Poquahock

     Last week I listed some of the foods unique to New England and I received more than one inquiry as to what exactly "stuffies" were.  My response was simple.  They are made from quahogs.  As you might imagine, that led to another question, "What are quahogs?"  Gee, I thought everyone knew that.
    
     It was over 4 decades ago that I was introduced to the edible marine bivalve mollusk that lives just below the sandy shores of the New England coastline.  It is the largest of a variety of hard clams that ranges from the miniscule countnecks through the littlenecks and topnecks to the cherrystone and finally the rather large quahog, or chowder clam.  I would head out with a clam rake at Point Judith to dig for them when I was a youth counselor at Camp Canonicus in Rhode Island, the same summer that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

      Quahogs are marine animals, yet they cannot survive in water with the salinity of the Atlantic Ocean and tend to live in the bays and shorelines  from Prince Edward Island to the Jersey shore, particularly Rhode Island where the waters are not as salty.  The name is derived from the Naragansett Indian word poquahock which translates as "wages" in English.  That is due to their value and worth, being used as money or wampum among certain Indian tribes in New England.  Many quahogs have distinctive shell patterns like the ones harvested along the shoreline in Wellfleet, MA.  Their lines are in a "W" pattern across the shell.

     Here is a recipe for you to try for Stuffed Spicy Quahogs, or "Stuffies"



Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Note from Vinny: The following pictorial essay appeared recently on the Minnesota Public Radio web page and was sent to me by a very special person who happens to live in St. Paul.

1

The Minnesota Twins and their food service provider, Delaware North Companies, unveiled this season's specials at Target Field today. They'll have some of rookies from previous seasons back, from Walk-A-Tacos to the Fulton beer. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)      

          

2

Andrew Zimmern's AZ Grill: Cabrito burger with roasted tomato and onion, $13. Hibiscus punch, $4.50. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)   

             

3

Summer Fiesta Salad: Romaine and iceberg lettuce, adobo chicken, black beans, sweet corn, roma tomatoes, green onions, red and yellow peppers, fried tortilla strips and mango chili lime vinaigrette, $9. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)       

         

4

Fish tacos: Corn tortillas filled with Mahi-mahi, pico de gallo, guacamole and salsa fresca with corn tortilla chips, $13. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)     

           

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Mac's Fish and Chips Fried Walleye: Fresh walleye fillet, battered and fried to order, $11.50. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)                

 

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Meatloaf sandwich: Slice of meatloaf with fried onions, cheese and hand-made barbeque sauce, $11. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)   

             

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Frankie V's Paninos: Baked, wrapped sandwiches, with either buffalo chicken or spaghetti and meatball filling, $10.50 to $12. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)     

           

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Target Field has also replaced Klements sausage products with Sheboygan sausages, like bratwurst, cheddar bratwurst, Italian and Polish sausage in Halsey's Sausage Haus concessions, $4.50. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)     

           

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Walleye on a spike: Walleye strips, breaded and skewered, bigger than last year, $14. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)                

 

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Ice cream sandwiches: Vanilla-bean ice cream between fresh baked triple-chocolate chip cookies, $6. The sandwiches shown are a mini-sized sample version not for sale. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)                

So much for peanuts and crackerjack, huh?

 

It's about the trees

     I had hoped to arrive in Vermont just as maple sugaring was in full swing.  But that 4-6 week annual process is dictated by the weather conditions.  For the sap to flow up the trees there must be above freezing days and below freezing nights.  It was like that for about a week prior to my arrival but when I was there it was snowing with a daytime high of only 31.  I was more fortunate last year (see VinnyPost 3/16/12 "A Sweet Story").

     But in Vermont it still all about the trees.  After all 80% of the state is forested.  And while 3 out of every 5 trees is a sugar maple, there is still an abundance of other trees: cherry, walnut, alder, ash and hickory just to name a few.  And those are the trees that J. K. Adams Company uses to fashion some very nice wooden storage and food preparation products from their factory/showroom in Dorset.  So instead of learning about maple sugaring, this year I was a student of the wooden specialty housewares industry.

 

     Josiah K. Adams began a small woodworking business in his garage back in 1944.  Some of his early products included the speedy racer toy, the Kiwi shoe polish groomer box, and various drafting and surveying tables.  It wasn't until the Cooper family took over the business that wooden kitchen products like cutting boards and rolling pins and such were added to the list.  The company developed the first slanted knife block in 1980 and also created the carousal spice rack.  Wood is naturally anti-bacterial and makes a superior surface for food preparation.  Any bacteria left on a wooden cutting board, for example, will actually lessen in time, unlike the conditions present on a plastic one which multiplies the germs.  And a wooden board will also be more gentle on the edge of a cutting knife, too.

     But aside from the quality of the products manufactured at J. K. Adams is the fact that they are the first and only manufacturer to meet the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council.  The FSC has certified the company as being ecologically responsible in the harvesting of the trees used to make their products.  In addition, the company's buildings in Dorset are heated using wood scraps from their mill work and also recycles all their sawdust to area farmers for animal bedding.

     As I walked through their showroom I wanted to purchase one of everything!  But as you might imagine, quality has its price.  But I was happy to find way back in a corner on the second floor a small pile of "seconds."  And looking through the lot I found an amazing carving board that has a special indentation to hold either a turkey or a roast in place.  And it was half price, already marked down once prior!  I'm now the proud owner of a beautiful functional wooden work of art from J. K. Adams for a mere $17.50.  Pretty good deal, don't you think?

