Cuisine of New England
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2008-07-15T17:59:49Z
Jsding
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225847618 by [[Special:Contributions/Jsding|Jsding]] ([[User talk:Jsding|talk]])
[[Image:Lobster.jpg|thumb|250px|The American lobster, a favorite ingredient in New England cuisine.]]
'''New England cuisine''' is a type of [[American cuisine]] found in [[New England]], in the [[Northeastern United States|northeastern region of the United States]]. New England cooking is characterized by extensive use of [[seafood]] and [[dairy]] products, which results from its historical reliance on its seaports and [[fishing]] industry, as well as extensive dairy farming in inland regions.
Two outstandingly characteristic ingredients native to New England are [[maple syrup]] and [[Cranberry|cranberries]]. The standard starch is [[potato]]. [[Parsley]] and [[Common sage|sage]] are common, with a few Caribbean additions like [[nutmeg]]. Due to the reliance on dairy, creams are standard. The favored cooking techniques are stewing and baking.
==History==
Well into the 19th century, [[molasses]] from the Caribbean and [[honey]] were staple sweeteners for all but the upper class. Many herbs were uncommon, particularly Mediterranean herbs, which are not hardy in much of New England away from the coast. As a result, most New England dishes do not have much strong seasoning, nor are there many particularly spicy staple items.
Prior to [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]], some of the finest [[rum]] distilleries were located in New England. The [[Boston Molasses Disaster]] occurred on January 15, 1919, in the North End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, when a huge molasses tank used to prepare rum collapsed.
Even today, traditional cuisine remains a strong part of New England's identity. Some of its plates are now enjoyed by the entire United States, including [[clam chowder]], [[baked beans]], and homemade [[ice cream]]. In the past two centuries, New England cooking was strongly influenced and transformed by [[Irish American]]s, the [[Portugal|Portuguese]] fishermen of coastal New England, and [[Italian American]]s.
The oldest operating restaurant in the United States, the [[Union Oyster House]], is located in Boston, Massachusetts.
==State dishes and staples==
'''[[Maine]]''' is known for its [[American lobster|lobster]]. Once a poor man's supper, lobster has now become a dish of the middle and upper classes. [[Aroostook County|Northern Maine]] is known for its [[potato]] crops, second only to [[Idaho]] in US production. [[Moxie]], America's first mass-produced [[soft drink]] and the official state soft drink, is known for its strong aftertaste and is found throughout New England. Although originally from [[New Jersey]], wax-wrapped [[salt water taffy]] is a popular item sold in tourist areas. Wild [[Blueberry|blueberries]] are also a common ingredient or garnish.
'''[[Vermont]]''' is known for its [[cheddar]] cheese and other dairy products. It is best known outside of New England for its [[maple syrup]], which is generally considered to be of the highest quality available in America. Maple syrup is used as an ingredient in many Vermont dishes, including [[baked beans]]. [[Rhubarb pie]] is a common dessert and is often combined with strawberries in late spring.
Coastal '''[[Massachusetts]]''' is known for its [[clams]], [[haddock]], and cranberries, and previously [[cod]]. [[Apples]] are grown in the Commonwealth's interior. Boston is known for, among other things, [[baked beans]], [[bulkie roll]]s, and various pastries. Hot roast beef sandwiches served with a sweet barbecue sauce and usually on an onion roll is popular in Boston's surrounding area. The North Shore area is locally known for its roast beef establishments.
Southern '''[[New Hampshire]]''' cuisine is similar to that of the Boston area. As with Maine and Vermont, [[French-Canadian]] dishes are popular, including [[tourtière]], which is traditionally served on [[Christmas Eve]]. [[Corn chowder]], which is similar to clam chowder but with corn and bacon replacing the clams, is also common. [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]] is known for its orange cake, often containing cranberries.
'''[[Rhode Island]]''' and bordering [[Bristol County, Massachusetts]] are known for [[Clam chowder|Rhode Island clam chowder]] (clear chowder), [[Hard clam|quahog]] (hard clams), [[johnnycake]]s, [[coffee milk]], [[celery salt]], [[hot dog]]s, [[Submarine sandwich|grinders]], [[pizza strips]], [[Dynamite (food)|dynamites]], and [[Del's Lemonade|Del's]] [[Lemonade|frozen lemonade]]. Another food item popular in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts is called a "[[Coney Island]] weiner," although, ironically, they are unknown in [[New York]] (including Coney Island). This food consists of a weiner (similar to a hot dog but skinnier and more orange in color) on a steamed roll with meat sauce and, often, mustard and raw onions ("all the way"). This hot dog is quite popular at the popular restaurant Coney Island in [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]. Portuguese influences are becoming increasingly popular in the region, with Italian cooking already long established. The coastal communities and islands, including [[Block Island]], offer more colonial New England fare than the more recent immigrant-influenced varieties found around the [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] area.
'''[[Connecticut]]''' is known for its [[apizza]] (particularly the white [[clam]] pie), [[shad]] and shadbakes, [[submarine sandwich|grinder]]s (including the state-based [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]] chain), and [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]'s claim as the birthplace of the [[hamburger]] [[sandwich]]. Italian-inspired cuisine is dominant in the New Haven area, while [[Southeastern Connecticut]] relies heavily on the fishing industry. [[Irish American]] influences are common in the interior portions of the state, including the [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] area. [[Hasty pudding]] is sometimes found in rural communities, particularly around [[Thanksgiving]].
