The hum of the highway tires was a steady drone, a soundtrack to our anticipation. My fiance, Sarah, sat beside me, a smile already playing on her lips. It was her birthday, and the grand destination Shady Maple Smorgasbord. A 90-minute trek from Baltimore might seem extreme for a buffet, but Shady Maple wasn’t just any buffet. It was a pilgrimage. And this year, we had reinforcements. Our friends, Tracy and Jericho, were crammed in the back of my car, their excitement bubbling over. They’d heard tales of Shady Maple – legendary mountains of food, a gift shop the size of a small warehouse, and enough whoopie pies to satisfy a small army. This was their maiden voyage. “I still can’t believe we’re driving this far for a buffet,” Jericho said when we picked them up, but the twinkle in his eye betrayed his skepticism. Tracy, ever the foodie, was practically vibrating with anticipation.
We finally arrived, the sprawling complex rising from the Pennsylvania countryside like a culinary mirage. The parking lot was a sea of cars, a testament to Shady Maple’s gravitational pull. Inside, the air crackled with the happy chaos of hungry patrons. The sheer scale of the place was enough to make your head spin. Multiple buffet lines stretched as far as the eye could see, laden with everything from carved prime rib to Pennsylvania Dutch specialties I couldn’t even pronounce.|Sarah, the birthday girl, was beaming. We presented her with her official Shady Maple birthday card, entitling her to a free meal – a perk that always felt like winning the lottery. Plus, she got coupons for the gift shop and market, which she was already plotting to use.
We navigated the food labyrinth, our plates growing heavier with each stop. The brisket, smoky and tender, practically melted in your mouth. The fried chicken, crispy and juicy, was a revelation. Even Tracy, a self-proclaimed fried chicken connoisseur, declared it the best she’d ever had. Jericho, meanwhile, was constructing a precarious tower of mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. But the real star of the show, at least for Sarah, was the eclair pudding. Layers of creamy pudding, delicate eclairs, and rich chocolate sauce – it was the perfect birthday indulgence. We all groaned with pleasure, completely and utterly stuffed.
After the feast, we braved the gift shop. It was a wonderland of knick-knacks, local crafts, and, of course, Shady Maple merchandise. Sarah, armed with her coupon, zeroed in on a long-sleeved Shady Maple t-shirt, a badge of honor for any dedicated patron. Our final stop was the market, where Sarah claimed her free whoopie pie. It was a perfect ending to a perfect meal. We waddled back to the car, our stomachs pleasantly distended. The drive back to Baltimore was a quiet one, punctuated by contented sighs and the occasional food-induced nap.
Now, it’s a tradition. Every year, regardless of where we are, we make the pilgrimage to Shady Maple for birthdays. We’ve learned to pace ourselves, to strategically plan our plate choices, and to always, always save room for the eclair pudding. And even though we’re usually in a food coma by the time we hit the Baltimore city limits, the happy memories and the anticipation for next year’s trip make the journey worthwhile. It’s our slightly crazy, utterly delicious birthday tradition.