Looking for a food to remember from Boston

[larry_stewart]

So this is the deal,

My family and I travel to different cities. Each city has that certain "food" that we must pick up every time we visit.

For example, every time we are in Philly, we stop by a soft pretzel factory and get 100 + to take home. In New York, we go to the lower east side and get knishes and pickles. In Portland, ME we get Whoopie pies, Hershey we get chocolate ( obvious).

Anyway, we will be traveling to Boston in the near future, and I'd love to know what is something that is typical, or 'the best when found in Boston" to eat, and take home with us ( and make it a tradition, just like the others).

Only challenge to this request, is that we are vegetarians ( which is why I didnt list NY Deli, or Philly Cheese steak..)

Thanks in Advance,

Larry

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Baked beans.

[Kayelle]

Hi Larry, it's nice to see you at DC again! I will be going to Boston soon also so I'm really interested in this request. We are not vegetarians however, so I hope you don't mind if I tag along here, and ask for seafood recommendations also.

Off the top of my head, I think of Boston Cream Pie and Parker House rolls.

[Bolas De Fraile]

A nice cup of tea

[Aunt Bea]

The Durgin Park Restaurant - Baked Beans

The Parker House Hotel - Parker house rolls

[Zhizara]

Brown bread.

[Claire]

My parents are from New England and would say what a couple have, baked beans and brown bread. The brown bread actually comes in a can, and you take it home and steam it, so it is a good "taker-homer".

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Don't forget Boston Style Chili, and also, get some New England Boiled Dinner. Boston has good Sourdough as well, or so I've heard. Oh, and for seafood, Boston Bluefish is tops.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Andy M.]

Boston Cream Pie! Boston Baked Beans, Parker House Rolls (from the Parker House Hotel).

Lobster, Fried Clams.

I've never seen "Boston Bluefish". It's a dated reference to pollack. Real bluefish is a treat.

[ChefJune]

Traditional Boston Baked Beans contain pork.

Before I lived there, I used to bring back maple sugar candies.

There's a famous bakery in the North End -- Modern Pastry -- that makes torrone so good that visiting Italians send it home to Italy. You might like to try that!

www.modernpastry.com

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by ChefJune

Traditional Boston Baked Beans contain pork...

Good catch, June. I should have remembered that. Thanks for the correction.

Boston has a vibrant Italian-American community in the "North End". Modern Pastry is in the heart of the North End. Right down the street is Mike's Pastry www.mikespastry.com, another spot that has great Italian cookies and pastries. There is a good-hearted rivalry between the two as to which is best. Try both and decide for yourself. I love the cannolis at Mikes.

[Kayelle]

Originally Posted by Bolas De Fraile

A nice cup of tea

Oh you Brit's!!

[salt and pepper]

"Yankee" Pot Roast ! Just kidding! Soft shell crab sandwich

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Good catch, June. I should have remembered that. Thanks for the correction.

Boston has a vibrant Italian-American community in the "North End". Modern Pastry is in the heart of the North End. Right down the street is Mike's Pastry www.mikespastry.com, another spot that has great Italian cookies and pastries. There is a good-hearted rivalry between the two as to which is best. Try both and decide for yourself. I love the cannolis at Mikes.

I disagree about Mike's. The only chocolate cake I've ever spit out in my life came from there. (I didn't know that at the time.) But in any case, Mikes doesn't make/sell homemade Torrone. That's Sarah Picariello's specialty, unique to Modern.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by ChefJune

I disagree about Mike's. The only chocolate cake I've ever spit out in my life came from there. (I didn't know that at the time.) But in any case, Mikes doesn't make/sell homemade Torrone. That's Sarah Picariello's specialty, unique to Modern.

Sorry you had a bad experience at Mike's. I never mentioned torrone. I recommended the cannoli.

[GB]

I have lived in a Boston suburb almost all my life. I have never sen brown bread. The only time I have ever heard of it is when people ask what is a Boston food.

From my perspective there is not really a Boston food per say. Boston cream pie has Boston in the name, but just like brown bread I only ever hear about it when people want something "Boston".

If I had to pick a food that represented Boston it would have to be seafood of some sort. Since Maine had lobsters in would go with NE clam chowdah. I know that does not help you though Larry. I really can't think of anything non-meat. The closest I can think of is salt water taffy from the beach areas, but you can find that in most beach communities, not just Boston.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by GB

I have lived in a Boston suburb almost all my life. I have never sen brown bread. The only time I have ever heard of it is when people ask what is a Boston food.

From my perspective there is not really a Boston food per say. Boston cream pie has Boston in the name, but just like brown bread I only ever hear about it when people want something "Boston". ...

I agree on the brown bread. You just don't see it anymore. However, if you've never had Boston Cream Pie, it's not because it isn't generally available. The Boston Cream Pie and Parker House rolls are creations of the Parker House hotel (Now the Omni Parker House) in Boston. It's alive and well in and around Boston.

[GB]

I guess I didn't mean to say that you do not see Boston Cream Pie around. You do. What I meant to say is that the Boston Cream Pie you get in Boston does not seem and better or worse or different than getting it anywhere else. NY bagels and pizza are things you can't come close to anywhere else. You might have good or even great pizza other places, but it won't be quite the same. I don't think the same holds true for BCP.

[Andy M.]

It's still a signature food of Boston. The fact that it's easy to make shouldn't be a factor.

[GB]

I guess when I think of bringing home a signature food of someplace I think of getting something that you can only get in that area or at least not something that you can get just as good from your home state.