A Brief Culinary History of Boston
You are probably aware of the nickname "Beantown", because from the earliest days Boston has been awash in molasses to convert to rum are a result of the triangular trade route between the West Indies, Boston,and West Africa in the days of slavery and even after.They cooked the beans in molasses, Boston Baked Beans. Molasses, Rum and the by products of both are in other famous dishes as well such as Gingerbread and Indian Pudding. This important staple was sold by the bite, (the number of beans in the dish when served family style). Picky eaters chose the Kilobite, the Megabite was most common and if you were really hungry nothing but a Gigabite would do. That is really my limit, but descendants of the Shakers can consume a Petabite at the Boston Bean Eating Contest.
Beans are OK, but food started to get serious in Boston at the (Omni)Parker House Hotel, America's longest running luxury hotel, (150 years running and the carpets are still not worn out). It was founded by Harvey D. Parker in 1855, and many famous people ate and entertained their mistresses there, (ask for the Ashley Madison suite), including Jesse James ( yes, both the outlaw and the dude that cheated on Sandra Bullock ), but the big moment for Boston was when Parker recruited Top Chef Master finalist Sanzian for ten times the going rate. Sanzian’s versatile menu, quick fire, and innovative vending machine cuisine such as Boston Schrod, a fish dish generally finished with a Ritz cracker crumb topping packed the house. He also developed the Parker House Roll and Boston Cream Pie, both of which you should try when you visit Boston.
I personally feel Sanzian’s finest hour was a cut of beef that includes the tenderloin and strip loin, the Parker House, but some moron misspelled it and now less educated steak house afficianados call it the Porterhouse.
It is pricey, but you should consider visiting Parker's Restaurant at the Omni Parker House Hotel and enjoy classic New England favorites. Guess who worked in the Parker kitchen, Emeril Lagasse, (Emeril is famous for deviating from Sanzian's "trinity" as he only used three spices in his entrees: ground black pepper, parsley and sage). Ho Chi Minh served as a baker in the bake shop from 1911 to 1913, and Malcolm Little, better known as black activist, Malcolm X, was a busboy in 1942. Today, the leading chef is Jody Adams at Rialto, best known for her signature dishes such as Pettini, (saffron-steamed clams and mussels, tomatoes, AKA Manhattan clam chowder), and Concord grape gelato, AKA grape jelly).
A couple more Boston dishes that are not to miss, Maine Potato Candy, and clam chowder, (Boston's chowder is second only to Seattle's). The place to have chowder is the Olde Union Oyster House, the nation's longest running restaurant, (served by President Obama on Air Force 1). Chowder started simply enough, milk based fish soups were big in England and France in the 1800s. A tavern named Try Pots substituted clams for fish, (New Englanders love their clams). If you ever want to start a fight among Bostonians remark, "Do you think it would be OK to put a couple spoonfuls of tomato sauce in Clam Chowder to give it a bit of a blush color"? If you think Democrats and Republicans are divisive, try tomato and chowder. In 1939 in Maine they attempted to ban tomato in chowder, but the measure did not pass.
Thrillist Boston Food guides
12 Best places for Breakfast in Boston. This list is skewed to someone with a sweet tooth.Best bacon dishes in Boston. The clam and bacon pizza at Area Four is surprisingly well done.
8 Best Korean restaurants in Boston. Want to get past Kimchi and Bulgogi? Try the Soulongtang, (Korean oxtail soup), at Seoul Soulongtang.
10 Best Italian restaurants not in the North End. Mike Poor was the first person to point out to me that the North End was getting a bit cliche. This link gives you some some alternatives.
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