Aside from seeing friends and family, the best part of visiting America is the food. When we visited for the holidays in December/January, it was be a frenzy to visit all our favourite restaurants during the two weeks. Because I’m slightly homesick and had been a full year since we’d been back, here’s an ode to the best New England has to offer (in my humble opinion).
New England Clam Chowder
Whether you like it creamy, cheesy or with bacon, it’s the best soup for cold weather. I understand that some people like it clear (Rhode Island style…gross) or tomatoey (Manhattan Style…also gross) but New England style is definitely the way to go. With plenty of oyster crackers, of course.
Proper Milkshakes
For some reason in England, half the time you order a milkshake, you end up with flavoured milk and no ice cream. Real milkshakes are amazing, if not particularly healthy. Shady Glen in Manchester, CT has some of the best. They also have some of the best cheeseburgers…well really just cheese. The UCONN Dairy Bar is also a contender for best ice cream.
Craft Beer
There are SO MANY craft breweries in New England now- it seems every time I go home there are new ones to try. While the craft beer scene is getting more popular here, it still hasn’t reached the levels of American craft beer. Willimantic Brewing Company and Beer’d are two of my Connecticut favourites.
Lobster
Whether your order it in a restaurant and wear a silly bib or cook it at home at a lobster bake or even eat it in a lobster roll (hot, the cold ones with mayo just aren’t as good) lobster is a quintessential New England summertime treat. It can be messy, but worth it because it’s so delicious!
Mexican and Tex-Mex Food
From the very traditional restaurants to street food to tequila bars and chain restaurants, Mexican and Tex-Mex style food is far more popular (and delicious) in America. From tacos to chimichangas to margaritas there isn’t much I don’t like about it. It’s hard to find the right ingredients to make your own in the UK so I try to stock up when I’m at home.
Breakfast
Bacon butties and black pudding will always hold a special place in my heart, but sometimes you just want streaky bacon. Or a freshly made bagel. Or a full plate of breakfast that doesn’t include tomato, mushroom or beans. (I’ll never understand the appeal of beans for breakfast). Biscuits and sausage gravy is always on the menu when we come home, at least once.
Filter coffee
There’s something to be said for not drinking espresso. An Americano, though it can be delicious, is not the same as going to a diner where your mug is constantly topped up with delicious filter coffee. Or even better, visiting the drive through (preferably Dunkin Donuts, I am a New Englander after all), where you can order the hot drink of your choice without having to leave your car (especially nice in the winter!)
Tried any of these? What did you think? What’s you’re favourite food from home?
Family & food ❤️
Next time ribs, corn on the cob and dirty rice ?
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Definitely!!
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I have never heard of Rhode island style clam chowder (I actually Googled it to see what clear clam chowder looked like ha!), but I do like the creamy New England style clam chowder, and I’d love to go out there to eat it from the source!
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MMm everything sounds so yummy! I definitely need to try NE Clam Chowder and see how it compares to SF Clam Chowder that you can get on Pier 39! #FarawayFiles
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Ooh, I need to try SF clam chowder, a quick google search showed it tends to come in a bread bowl which sounds delicious!
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That’s the ONLY way to eat it!!
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New England Clam Chowder is so good! I do the same thing when I go home (I live in a different state than I grew up in). I have to go to the restaurants that I used to love growing up. #FarawayFiles
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Definitely-we have restaurants we visit on every trip. It makes the trips home that much better!
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Lobster, craft beers, and clam chowder?! Sign me up – I loved the food in America, though we never quite made it to New England on our epic road trip! Ps – completely agree with you about the milkshakes in the UK, they’re rubbish… in NZ we do them with plenty of ice cream too! #farawayfiles
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Good to know about NZ milkshakes, so much better that way!
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There are so many great reasons to visit New England – I keep trying to convince my husband we need to go! It’s great to hear about all the fabulous foodie treats. The thought of affordable lobster is reason enough in my book and I’ve always wanted to try clam chowder. If you’re still looking, the best proper milk shakes I’ve found in the UK are at Ed’s Diner. #FarawayFiles
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I hope you get a chance to visit, the food , beaches and outdoors are great! I’ve had Ed’s milkshakes, pretty good! The best I’ve found are at Billy Bobs Ice Cream Parlour, a place in the middle of nowhere in Yorkshire, worth trying if you’re in the area.
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Interesting about the milkshakes…and funny, because I live in New England (sort of – New York, but from CT) and I just made milkshakes tonight, light on the milk and heavy on the ice cream! Thanks for linking up with #farawayfiiles
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True, I think it might be more of an American thing rather than just New England. Sounds delicious though!
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I haven’t had a milkshake in years! Stupid lactose intolerance. But when I was a kid, my mum would get me one as a treat sometimes when we went shopping and I loved them. 😦 Maybe I should take one of those lactose pills and give one a try for old times’ sake! #FarawayFiles
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Definitely! And so many places are doing milk free ice cream now that I bet you can find a good milkshake without milk!
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I love New England. I visited in the Fall about 20 years ago and always wanted to go back. One day!
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I hope you get a chance to go back it’s so pretty, especially in the fall!
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Man; I am hungry now! Thanks for the good post.
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