A Chef’s Guide To New England - Find. Eat. Drink.
Matt Jennings, New England, More than chowda, New England Eats: Favorites From A Well-Traveled Yankee, Chef Recommendations, Where to eat in New England, New England Dining Guide, Travel Guide, Best places to eat and drink in New England, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine
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New England Eats: Favorites From A Well-Traveled Yankee
New England Eats
FAVORITES FROM A WELL-TRAVELED YANKEE
There are many reasons New England, the puritanical, far northern corner of the Northeast, is a culinary incubator and has long been synonymous with fine cuisine. We can thank our original settlers - who are more closely associated with bonnets and buckled black hats, than for groundbreaking cuisine - for laying the foundation of what is now some of the best food in the country.
From England, they brought many skills, none of the least were knowledge of seafood and shellfish cookery, homestead baking, pie making, a devotion to beans, and the ability to hunt for wild fowl and game. These skills they adopted, or perhaps more accurately, stole, from the natives (including corn and the ability to track animals), would prove to be hallmarks of New England cookery for centuries to come.
Today, we realize that we have come a long way. Some of the best places to eat are in areas you’d never expect. Street trucks. Tiny, cramped diners. Clam shacks.
This is a list of suggestions from one guy... one hungry New Englander who can’t get enough. It ain’t just chowda and clambakes. This is the best of New England food.
Final important note and general disclaimer: I’m a chef. I own what many people would consider a ‘fancy’ restaurant (although we think it is anything but). The spots I have selected display a broad range of culinary interest. While I may make charcuterie, work all day on creating the perfect duck stock, fuss with wispy greens, or pay visits to my local hog farmer, I’m a food lover at heart and for me, quality food and drink comes in many forms. Sure, some places here have white tablecloths, some have plastic, and others - none at all.
While an eclectic list, these are the places I consider to have some of the best eatin’ in New England, in whatever form they might take. So, I suggest you fill up the tank, grab a cup of steaming ‘Du-Do’s’ coffee and hit the road. There’s a lot to see, and even more to taste.
October 5, 2010
Photo Credit: Find. Eat. Drink.
