Behold the Hot Wiener, Rhode Island’s All-American Classic

 

Don’t you dare call this Providence staple a hot dog.

By

Brian Yaeger (and photos)

Joey Chestnut will attempt to eat 77 mustardless, water-drenched hot dogs this Independence Day, but for the truly patriotic, nothing beats heading to one of the 13 original colonies, Rhode Island, for a few well-appointed hot wieners.

You’d think the name alone would make these meaty morsels a nationally renowned dish, but hot wieners remain the realm of Providence. Don’t you dare call them hot dogs or chili dogs, especially not to Greg Stevens’s face.

Stevens is the great-grandson of Anthony Stevens, who with his son Nicholas founded New York Systems in 1946 (now officially named Olneyville New York Systems) after moving to Providence from New York City. The iconic fourth-generation eatery—which received the James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award—is actually the second-oldest of the Providence-based “New York Systems” restaurants, but is probably the city’s best-known, even ahead of Baba’s Original New York Systems, established in 1927. It’s a staple for locals and a destination for visitors, but remains largely off the radar of everyone who doesn’t live in, or find themselves in, the nation’s smallest state.

What is a Rhode Island hot wiener?

A wiener is a blend of beef, pork, and veal in natural casing. Visually, the only distinction you’d observe between these wieners and a hot dog is that the wiener is sliced from an even longer, cylindrical, carnal rope with a sheer terminus rather than its own individual tube with rounded ends. Picture a flat circle versus a tapered, semi-sphere at each end. But what really makes it distinctly Rhode Islandish is ordering one “all the way.”

“All the way” means the wiener comes dressed with diced yellow onions, yellow mustard, celery salt (like they use in Chicago), and the real pièce de resistance is the special meat sauce simmered for two and a half hours before being ladled on top. Not chili. Not Bolognese. The unfortunately named “wiener sauce.” A thin ground-beef condiment that, at Olneyville, Stevens personally blends himself with five spices he does not divulge.

“If I get hit by a bus today, we have to close, because I’m the only one who knows how to make it,” Stevens says.

Here’s one-fifth of a hint: it’s got chili powder in it. And Olneyville goes through so much that Stevens buys the chili powder alone in 500-pound increments. The only other Stevens at this Rhode Island landmark is Greg’s sister, Stephanie, but even she allegedly doesn’t know the recipe.

There used to be multiple “New York Systems” as a result of Greek families moving out of New York City and up to Providence. This was the Stevens family path, beginning when Anthony Stevens emigrated in the 1920s, two decades before transplanting to Rhode Island. There’s a Zee’s Wiener System in Austin, Texas that bills itself as “Rhode Island hot wieners” and rightly took it as an affront when, earlier this year, Austin Monthly named it the foodie city’s best “hot dog.”

As for why “Systems” stuck, that’s a little less clear. (According to Greg Stevens’s Uncle Ernie, “No one gives a…”) It’s believed to be the Greek immigrants’ homage to the first American city that took them all in, having initially arrived at Ellis Island among millions of other new arrivals.

Everyone needs a reasonably priced meal to feed their families, and Stevens says that the price of a hot wiener had always been in sync with the cost of gas (pointing out that in 1975, gas was half a buck while a wiener was 35 cents). But while we’re all grousing about gas topping $5 per gallon in 2022, a hot wiener’s currently selling for only $2.99 (if you’re really cash-strapped, a lettuce and tomato sandwich runs $1.20), making it seem as vintage as the yellow and orange formica tables at Olneyville that date back to 1954.

Olneyville New York Systems is open 24 hours a day and does brisk business around 3 a.m. when the bars close. The dive doesn’t serve any alcohol, but customers are allowed to BYO.

That said, perhaps the ideal way to wash down this Rhode Island delicacy is with the official Rhode Island state drink, coffee milk (think chocolate milk but with coffee syrup, which is readily available in every grocery store statewide). And a few wieners are best accompanied by a large plate of fries, especially when ordered as “beef stew.” As the quotes indicate, there’s no actual stew, nor does it contain a scrap of beef. It’s a plate of French fries pre-loaded with ketchup, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper, ordered more as a verb: “I’d also like some fries and can you beef stew that?”

