I was an altar boy at St. John’s Church in East Bridgewater, Mass., my hometown (population 8,500 at the time). It was my mother’s idea. I would have preferred my father’s suggestion for a kid to make a few bucks on weekends: setting pins in an old bowling alley in a Brockton social club. But … Continue reading Honor them by remembering them
Two good questions
At the recent annual gathering of Baltimore law clubs, an attorney asked two good questions I was unable to answer on the spot. After a bit of reflection on some 6,600 columns written for The Baltimore Sun between January 1979 and January 2025, I came up with this: Is there a column you regret having … Continue reading Two good questions
Dan Can Cook: South Shore Bar Pizza at home
Since it's not available in Baltimore -- Matthew's Pizza in Highlandtown comes closest -- I decided to try my hand at South Shore Bar Pizza at home. (It's a Massachusetts thing, specific to the South Shore, and an old Friday ritual there.) I had pretty good results. Keys to an authentic bar pie: Use round … Continue reading Dan Can Cook: South Shore Bar Pizza at home
About fishing — and protecting a great resource in Maryland
Trout thrive in the North Branch of the Potomac River. They must be protected from poachers and bait fishing.
Today is National Honesty Day . . . Created by Hirsh Goldberg of Baltimore. . . . Honest.
National Honesty Day is observed annually on April 30th in the United States -- though not in the Trump Oval Office -- to encourage truthfulness and integrity in politics, relationships and business.Created by Baltimorean and author M. Hirsh Goldberg in 1990, it falls on the last day of April to counter the falsehoods often celebrated … Continue reading Today is National Honesty Day . . . Created by Hirsh Goldberg of Baltimore. . . . Honest.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Two common phrases: “It will never cease to amaze me,” and “a rock and a hard place.” Let me put them together for you: How a tree can grow between a rock and a hard place will never cease to amaze me. I’m a little kid about this, awed by the genius of a tiny … Continue reading Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Back for another season: That mighty American elm
How lucky we are to have this survivor still breathing life into the neighborhood.
No pet peeve, a real issue for our communities: Huge, empty parking lots as more stores close
This might sound like a pet peeve by now — I have previously registered this complaint in my columns and essays — but calling it that tends to demean it as a genuine issue that should be confronted in the 21st Century. With the decline of brick-and-mortar retail, the owners of vast, empty parking lots … Continue reading No pet peeve, a real issue for our communities: Huge, empty parking lots as more stores close
Wicked Good, A South Shore Anthology: Story-teller Dan Rodricks to perform one-man play in April
Dan Rodricks, an South Shore native and long-term journalist, will perform a one-man play, “Wicked Good: A South Shore Anthology,” in April to benefit a scholarship fund for high school students in his Massachusetts hometown. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for students. The play features humorous and poignant monologues about Rodricks’ experiences, season by … Continue reading Wicked Good, A South Shore Anthology: Story-teller Dan Rodricks to perform one-man play in April
Dan Can Cook: Poached salmon salad
Apology: I forgot to take a picture of the subject dish -- a poached salmon salad. The photo with this post is borrowed from some other amateur chef. But don't let that stop you from trying this at home. This is my favorite way to enjoy salmon. I make this dish on the stove; others … Continue reading Dan Can Cook: Poached salmon salad
Dan Rodricks 