My youngest daughter and I recently completed a Dulles airport run (to drop off my oldest daughter and my mother for a summer trip to London) and on the way home I suggested a dinnertime stop at the Barbara Fritchie Restaurant on the western edge of Frederick, Md.

“Ohh, that place with the noodle soup – and the big candy cane outside?” asked my daughter.

Yes.

The very same.

The invitation was excitedly accepted.  As we sat in the diner (at the counter) and she gleefully slurped noodles while I polished off a fried oyster sandwich, something else occurred to me.

Why did she like this place so much?

After all, there’s nothing fancy about Barbara Fritchie.  Oh sure, it’s got good food, awesome pies, tasty milkshakes (made with Hershey’s ice cream), and that classic noodle soup, but my daughter has never had a slice of pie.  She’s never tasted their milkshakes.  She’s never even considered half of their menu (“liver and onions?  Bleh!”).

So what is the attraction?

She probably likes it for the same reason I like it.  I can clearly remember coming to Barbara Fritchie with my grandfather in my early twenties – sitting at the counter, sharing a meal, and just talking to one another.  The combination of person, place, and food created a strong and lasting memory for me – a happy memory.

I can remember childhood visits with my mother and brother growing up, and it also brings a smile to my face.  Sure, we had many meals at many places, but I remember the ones at Barbara Fritchie.  Sometimes I can even recall the conversations.

So there we were, my youngest daughter and I – sitting at the counter – eating, laughing, and talking, and I realized without even knowing it, I was doing the same thing.  Creating a memory of place and food that will stick with her for the rest of her life.  As I continue to age and memory eventually fails me, I may forget the specifics of what we talked about on this visit – but she won’t.  From now on, she will always love coming to Barbara Fritchie the way I do – and for the same reasons.  Maybe someday, she’ll bring her own children – and the cycle will continue on.

I certainly hope so.

It’s amazing what a simple bowl of Barbara Fritchie’s noodle soup can do.

 

Barbara Fritchie Restaurant

1513 W. Patrick Street

Frederick, MD  21702

Open Daily: 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Phone: (301) – 662-2500

Website: www.barbarafritchie.wordpress.com