Somewhat ironically, the wiener jockeys are more than happy to put ketchup on your fries, but they just might show you the door if you request any ketchup on your hot wieners.

Grapenut Pudding

A New England diner favorite, grapenut pudding is a classic sweet treat. Top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for the best results.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup Grapenuts cereal
• Scant 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 quart milk, scalded
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Pinch of cinnamon or cardamom or both
• Nutmeg
• Dash of salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour scalded milk over cereal and let sit 5 minutes.

Beat eggs, sugar, salt, cinnamon or cardamon and vanilla. Add to milk and Grapenuts.

Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle very generously with nutmeg.

Set in a pan of hot water and bake until a knife inserted 1 inch from the center comes out clean which is usually 45 minutes or longer.

5 Reasons Why the Lobster Dinner Is Better Than the Lobster Roll

Seafood expert Mike Urban firmly believes that eating a whole lobster dinner beats a lobster roll any day of the week. Here’s why.

Mike Urban

I’ve been on the New England seafood trail intensively for the past seven summers, and I’ve had more wonderful gustatory experiences than anyone can reasonably expect in a lifetime. It recently occurred to me that with the continuing surge in popularity of lobster rolls, the experience of devouring a whole boiled or steamed lobster in its shell is being eclipsed and often overlooked. This is not as it should be. I firmly believe that eating a whole lobster dinner beats a lobster roll any day of the week. Want to know why? Read on.

Whole lobsters are fresher than lobster rolls.

A boiled or steamed lobster is as fresh as lobster gets. The trip from pot to plate usually takes a matter of minutes, allowing very little time for the lobster meat to age. By contrast, the meat in your lobster roll may be “fresh-picked,” but chances are it’s been out of the shell (which had sealed in its flavor) for hours and perhaps days.

It’s more fun to eat a whole lobster.

Dismantling a whole lobster and extracting the sweet, salty meat can be a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun — if you are persistent and have the right attitude. You need to square off against your crimson foe, remove and crack the claws, wrestle out the tail meat, extract the knuckle meat with your pinky or a poker, coax out sweet bits of lobster from the legs using your teeth, and nibble on the tomalley, roe, and any other innards that may appeal to you. It’s messy, but with a bib, claw crackers, a poker, and plenty of napkins, you’re in for a great feast with family and friends.

There’s no bun.

Much as I like buttered, toasted, split-top New England buns, let’s face it: The bread gets in the way. Lobster is meant to be gorged upon, not nibbled around the edges, as is the case with a neatly packaged lobster roll. Roll up your sleeves and dig in for the entire whole-lobster experience!

The side dishes are better.

A lobster roll typically comes with a bag of chips, perhaps a pickle, and not much else. With a whole lobster, corn on the cob, salt potatoes, chowder, steamers, and coleslaw are de rigueur — all part of the lobster dinner experience.

The butter is the bomb.

Dipping big chunks of steaming hot lobster meat into small plastic containers of warm, melted butter (which often runs down your chin) is a transcendent experience.

All this is not to say that I don’t enjoy a good lobster roll. I’ve had hundreds of them, and nearly every one has put a smile on my face. But what really sends me into orbit is a freshly cooked, bright red lobster with all the trimmings in a sunny New England seaside spot in the middle of summer. Viva the lobster dinner!

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Returning to the garden to remake a favorite family recipe for strawberry rhubarb coffee cake.

Yankee Magazine

Made with buttermilk, brown sugar, and fresh fruit, this strawberry rhubarb coffee cake recipe is an early summer family favorite.

Note: You can find freeze-dried strawberries in the dried fruit or natural foods aisle of your grocery store. If they are unavailable, you can substitute regular strawberries, sliced lengthwise.

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Hands-On Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

For the topping:

Ingredients

•           2/3 cup granulated sugar

•           1 3/4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 330° and set a rack to the middle position. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and butter until crumbly. Set aside.

