An evening out celebrating our anniversary and the husband’s birthday had us at the ever delightful, full service Prime Rib Restaurant last night.
I don’t know about your dinner conversations with your husband, wife or life partner but in our marriage of 29 years it isn’t overly stimulating. It isn’t about world affairs, finances or even children. My life centers around food and the food industry and the husband’s interests are the History Channel, flea markets, taking naps and World War II but they do say opposites attract. Are you getting my drift?
As we are progressing from our bread and Greenberg Potato Skins to the salad course our waiter crumbs the table. You know what I’m talking about when I say crumber(see photo); it has a clip on it so it fits in the waiters’ or waitresses’ pocket, the length of a pen. The husband looks at me as says, “I think I remember that the table crumber was invented here in Baltimore.” Aaah, common ground for conversation and I replied , “Really? - You should check it out for me when you get home and I’ll write a post about it.”
Continuing this line of conversation, we somehow get our waiter Chuck Snyder involved. Chuck laughs and informs us he has a story about the table crumber. Hang with me while I paraphrase the story Chuck told us, “I waited on a table here at The Prime Rib one night, crumbing the tablecloth between courses and the gentleman at the table says I manufacturer the table crumber you are using.” Snyder was polite but the gentleman knew he didn’t take him too seriously. It wasn’t long after that Chuck received a parcel at The Prime Rib filled with table crumbers with a note that said – “I told you so.”
Our evening progressed and the husband took the table crumber being invented in Baltimore gauntlet to heart and researched the table crumber manufacturer’s website. In 1939 John Henry Miller, one of the two brothers of the famous Miller Brothers restaurant did indeed file for the patent for the original table crumber which is manufactured by Baltimore’s Ray Machine.
In olden days of yore, the table crumber had a brush and crumb pan (see my photograph) which were cumbersome and awkward for the table. Check out the complete history and even view the patent drawings. You have to give me creds for having both an old fashioned and Original Table Crumber in my house for the photograph.
The Original Table Crumber: Made in Baltimore, Maryland - Shipped Worldwide www.crumber.com
+1 410.686.6955 • sales@crumber.com • 12 Lynbrook Rd., Baltimore, Maryland 21220-2830 USA
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