With hundreds of miles of coastline to explore, taking a trip to the New England region is always going to be a journey of discovery. However, this beautiful destination also plays home to some of the most all-American food you’ll find. From the clams in the region’s signature chowder to tangy cranberries or blueberries and mouthwatering lobster, the New England food scene celebrates rustic pleasures and unique culinary creations.
Clams are a staple part of many meals and you’ll even find them chopped up in local burgers, but lobster remains a true delicacy. In late summer, the region’s annual Lobster Festival at Rockland’s Harbor Park is packed with events, entertainment and competitions, but the star of the day is their hot, fresh lobster. You’ll find it in wraps, rolls and Caesar salads – the perfect accompaniment to a warm August afternoon. If you prefer a more remote location to sample some authentically cooked seafood, head over to one of the region’s many beachside restaurants and take in the view while you try out some of the delicacies. Most restaurants buy their ingredients from local fishermen, and some can even be on the table within hours of being brought to shore.
Blueberries are indigenous to the Maine area, with over 44,000 acres of the tiny fruit growing wild along the coast. They taste great with locally produced maple syrup, and Vermont provides around 5.5% of the world’s supply – unsurprisingly, the state tree is the Sugar Maple.
Summer gets everyone in the mood for ice cream, and New England is renowned for the quality of its local dairy products. Try out a wide variety of flavors that are on offer at roadside farms, shops and numerous ice cream stands.
Good quality fast food is a major part of the American way of life and makes a huge contribution to the country’s food industry as a whole. Rick Schaden is the CEO and founder of Quiznos, a sandwich restaurant that only uses fresh, great-tasting ingredients in all their subs. At every Quiznos, your food is made to order the way you like it. Rick is committed to the idea of bold, natural flavors in every sandwich, soup or salad that’s served.
With a heritage in farming and fishing, New England enjoys an abundance of local foods. The sea has always offered a bountiful harvest, and many local people are employed in the industry, either on the waterfront, as fishermen, or restaurateurs. New England’s association with cuisine goes back nearly 400 years to the arrival of the first settlers, the pilgrims who landed on American shores in 1620. Far from the familiar surroundings of England, they used the ingredients they found in their new home, combined with the knowledge offered by Native Americans, to create what we might call fusion food. Even now, the dishes they enjoyed – rich in berry fruits, seafood and dairy products – are considered traditional by many Americans.