For the cake:

Ingredients

•           Butter for the pan

•           1 cup buttermilk

•           1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

•           1 large egg

•           1 teaspoon vanilla extract

•           2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan

•           2/3 cup vegetable oil

•           3/4 teaspoon table salt

•           1 teaspoon baking soda

•           1 teaspoon baking powder

•           1 1/3 cups rhubarb (1/2-inch slices), from 3–4 stalks, depending on size

•           3/4 cup chopped strawberries

•           Strawberry slices (either fresh or, for extra crunch, freeze-dried), for garnish

Instructions

Make the cake: In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the flour, oil, and salt; mix on low until crumbly (scraping down the sides of the bowl once). Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium until smooth. Add the baking soda and baking powder, and beat for several seconds. Fold in the rhubarb and strawberries by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and sprinkle evenly with the sugar topping.

Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Just before serving, arrange the strawberry slices in a circle on top, with a few in the center. Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Crispy Homemade Clam Cakes

These homemade clam cakes are light, crisp, stuffed with clams, and never greasy. The perfect clam cake recipe!

Amy Traverso •

For many of us, it just isn’t summer without a batch of clam cakes fresh from the fryer. We love this recipe because it turns out terrifically crisp homemade clam cakes that are fluffy and stuffed with clams, but not greasy. The trick is using mostly baking soda as the leavening, which is activated by the lemon juice in the recipe.

Total Time: 50 minutes

Hands-On Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 30 clam cakes

Ingredients

•           Vegetable oil for frying

•           2 cups chopped clams, with juices

•           1/2 cup milk

•           1 large egg, beaten

•           2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

•           2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

•           1 tablespoon baking soda

•           1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

•           1/4 teaspoon baking powder

•           1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

•           2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil to a depth of 3 inches. Bring oil to 375° (or as close as you can).

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the clams with their juices, milk, egg and butter.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Add the clam mixture to the dry ingredients along with the lemon juice and stir just until combined (do not overmix).

Drop batter into the oil by the heaping tablespoon (we use a medium cookie dough scoop). Work in batches so as not to crowd the pan, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain the temperature.

Fry until clam cakes are nicely browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to cool. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm, with lemon wedges on the side.

How to Make Rhode Island Jonnycakes

A Rhode Island classic, jonnycakes (or johnnycakes) are thick or thin cornmeal pancakes depending on what part of the Ocean State you're in.

Aimee Tucker

In 2010 Yankee celebrated its 75th anniversary with a special issue that included “How New England Are You?” (a roundup of 75 New England “musts” compiled by senior editor Ian Aldrich), and one thing on the list was what Ian referred to as “Debate the Cakes.” I’ll share it in his words here:

Rhode Islanders have come to blows over jonnycakes for any number of reasons–over how they originated (Indians vs. settlers), over how to spell the name (journey-cake vs. Johnny cake vs. Jonny cake vs. johnnycake vs. jonnycake), over which kind of corn to grind for jonnycake meal (whitecap flint vs. white dent), and even over how to grind that corn (hot and round vs. flat and cool). Of course the most heated arguments occur over the “correct” way to make them: Debates about the merits of South County (West Bay)-style (thick, made with boiling water) vs. Newport County (East Bay)-style (thin, made with cold milk) have even reached the Rhode Island legislature. It’s enough to work up a healthy appetite.

Suffice it to say this is a dish nobody can entirely agree on, even in Rhode Island, so as a New Hampshire and Massachusetts girl, I knew I would need to at least head south to learn more. I had put together a list of stone-ground cornmeal resources in New England for a recent story on northern cornbread (“Cornbread Love“), so I knew which grist mill I most wanted to visit — the Samuel E. Perry Grist Mill (formerly Carpenter’s Grist Mill) in Perryville (part of South Kingstown), Rhode Island. It’s the only working water-powered mill left in the state, and has been in continuous operation since it was built in 1703.

So on a recent visit to nearby Westerly, Rhode Island, I took a detour on the way home to check it out.

They weren’t grinding on the day I was in town, but the charming little red mill was worth a look, and a fine example of the kind of architectural scenery we love so much in New England.

Nearby in Wakefield (another village in South Kingstown) mill operators Bob and Diane Smith welcomed me into their home for a hands-on South County Rhode Island jonnycakes demonstration. The couple have been manning the Perry mill and managing orders since the mid-1980’s, and are rightly proud of their small-batch operation — the only one in the state to use all Rhode Island grown and ground corn, so the only one allowed to label it “jonnycake” without the “h” according to Rhode Island law. What a treat for me to learn from the pros!

