Traditional Maine food? (home, move, dinner)

[K-Luv]

What is considered to be traditional food around Maine? I am aware of fried clam dinners and lobster dinners and Dunkin' Donuts , but there has to be something more then that? A bean supper? What kind of foods did your mom or dad cook when you were a child.

[AlisonL]

Clam bakes, lobster stew, scallop stew, fish chowder, baked beans and brown bread, new england boiled dinner, venison.

[BacktoNE]

Clam chowder
Whoopie pies
Good doughnuts (not Dunkin')


I remember seeing lots of signs for "bean hole suppers" but never had any idea what that was. Nothing we ever went to 'cuz I don't do beans.

[RMoore007]

Dynamites, shrimp wiggle, egg gravy, corn chowder, fluffernutters, oyster stew to name a few.

[AlisonL]

I can't believe I forgot the all important food.....Maine Blueberries! Pies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, ect. Oh and maple syrup.
I am sure have forgotten others.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by AlisonL

Clam bakes, lobster stew, scallop stew, fish chowder, baked beans and brown bread, new england boiled dinner, venison.

What is brown bread and the New England boiled dinner?

[starwalker]

I have never been to a beanhole supper but I have made beanhole beans! and out west, to boot! LOL About.com has this recipe and explanation of Maine beanhole beans; my recipe was similar... basically it's just a baked bean recipe, cooked as (or along with in my case) a pit BBQ.

I didn't have a cast iron pot that I could use (I DO now!) so mine were just made in a spatterware kettle; I used bailing wire to secure the lid, so that I did not have to worry about earth getting in at any point. Didn't need the extra fiber.

Originally Posted by BacktoNE

Clam chowder
Whoopie pies
Good doughnuts (not Dunkin')


I remember seeing lots of signs for "bean hole suppers" but never had any idea what that was. Nothing we ever went to 'cuz I don't do beans.

[kellysmith]

Grandparents always had to have at least one feed of dandelions but I find them gross! Too bitter!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

What is brown bread and the New England boiled dinner?

Brown bread is a kind of heavy cake-like bread made with molasses. It's semi sweet though not as sweet as a cake. B&M The Baked Bean people make it and it comes in a can. They actually put the dough in the can,seal it and then steam the cans to "bake" the bread. It's good warm with a little butter on it. I'm sure there are home made recipies for it though I've never run into any.
A New England boiled dinner is very much like an Irish corned beef and cabbage dinner. You boil(simmer) the beef brisket in enough water to cover it with a couple of cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, some whole peppercorns, a little dry mustard,a dash of worcestershire sauce and I like do add a dark beer like a stout or a porter to the pot.It takes 2-4 hours for the meat to cook to fork tender. Then you remove the meat and cook the veggies. Where the NE boiled dinner differs from the corned beef and cabbage is in the number of good root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes and onions you add. Then in the last ten to 15 minutes you lay quartered cabbage on top of the other stuff to steam. When it's all done you set the meat back in on top for a few munutes to heat through again before serving. Traditional corned beef and cabbage just has the cabbage. It's easy and very good! You just have to time the entry of each veggie right so you don't end up with a pot full of mush!

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

What is brown bread and the New England boiled dinner?

Just googled; the boiled dinner is just like an Irish boiled dinner, but brown bread still remains a mystery.