New England cooking may not get as much attention as some other American regional cuisines, but there’s a lot to love about it. The food is comforting, unfussy, and deeply tied to the history and landscape of the region.
Since moving to Maine, I’ve found myself increasingly curious about the dishes and traditions that are part of everyday life here. If you’re curious about New England cooking, too, these recipes are a delicious place to start—and an easy way to bring a little Northeast charm to your table this weekend.
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01 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
“A regional treat from the Northeast spreading throughout the rest of the country, a whoopie pie is made with two chocolate cake rounds sandwiched together with a generous helping of marshmallow creme frosting.” —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer
02 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
“The origins of the New England clam chowder go back to early settlers, who made it with salt pork, clams, and the broth they were cooked in, thickened with crushed ship biscuit. It hasn’t changed too much since then.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer
03 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
“Hailing from New England, they have a colorful yet disputed origin story that only adds to their charm. I’m a sucker for a good molasses cookie, and after making these, they shot to the top of my recipe file. I love one with a cup of black coffee or tea.” —Sara Bir, Simply Recipes Editor
04 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
“Penuche is a popular candy in New England, where I grew up, and in the South, where it’s also known as praline fudge or brown sugar fudge candy. It is technically not fudge because of its brown sugar instead of white sugar.” —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer
05 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas
“Perhaps the most interesting thing about its origins in New England is the ruffled feathers when those who grew up in the Northeast discuss what the ingredients must be and what ingredients should never be in the pot.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
06 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh
“Apparently, this dessert goes back to Colonial days. It’s synonymous with a ‘grunt,’ and which word you use (slump or grunt) depends on the locale. In Rhode Island, slump is used. In Massachusetts, grunt is more common.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
07 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
“Hermit cookies are a classic Maine recipe, dating back to the late 1800s and handed down by families and in church and community cookbooks. They’re both chewy and cakey, dotted with dried fruit and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.”—Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer
08 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“This bread dates back to Cape Ann, Massachusetts, in the early part of the 20th century. It is a dense, dark bread, a little sweet from the molasses, and it is very, very good with butter and cinnamon. Serve it hot, and then later as toast.” —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer
09 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“Red flannel hash is just corned beef hash with the addition of beets. It’s traditionally made in New England for breakfast, with leftovers from a boiled dinner the night before, and gets its name from the somewhat obvious similarity of its colors to red flannel plaid cloth.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
10 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“Growing up in California, the idea of ‘digging for clams’ wasn’t really part of my experience. But out in Rhode Island, and the beaches south of Cape Cod, digging in the sand for your dinner is apparently a regular summertime activity.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
11 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“I’m speaking from experience here. I have shunned the idea since the first time I heard of it. But this week I decided to take the plunge and make a simple galette, a rustic tart with apples, some maple syrup for sweetener, cheddar, in a buttery, cheddar-speckled crust. All I can say is WOW. Thank you, New England.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
12 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“Boston Brown bread makes me think of my mother, a native of Ipswich, Massachusetts. Disks of deep brown ‘bread’—brown bread is chewy, with a density approaching traditional pumpernickel—studded with raisins and fried in butter. Lots of butter.” —Hank Shaw, Recipe Developer
13 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“Native Americans introduced early New England colonists to corn, and it became a valuable part of the colonists’ diet, in no small part because the wheat flour they were accustomed to was hard to come by in New England in those days. Colonists adapted British hasty pudding—a quick dish featuring wheat flour, molasses, and spices—to utilize cornmeal, or ‘indian meal’, instead.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
14 of 14
Credit: Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
“On top of that hot blueberry lava, you drop dumpling batter and cover the pot. The steam gently cooks the dumplings to fluffy, tender, biscuity clouds. No need to brown the dumplings; they’re perfect as is.” —Elise Bauer, Founder
Read the original article on Simply Recipes