughnut
• Sour Pickles
• Pretzel Mix
• Fresh Amish Soft Pretzels (hands down our favorite item)

The next stop was an educational stop at a trout hatchery. Rainbow and Golden trout are raised to restock Maryland streams. The hatchery had a great video so you can experience the tour as well!

As the only 20 somethings we know who seek out antique stores in their free time, we spent the rest of the day scoping great finds. Including a 1880's cheese safe for $750. But even if you're thinking the cheese safe just won't fit the look of your house, you can still cruise Hagerstown and enjoy the Amish pretzels.

Who had two delicious soft pretzels by 9 am? This guy.