 

    

Yankee Ingenuity

     What do you do when you own a catering business and experience a seasonal lull every year from January to mid-spring?  That was the question facing Sarah DiBernardo at the Harvest Moon Catering Company in Saxtons River, Vermont.  As you might expect things are slow in the dead of winter for a catering service in New England.  But being a creative and resourceful Yankee business person, she kept her staff busy by opening two soup shacks along heavily traveled roadways.

 

     Smokin' Bowls operates from December until March, Thursday through Monday from 11am to 7pm just down the road from Johnny Seesaw's at the intersection of Routes 11 & 30 in Winhall and in Rockingham at Exit 6 just off I-91.  Sarah has a repertoire of 30 to 40 soups that she rotates on the menu depending on ingredient availability and season.  Everything is made fresh from local sources like vegetables from Black River Produce in Springfield, VT and Pop's Smoked Maple Syrup right in Satxons River.  And of course they use the famous Vermont Cheddar from nearby Grafton.

     Their offerings include gluten free, vegan and vegetarian soups like the cumin cauliflower and apple amalgam that is topped with curried shrimp, caramelized onions and browned bits of cauliflower as a garnish.  But perhaps the best seller is the Cheech & Chong chili made from all natural ground beef mingled with chunks of tomato, onions and garlic and infused with a hint of that smoked maple syrup.  During the height of ski season the staff cooks up 120 gallons of it a week and delivers it to the soup shacks.

 

     Following the tradition of authentic Yankee cuisine, the soups and chilis are fresh and healthy with clear and bright flavors.  It's "fast food" done right, and without a side of fries.

A Tale of Two Mountains

     Nestled in the shadow of Bromley Mountain is Johnny Seesaw's a one time dance hall/speak easy/road house that is now a home away from home for skiers and folks looking for a good meal.  In fact, Skiing magazine has acclaimed the dining there to be "the Best Yankee Cuisine in New England."  That's quite an honor!  I have stayed there more times than I can count in the past two decades and have never been disappointed by the meals they serve.  Overnight accommodations include breakfast that is "worth getting up for" as they state in their description of services.

 

     So what makes their food so good as to earn such a statement as "the best"?  In typical Yankee tradition their food is simply yet elegantly prepared.  From the blueberry muffins at breakfast to the enormous prime rib that dwarfs the dinner plate their meals personify what is good about Yankee cooking.  Straight forward, honest, hearty and flavorful are all words that describe the dining experience there in the lodge by the circular fireplace in the center of the room.

     While staying there last week I took an afternoon side trip over to Stratton Mountain, through the picturesque villages of Winhall and Bondville.  With all the snow that has fallen there this Winter the ski season was still going strong.  I made my way up to the restaurant/bar on the second floor of their main lodge to look out over the mountain.  The place is appropriately named Grizzly's.  I'm not sure if that is meant to describe the quality or the price of the food served.  It was appalling to me when, glancing down the menu I discovered that a single slice of pizza was $4.50.  At that price the $20 tab for a whole pie sounded like a bargain.  But that was only for a plain pie.  Speciality pizzas were significantly higher, at $28.  A side order of waffle fries commanded a half a sawbuck and even the local draft beers were a hefty $6.  Renting equipment and purchasing a lift ticket already puts a sizable dent in the wallet.  And then if you get hungry you're easily out a quick $50 just for lunch.

     In the same day I discovered what is good and what is bad about Yankee cuisine in the tale of two mountains.

Yankee Cuisine

 

    

     I spent last week in search of the authentic Yankee Cuisine.  But not knowing what exactly that was, I wasn't sure I'd know when I found it.  After all, New England is composed of 6 very different states, with only a few common bonds.  So I began to give serious thought to what I should be looking for.  Two elements immediately came to mind as requisites in my search: population and produce.  What is available to prepare by the residents who live there?

     Some things immediately come to mind, like seafood, especially lobsters, but not ignoring other fish like scrod and haddock and also clams, mussels and scallops. There is also a wealth of food produced from dairy products, too, like the wonderful Vermont classic cheddar cheese.  And of course cranberry anything, not to mention all the wonderful things that utilize russet potatoes.  Blueberries always taste sweeter when they just are picked in the wild and who could forget that amazing maple syrup that is just about ready to be boiled down now from tree sap?

     All those items are crafted into amazing meals created by a variety of cultures.  For not only are there traditional "Pilgrim" meals like the iconic Thanksgiving meal with turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, but also great Italian pasta dishes that artfully combine red gravy with the fruitta di mare, fruit of the sea.  And don't forget the contribution of the Portuguese that highlights sausages like chorizo and linguica.  And in the northern reaches there is a considerable French influence on the cuisine with the classic poutine comfort food.

 



          Certain foods are associated with Yankee cuisine, too.  Names like crumbles, betties, grunts, stuffies, wiggles, grinders, red flannel hash, boiled dinners, sea moss pudding and frappes all bring New England to mind.  And some of our favorite foods are synonymous with the region, like Boston Creme Pie (actually a cake) and Parker House Rolls.

     New Englanders have done well with what they have.  They have learned to use foods that are plentiful and prepared very simply.  Yankee cuisine is plain in a good way-simple, direct flavors that permit the quality of the basic ingredients shine through.

     So join me on my journey through New England in the name of culinary research...

Heading North

     For the next week I will be conducting culinary research in New England.  Look for my reports when I return.