With its landscapes of dunes gliding across the Atlantic, small fishing ports and forests of red maple in autumn, New England alone is a cliché of authentic America, and the same goes for its cuisine. The richness of the ocean provides a beautiful diversity of excellent seafood such as the famous Maine lobster, so the locals are crazy not to mention the shells at the base of the tasty clam chowder. But the hinterland also offers great surprises, especially in Vermont, known for its cheeses and orchards. The region also saw the birth of the first Thanksgiving at the beginning of the 17th century. Roasted turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are just a taste of this festive meal. New England also offers gourmands a number of delicious traditional desserts. For beer lovers, the region is known for its density of quality microbreweries.
Seafood paradise
With its fish-bearing waters, seafood and fish play an important role in New England. Thelobster is the star of Maine. It is impossible to visit this state without indulging in the inevitable tasting of lobster in all its forms. Try the lobster roll, a brioche bun filled with pieces of lobster and mayonnaise, if not poached with warm butter. For the record, more than 3 million of these crustaceans are caught in a single summer off the coast of Maine. There are even designations for their size, ranging from chicken lobster (450 g) to jumbo
(over 1,125 kg).
And don't forget the delicious shellfish: clams, mussels, oysters and razor clams. In Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the specialty is clam chowder, a creamy soup made with clams, potatoes and onions. Bacon is sometimes added. In Rhode Island, try clear-broth clam chowder, prepared with a light, cream-free broth. Don't miss the clambake, which consists of cooking food (lobsters, crabs, shellfish, corn on the cob, potatoes, etc.) in an oven dug into the ground, lined with white-hot pebbles and wrapped in seaweed. This ancestral cooking method is also found in Chile and Polynesia. In New Haven (Connecticut), we find the clam pie, a kind of pizza mixing seafood and cheese. Fish are popular and you can enjoy delicious salt cod cakes
and small cod fritters. Le Vermont is the only coastal free state in the region, but it has a real local culture. It would be a shame not to taste the local products featuring cheeses, beer and of course maple syrup of which Vermont is the leading national producer. The
Vermont Cheese Council is made up of close to 40 producers such as the
Crowley Cheese Factory, the
Grafton Village Cheese Company and
Shelburne Farms, which produce more than 100 varieties of cow, goat, sheep or buffalo milk cheese, the star product of which is cheddar. Whether hard or soft, fresh or ripened, the quality is constantly improving.
Thanksgiving
William Bradford, the governor of Massachusetts, was responsible for the institution of Thanksgiving in 1621. This key date in the calendar of all Americans will gradually be codified by the following governments, which will fix its celebration on the last Thursday of November. Many of the specialties consumed today in the four corners of the country originate from New England. While Thanksgiving is normally a family event, there are many restaurants that offer a delicious assortment of festive dishes. Turkey (turkey
) is the centerpiece of the table. It is usually marinated to make it soft and fragrant before being put in the oven for several hours. The turkey is accompanied by
gravy (a thick
gravy ),
stuffing (a kind of toasted bread stuffing flavoured with apple, onions and herbs) and of course
cranberry sauce (a tangy cranberry sauce). Added to this are various purees (potato or sweet potato) and the famous
green bean casserole with green beans, mushroom cream and fried onions. For dessert, you can't miss the
pumpkin pie, a pie topped with a cinnamon and ginger pumpkin purée. It is served with a dollop of whipped cream. It is a typical dessert of the region, in the south of the USA they prefer pecan pie.
A large choice of desserts
In addition to Thanksgiving desserts, there's the eponymous Boston cream pie, a cake invented in the 1850s, filled with vanilla custard and covered with chocolate icing. It's revisited in the form of a doughnut, the Boston cream doughnut, not to mention the cider doughnut
whose dough contains cider and is rolled with cinnamon brown sugar.
You can enjoy a host of pies such as the famous apple pie, apple, cinnamon, decorated with criss-crossed dough, which is available with blueberries, rhubarb or cherries. More surprisingly, the apple & cheddar pie contains
grated cheddar in the dough. It may sound strange, but the cheese will give a slightly salty caramelized buttery aftertaste, delicious with apples. There are also cookies, buns and other small cakes such as
blueberry muffins,
whoopie pies, a kind of soft chocolate macaroon topped with vanilla cream or Fig Newton, a shortbread filled with fig paste created in 1891. A little thought for chocolate chip cookies - sometimes called Toll House Cookies - invented here in the 1930s.
Indian pudding, a porridge of corn flour and molasses flavoured with cinnamon, is probably the oldest dessert in the region. There are also a lot of pastries such as
Boston brown bread made with rye flour and molasses and raisins,
popover, a kind of puffed bun, or
Portuguese sweet bread, a large, soft bun.
On the drinks side
To enjoy these desserts, Americans will be fond of coffee. Traditionally considered very light for our European tastes, there are now more and more shops offering more consistent coffees: cappuccino, espresso, etc. Very common in the south of the USA - hot or iced - tea is less consumed in the rest of the country and this drink is at the origin of one of the founding events of American history: the Boston Tea Party where the colonists - fed up with the excessive taxes of the English - threw 342 cases of tea into the sea in 1773. Local aversion to tea eventually faded during the 19th century and it was even an American - John Sullivan - who invented tea bags in 1907.
On the beer side, New England also has an incredible number of craft breweries
(Sea Dog Brewing
Company, Shipyard Brewing Company, Smuttynose Brewing Company, etc.). Not forgetting the Flip Hot Ale, a cocktail with ale beer, rum, egg and brown sugar. The region is also known for its cider production.
