What comes to mind when you think of New England’s food? Maybe it’s clam chowder, fish and chips, or a lobster roll. Yet, there are so many more dishes to choose from in New England with cuisine from so many cultures.
The older dishes still served are porcupine meatballs, American chop suey with hamburger, beef gravy, pork pie with gravy, shepherds pie, and mayonnaise cake. Porcupine meatballs aren’t actually made from porcupine, they are made from ground beef. These are seasoned in the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion, and paprika.
American chop suey has a burst of flavor that is a fan favorite. It is a pasta dish that has a deep flavor of tomato and ground beef. Pork pie is made up of ground pork, onion, mashed potatoes, and cinnamon. The common belief is it was created by Canadian immigrant workers that worked on the Maine railroad.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so have some Johnny Cakes! Johnny Cakes were adopted by early settlers, using only three ingredients; cornmeal, boiling water, and salt. These can be topped with fruit syrup, maple syrup, or butter and taste fantastic.
For some desert dishes, try the New England fruit crisp, Boston Creme pie, and pumpkin pie. The fruit crisp is composed of berries, plums, apples, and peaches under the sugary delicious crumble on top. Boston Creme pie, created by a French chef in 1856 for the opening of Parker House Hotel, is chocolate coated cake with vanilla cake and custard in the middle. Pumpkin pie is a fall specialty made from pumpkin guts and baked to perfection.
For some appetizers and sides; Boston baked beans, stuffies, and fried clams. Boston baked beans uses molasses and navy beans to create the dish. The National Month of Baked Beans is July, and during this time baked beans can be found in restaurants. Stuffies are breaded stuffed clams, usually served in shells. These are a Rhode Island classic inspired by Portuguese cuisine, and can be paired with hot sauce or lemon juice. Fried clams are the inside of clams that are coded in breading and fried. They are normally paired with a tomato sauce or a lemon.
Maybe you are not the best cook in the kitchen, so go eat out! There are some well known places like: The Farm table, Sunny Day Diner, Ren Hen Baking, and so much more. Locally, Sutton has Brickstone Kitchen, Grafton and Whitinsville has Reunion Tap & Table, and in Worcester, there’s The Fix. Dessert places in New England are Duckfat, Bova’s Bakery, Wright’s Dairy Farm and Bakery, Aunt Carries, Holy Cannoli, and Rocco’s Donuts.
Have you tried any of these dishes or places? If not are you willing to?