Remember, in the great thick vs. thin debate, South County, where the Perry mill is located, favors a thicker jonnycake made by pouring boiling water over a blend of cornmeal (or “jonnycake meal”), sugar, and salt. A little milk thins the batter to your desired consistency, and then, it’s time for the hot griddle.

Diane says the batter should be sturdy but thin enough to easily slip off a spoon (think buttery mashed potatoes), and the griddle should be hot with an even coating of bacon grease or corn oil. Like all good cooks, she advises you to trust your eye and instinct to tell you when the consistency is just right.

After 5 or 6 minutes, the jonnycake bottoms are crisp and brown. Give them a flip and let the other side catch up.

Hot and crisp with a slightly chewy center, the jonnycakes tasted better than I expected. Slightly nutty and with a pleasantly coarse texture, the flavor was pure and good, enhanced, but not overpowered by a good spread of butter. “Never maple syrup!” they both tell me, although a little creamed cod or chipped beef on top is alright for lunch or dinner. It’s true that just because something looks like a little pancake doesn’t mean it should be eaten like one. After eating a few jonnycakes apiece, Bob and Diane sent me on my way with a bag of their Rhode Island Johnnycake Meal (made from 100% Rhode Island Flint Corn) and a promise to call the next time they know the mill will be grinding so I can see it in action.

And sure enough, I’ve made another batch of jonnycakes at home since then, trying to get them just like Diane’s. The nutty cornmeal taste is oddly addictive. Try some Rhode Island jonnycakes for yourself and see if you don’t agree.

75 Classic New England Foods

From American Chop Suey to Yankee Pot Roast, this A-Z list of 75 classic New England foods is Yankee-approved.

Aimee Tucker

75 Classic New England Foods

75 CLASSIC NEW ENGLAND FOODS

American Chop Suey

It’s a comfort food dish with many names, but here in New England, a concoction of noodles, seasoned beef, and tomato-y goodness nearly always goes by one name and one name alone – American Chop Suey.

Anadama Bread

Maybe the most New England of breads, and popular for good reason – sweetened with molasses, Anadama is terrific for toast and sandwiches.

Apple Cider

Not to be confused with hard apple cider, which contains alcohol, “regular” apple cider is bold, raw apple juice that hasn’t been filtered to remove the pulpy bits (once filtered, it’s juice). They love it so much in New Hampshire they made it the official state beverage.

Apple Pie with Cheddar

Fall is for apples, and apples are for deep-dish pie baked in a buttery, golden crust. Don’t forget the wedge of sharp cheddar on the side!

Autocrat Coffee Syrup/Coffee Milk

What do you get when you add Autocrat coffee syrup to ice cold milk? In Rhode Island, you get the official state drink – coffee milk.

B&M Brown Bread

In New England, one of the most popular varieties of brown bread is made by B&M in Portland, Maine, and it’s sold in a can.

Baked Bean Sandwich

What do you do with leftover Saturday night baked beans? Put them (cold, of course) between two slices of thick white sandwich bread and call them Sunday lunch.

Baked Beans | Classic New England Foods

Seasoned and simmered to perfection, there’s a reason baked beans are a New England classic. Can you envision a potluck, ham supper, or summer cookout in New England without them? We won’t even try!

Blueberry Muffins

Anyone who has spent a summer in New England knows what a delightful flavor fresh blueberries can be. One favorite way to enjoy them is in a batch of homemade muffins…

Blueberry Pie

Another (even more popular) blueberry dish is a traditional pie made with wild Maine blueberries. They don’t call it the official state dessert for nothing.

Boiled Dinner

You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this New England staple made (mostly) with corned beef and cabbage, but it doesn’t hurt. Neither does a pint of frosty green beer.

Boiled Lobster

It’s hard to explain how something so simple could also be a regional culinary icon, but boiled (or steamed) lobster is it. Served with melted butter, a sturdy set of crackers, and sometimes (for tourists and messy eaters) a bib, the lobster dinner is a New England dining experience that’s not to be missed. In a 2015 web poll, our readers voted this #1 of all the classic New England foods.

