Page 43 - Explore Magazine Spring 2016

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NEW ENGLAND

-IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD!

Leisa Steele of helloworld Ponsonby tastes her way around the
US states of Maine and Massachusetts.
The region of New England, in the northeasternmost packed with food tours, lobster-catching expeditions,
part of the USA, comprises six states: Connecticut, brewery tastings and some of the highest numbers of
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island restaurants per capita in the USA. On your table, tiny
and Vermont. I recently had the opportunity to sample pink shrimp, haddock, cod, and the oh-so-famous
the best of two of them – Maine and Massachusetts – lobsters pulled from the Atlantic intermingle with
and the culinary adventure I experienced left my taste locally-grown produce, dairy and meats.
buds wanting more. I know that the words “USA” and
“foodie heaven” aren’t automatically associated, but You can’t visit Portland and not go on the Maine
my perceptions have been changed by this amazing Brew Bus. Maine has more than 70 craft breweries
area of the USA which offers fresh, diverse and unique to choose from and if you don’t like beer there’s also
culinary delights. distilled spirits, wine, cider and mead. The Maine
Brew Bus company has many tour options that include
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS a delicious lunch so you can take your pick of the
My journey started in Boston, home of the Boston Tea breweries or wineries you want to visit.
Party and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, once Another Portland recommendation is Forktown Food
an expressway and now an amazing open green space Tours. This was one of my favourite experiences and
with artworks, a carousel, fountains and beautiful our guide was amazing. We walked the cobblestoned
landscaped gardens. Across from the Greenway is streets of Portland to find amazing stores tucked away
the Boston Public Market, which is open seven days selling artisan cheeses from local farms, fresh scones
a week. There is an amazing selection of artisanal with beautiful blueberry jams at Stonewall Kitchen,
products specialising in the farm to table concept. fresh Maine lobster (of course), Mac ‘n Cheese, and
Gourmet baked goods, Appleton Farms cheeses, lots of condiments and spices. Portland is a fantastic
Boston Honey Company products and many more walking city and the perfect foodie place.
speciality foods tempt your taste buds and encourage
you to buy local. And there’s much more. For coffee lovers from
New Zealand there are some great places to try such
Next I headed to Action Kitchen, which gives you the as Bard Coffee, Coffee By Design or Speckled Ax.
chance to get “hands-on” and prepare a culinary And make sure you leave time for a visit to Freeport,
feast with the guidance of a world-class chef. I really only 30 minutes away. Freeport is the location of
enjoyed it and we created so many amazing local fresh the original flagship store of the world-famous
dishes including a fresh salad made with fiddlehead outdoor retailer, L.L Bean, and a sprawling shopping
ferns harvested as a vegetable; Lobster Mornay; Baked destination with so many outlet stores to choose from
Chicken, and to finish, Boston Cream Cakes. Creating you are sure to bag yourself a bargain.
a dish from start to finish and then sitting down as a
group to enjoy our meal over a glass of wine was a real I’ve talked a lot about New England as a foodie heaven
highlight of the amazing food Boston has to offer. but as you will have gathered it is also full of natural
beauty, from beautiful beaches to national parks to
A visit to Boston also isn’t complete until you’ve coastal walking trails and many other amazing places
ventured out to Cape Ann, an hour’s drive to the to discover. Its perfect blend of culinary experiences
northeast. Cape Ann is home to artists and fishermen, from land and sea guarantees tempting dishes
which means amazing seafood including the famous wherever you roam. All year round, New England has
lobster. You can also go whale-watching. Of course something for everyone.
I had to take part in a Cape Ann foodie tour with our
guide Cindy to sample the local food. We sampled
local fish and chips, cannoli and home-made
chocolates, to name just a few.
PORTLAND, MAINE
I then travelled to Portland, Maine for three nights –
an easy two-and-a-half-hour ride north from Boston
by Amtrak. And while in Portland I went another
hour north again to the town of Damariscotta to
shuck oysters. Journeying through Massachusetts
and Maine, you see how geography lends itself to
incredible culinary bounty and creativity. Both are

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