Summer ended abruptly this year. One minute, I was sweating profusely, hiding from the sun indoors, and the next thing I knew, I was bundling myself in blankets, hiding from the rain indoors. I wasn’t done with summer, but summer was done with me. As a result, I’ve found myself clinging to sunny-weather things, like sorbet, iced coffee, and these minty, tangy lemon sticks.
The lemon stick, also known as the “Baltimore lemon stick” doesn’t really have much to do with summer—it marks the start of “growing season” in mid-spring—but it tastes like pure sunshine. They’re traditionally sold at Baltimore Flower Market in Mount Vernon, which is hosted by the Women’s Civic League, though the fine people of Baltimore make and enjoy them all spring and summer at parties and gatherings. The treat falls somewhere in between candy and drink, and has a bracing, sweet and sour flavor that tastes like a concentrated minty lemonade.