Boston Cream Pie

The original “pie in cake’s clothing,” this beloved combination of golden sponge cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache is so popular in New England you can even find it in doughnut form.

Brown Bread

Steamed brown bread made with molasses, cornmeal, and rye flour is an old-fashioned favorite, especially alongside a plate of baked beans.

Cabot Cheddar 

Another New England-born favorite whose fame has spread. Cabot Creamery, now owned by 1,200 farm families, got its start in the northeast corner of Vermont back in the early 20th century. Pass the cheese, please!

Cape Cod Chips

Kettle-cooked and extra crunchy, Cape Cod potato chips have been a Cape Cod (and beyond) favorite since 1980. Did you know their logo is a woodcut of Nauset Light in Eastham, MA?

Chop Suey Sandwich

The Chop Suey sandwich, or Chow Mein sandwich, is a bit of a head-scratcher (it’s exactly what it sounds like — chop suey noodles ladled onto a hamburger bun — and just as messy), but it’s shown up on menus in Rhode Island and the Fall River area of Massachusetts since the 1930s.

Cider Doughnuts | Classic New England Foods

It’s a cider maker’s tradition to use some of the freshly pressed juice to make lightly tangy, apple-scented doughnuts, and no trip to the apple orchard is complete without one (or several) of these fall favorites.

Clam Cakes

A favorite in Rhode Island, clam cakes (or fritters) are kind of like clam doughnuts – a deep-fried batter containing chunks of chopped clam. In 1947, we suggested they be served as part of an Easter menu, but really, they’d be perfect anytime.

Clam Chowdah

It doesn’t get much more New England than this. A warm bowl filled with fresh clams, butter, milk or cream, potatoes, maybe some onions or celery, common crackers to thicken it up… is anyone else suddenly feeling hungry? Fish chowder is pretty good, too.

Clear-Broth Clam Chowdah

A popular chowder choice in Rhode Island, clear-broth chowder favors clam broth over cream, but still packs plenty of clams, potatoes, and fresh aromatics.

Coffee Ice Cream

We love the deep flavor of coffee here in New England, and that includes ice cream. Chocolate chips or crushed Oreo cookies are optional, but encouraged.

Cold lobster roll with mayo (from Bob Lobster in Newbury, MA) | Classic New England Foods

Cold Lobster Roll with Mayo

More common in northern New England, this roll typically comes in a buttered and toasted top-split New England hot dog roll, but the lobster meat is cold and lightly dressed with mayonnaise. Variations include a bed of shredded lettuce, diced celery, and dusting of paprika.

Common Crackers

Hearty and crunchy, yet subtle in flavor, the common cracker is a true Yankee workhorse. The original way to thicken your chowda.

Connecticut Shad

Each spring, American shad make their way up the Connecticut River to spawn. Named the state fish of Connecticut in 2003, the locally-famous shad is notably celebrated each spring at the Essex Shad Bake.

Corn Chowdah

A lot like clam chowder, but with corn (preferably fresh in the summer). Particularly beloved by Yankee vegetarians.

Crab Cakes

We know crab cakes are most often associated with the mid-Atlantic coast, but we’ve got ’em up here too, and many (especially the Maine peekytoe) taste just as great.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Even if we secretly love the stuff in the can (Ocean Spray, if you please), most New Englanders have a recipe or two for homemade cranberry sauce for the Thanksgiving table.

Del’s Lemonade

Frozen lemonade never tasted so good – a true Rhode Island classic.

Dunkin’ Donuts

Maybe it’s the daily large regular or the old-fashioned cake doughnut to dip into it. Then again, it could be the hundreds of munchkins consumed throughout the average childhood or the iced coffees we clutch in our adult gloved hands in February. America might run on Dunkin’, but New England got there first, and our love runs a deep orange-pink.

Fenway Franks

The culinary icon of New England baseball got a fresh start in 2009, and now, thanks in part to a bold, new recipe, Fenway Franks are more popular than ever.