Enjoying yourself Boston
Timetable Boston
Most restaurants in Boston stay open all day without interruption. They usually close around 10:00 p.m. later on Friday and Saturday nights. You won't have any trouble finding a place to eat, no matter what time of day it is. Only gourmet restaurants open only in the evening or close between lunch and dinner.
Budget & Tips Boston
In Boston, there's something for everyone in the world to feast their taste buds on. However, while there are many cheap options, such as salad bars, sandwiches sold in cafés or Chinatown shops, restaurants are still quite expensive. When you sit at a table somewhere, you can't expect to get by for less than US$20 per person, often more. As in France, the bill is often a steep one in restaurants that serve seafood
What costs extra Boston
A thorny subject if ever there was one, the tip deserves a few explanations! To begin with, you should know that in the United States, the service is never included in the restaurant (with rare exceptions, in which case the mention "gratuity included" is displayed on the menu). Regardless of the quality of the service, it is therefore required to leave the equivalent of 15 to 20% of the amount of the tip.
To simplify the calculation, multiply by 2 the amount of local tax shown on your bill. Even simpler: use the Tip 'n Split mobile application, which will calculate the tip for you. In any case, the reputation of the French is so well established that, when we've guessed your country of origin, you'll often see the "Tip" box already filled in at the customary rate! Even if you pay by credit card (we see you coming...), you won't escape the tip. In this case, don't forget to write the amount of the tip in the "Tip" box and the total amount of the bill yourself, to avoid unpleasant surprises later on.
Finally, you should also know that prices in restaurants are displayed without tax. In addition to the tip, the local tax (6.25% in Boston) is therefore added to the total amount. After all that, the final score has little to do with the prices on the menu.
The local way Boston
A large glass of water filled with ice cubes is served in all restaurants, diners and gastronomic establishments. Europeans are often surprised by this, but it is part of the basic service in the United States. The other thing that can surprise is the service: American waiters are particularly friendly, so don't be shocked if they ask you if you are well and if they give you their first name, it's like that in almost all restaurants! As tips are not included, the service is generally irreproachable, although a little rushed
Also be aware that many restaurants, especially the most popular ones, do not take reservations. In this case, it is best to arrive early and if there is a wait, we will take your phone number and send you a text message as soon as your table is ready! This will give you the opportunity to go for a walk or a drink somewhere in the meantime
Kids Boston
Children are welcome in most Boston restaurants, with the exception of some dining establishments that are not suitable for younger children anyway. In almost all other places, you'll have no trouble asking for a high chair to seat your child. Some establishments are even more kid-friendly than others, just take a look inside to see if a restaurant is family-friendly or not!
Smokers Boston
Smoking is not permitted in enclosed public areas, including the restaurant. If you eat on the terrace, don't even think about lighting a cigarette: even without an explicit ban, it is very badly seen and so unusual that your neighbours at the table may make big eyes at you. If you wish to smoke before the end of the meal, get out of the restaurant and move a few metres away so as not to bother the customers on the terrace.
Take a break Boston
Timetable Boston
In Boston, pubs usually open as early as noon because they serve lunch. More upscale places, such as cocktail bars, rarely open before 4pm. Closing hours vary from 11 p.m. on weekdays to a maximum of 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. You won't find places that are open until 4 or 5 in the morning like in France. It's just not in the culture: here, evenings start earlier and end earlier!
During Happy Hour, usually offered on weekdays between 3pm and 6pm, bars offer cocktails, beers or glasses of wine at reduced prices
Budget & Tips Boston
Going out is quite expensive in Boston, especially if you drink alcohol. A glass of wine will rarely cost you less than US$11, as will cocktails, which usually cost around US$14. Beers are cheaper, around US$7 on draught.
Please note that the prices do not include the local tax, which is 6.25% in Massachusetts, or tips. It is customary to tip US$1 or US$2 per drink or, if you have had many drinks and pay by credit card, about 18% of the bill, as in restaurants.
Age restrictions Boston
We don't joke about the legal age in the United States! As far as drinking is concerned, it is 21 years old. At the entrance of the bars, after a certain time, you will be asked to show your ID card. If you are under the legal age, you will not have a chance to get in. However, in some bars that are also restaurants, minors may enter if accompanied by a responsible adult and provided they do not consume alcohol. If in doubt, it is best to make a quick phone call to the bar you wish to visit.
What's very local Boston
Bostonians drink beer as well as wine and cocktails. The latter are generally well made and often surprising, as everywhere in the United States. But the speciality of the city is still the Irish pubs, a legacy of the massive Irish immigration of the early 19th century. The locals love their good-natured atmosphere and cheap pints of Guinness. We've put together a top 5 of the best Irish pubs in the city!
Kids Boston
Minors will only be permitted to enter a bar that is serving alcohol if they are accompanied by a responsible adult and do not consume alcohol. The place must serve food and the child is generally not allowed in the bar. At the entrance to the bars, after a certain hour, bouncers ask for passports and sometimes do not let under-21s in, even if they are accompanied and do not intend to drink alcohol. It's a bit of a case by case situation, so make sure you make a phone call to find out the policy of the place you're interested in.
Smokers Boston
In Boston, smoking is prohibited in confined public spaces, a law that is in effect in all bars and cafes in the city, and is also valid for electronic cigarettes. Even on outdoor patios, even when there are no ban signs, it is frowned upon to light a cigarette. It is simply not in the country's mores. The best way to avoid embarrassment is to move a few metres away before lighting your cigarette.