== Typical foods ==
* Various types of [[seafood]] (often [[frying|fried]], [[bake]]d, [[broil]]ed, or [[boiling|boil]]ed):
**[[Cod]], [[halibut]], [[scrod]], [[shad]], [[salmon]] and [[trout]]
**[[American lobster|Lobster]], [[scallop]]s, Maine Lobster
**[[Clam]]s, [[quahog]]s, [[mussel]]s, [[Soft-shell clam|steamers]]
*[[Cider|Apple cider]], hot apple cider
* Apple Pie, Apple Crisp and Apples themselves bought from local orchards.
*[[Blueberries]], especially in [[Blueberry pie]]
*[[New England boiled dinner|Boiled Dinner]]
*Boston [[baked beans]]
*Boston creme [[doughnuts]] and other [[pastries]]
*Brown bread, not to be confused with whole-wheat bread; a molasses-sweetened bread, often studded with raisins, typically steamed in a coffee can
*[[Chowder]], or more specifically, [[New England clam chowder]]
*Cranberry cocktail, cranberry mash/crushed cranberries, jellied cranberries and cranberry bread
*[[Fluffernutter]]
*Concord Grapes
*Frappes, or cabinets in Rhode Island (see [[milkshake]]s)
*[[Fried clam]]s
*[[Hasty pudding]]
*Hot buttered [[rum]]
*[[Ice cream]]s from local dairies as well as companies like [[Ben & Jerry's]]
*[[Indian pudding]]
*[[Johnny cake]]s
*[[Lobster roll]] and [[Crab cake]]
*[[New England boiled dinner]]
*[[New England clam bake]] and [[New England Clam Boil]]
*[[Whoopie pies]]
* New England also has its own lingo. In New England hot and cold sandwiches in elongated rolls are called Subs or especially Grinders as opposed to Hoagies, Gyros or Hiros. This is short for [[submarine sandwich]], which was invented in Massachusetts.
New England is also known for many of its fine local [[lager]]s and [[ale]]s, the most famous of which is [[Samuel Adams (beer)|Samuel Adams]] of the [[Boston Beer Company]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], even though the recipe for the beer does not come from New England. Also included is the regional alcohol based Cider drinks, especially the Vermont based [[Woodchuck]] brand name.
==Notable food and drink companies==
===Connecticut===
* [[Bigelow Tea Company]] ([[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]])
* [[Foxon Park]] ([[East Haven, Connecticut|East Haven]])
* [[Hosmer Mountain Soda]] ([[Willimantic, Connecticut|Willimantic]])
* [[Pepperidge Farm]]s ([[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]])
* [[Stew Leonard's]] ([[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]])
* [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway Sandwiches]] ([[Milford, Connecticut|Milford]])
===Maine===
* [[Moxie]] ([[Farmington, Maine|Farmington]])
* [[Shipyard Brewing]] ([[Portland, Maine|Portland]])
===Massachusetts===
* [[Boston Beer Company]], maker of [[Samuel Adams (beer)|Samuel Adams]] ([[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]])
* [[Dunkin' Donuts]] ([[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]])
* [[Friendly's]] ([[Wilbraham, Massachusetts|Wilbraham]])
* [[D'Angelos|D'Angelo Sandwich Shop]] ([[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]])
* [[HP Hood|HP Hood Milk]] ([[Charlestown, Massachusetts|Charlestown]])
* [[Legal Sea Foods]] ([[Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge]])
* [[Marshmallow creme|Marshmallow Fluff]] ([[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]])
* [[Necco Wafer|Necco Wafers]] ([[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]])
* [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]] ([[Middleborough, Massachusetts|Middleborough]]/[[Lakeville, Massachusetts|Lakeville]])
* Kelly's Roast Beef (Boston, Danvers, Medford, Framingham, and Saugus)
* [[Papa Gino's]] ([[Dedham, Massachusetts|Dedham]])
* [[Polar Beverages]] ([[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]])
* [[Howard Johnsons]] {[[Quincy, Massachusetts|Quincy]]}
===New Hampshire===
* [[Stonyfield Farm]] ([[Londonderry, New Hampshire|Londonderry]])
===Rhode Island===
* [[Coffee milk|Autocrat]] ([[Lincoln, Rhode Island|Lincoln]])
* [[Del's Lemonade]] ([[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]])
===Vermont===
* [[Ben & Jerry's]] ([[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]]/[[Waterbury, Vermont|Waterbury]] (factory))
*[[Cabot Creamery]] ([[Cabot, Vermont|Cabot]])
==See also==
*[[Cuisine of the United States]]
{{Cookbook}}
*[[New England]]
==Further reading==
{{cite book
|last = Mosser
|first = Marjorie
|coauthors = Kenneth Roberts
|authorlink = Kenneth Roberts
|year = 1978
|title = Good Maine Food
|publisher = Down East Books
|id = ISBN 0-89272-038-7
}}
{{cite book
|last = Stetson
|first = Barbara Sherman
|year = 1993
|title = The Island Cookbook
|publisher = Favorite Recipies Press
|id = ISBN 0-87197-370-7
}} Cuisine of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, with extensive notes on local history and personal anecdotes from the author.
{{Cuisine of the United States}}
{{cuisine}}
[[Category:New England cuisine]]
[[Category:American cuisine by region]]
[[fr:Cuisine de la Nouvelle-Angleterre]]