Fluffernutter

Flip open a few lunchboxes in a New England elementary school cafeteria, and I suspect at least one of them will contain a Fluffernutter sandwich – a heavenly, sweet combination of white bread, peanut butter, and marshmallow Fluff. They’re good grilled, too. Either way, you’re going to need that glass of milk…

Franks & Beans

The quintessential Saturday night tradition is still a classic. Take warm baked beans, then add hot dogs. Brown bread is good, too. This is Yankee comfort food at its finest.

Frappe/Cabinet

When is a milkshake not called a milkshake? In New England, of course, where it’s a frappe (or a cabinet, if you’re from Rhode Island).

Fried Clams (bellies on the left, strips on the right) from The Clam Shack in Falmouth, MA on Cape Cod

“Go belly or go home!” is the cry of the passionate fried clam belly fan. A summertime favorite made with whole-belly soft-shell clams, lightly battered and deep-fried to sweet, golden perfection. Often served at seaside shacks with a side of tartar sauce.

Fried Clam Strips

Fried clam purists turn up their nose at strips (contrary to popular belief, they aren’t rubber bands, just cuts of larger surf clams without the bellies) but strip fans say they prefer the chewy strip to the sometimes sandy belly. You can thank Howard Johnson’s either way.

Grapenut Pudding

What do you get when you add nutty Grape-Nuts cereal to a classic custard recipe? The New England comfort food diner favorite, Grapenut Pudding. We like the cereal in ice cream, too.

Harvard Beets | Classic New England Foods

The origins of the name are a little murky, but if you like your beets a little bit sugar-sweet and a little bit vinegar-sour, flavored with a hint of cloves and smoothed with a little butter, then you’re already a fan of Harvard Beets.

Hermits

With spicy molasses flavor and chock full of raisins, hermits were a popular seafaring New England cookie, noted for their ability to last on long voyages. Not as common today as peanut butter or chocolate chip, but we still love them!

Hood Golden EggNog

It’s just not Christmas until the first cartons of Hood Golden EggNog appear on store shelves. The recipe’s been a secret for more than 50 years, but as long as Hood continues to churn out batches of creamy, spicy, egg-y goodness, we don’t mind being kept in the dark.

Hoodsie Cups

The saving grace of those who can’t decide between chocolate or vanilla ice cream since 1947. Just add the flat wooden spoon and dig in.

Hot Lobster Roll with Butter

More common in southern New England, where it is served in a buttered and toasted top-split New England hot dog roll, with the lobster meat warm and tossed with butter. Variations sometimes include sherry butter, or a round roll.

Humpty Dumpty Chips

A Maine potato chip favorite with a memorable cartoon mascot. Popular flavors include “Sour Cream & Clam” and “All Dressed,” a flavor that combines barbecue sauce, ketchup, and salt & vinegar.

Indian Pudding 

Warm and fragrant with molasses, Indian pudding is a traditional cornmeal-based New England pudding. Topped with melty vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, it’s an old-fashioned bowl of heaven.

Jimmies

Sure, you can find sprinkles on ice cream nationwide, but only here in New England do we call them jimmies. Credit for their creation is claimed by Brigham’s, a Boston-area ice cream company that got its start back in 1914.

Joe Froggers

200-year-old New England cookie royalty, Joe Froggers are large, molasses-infused cookies (originally frog-sized) that date back to colonial times.

Jonnycakes

Made from 100% Rhode Island Flint Corn (spelled johnnycakes if they’re not), these cornmeal “cakes” are thick or thin depending on what part of the Ocean State you’re in.

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

The Boston-based department store may be long gone, but the recipe for sweet and sugary Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins remains a New England favorite.

Louis’ Lunch Hamburger

Long credited as the birthplace of the “hamburger sandwich,” Louis’ Lunch in downtown New Haven, Connecticut draws hamburger-lovers near and far with their take on the all-American classic — a ground-steak patty between two slices of toast. Condiments are forbidden, so don’t ask.

Maple Candy

Prized for its crumbly-meets-creamy texture and deep maple flavor, maple candy is made when the sap is heated beyond the syrup stage to the crystalline stage, where it’s then whipped and poured into decorative molds to harden. Hold on to your cavities!

Maple Creemee Sign in Vermont

In Vermont, maple-flavored soft serve ice cream isn’t ice cream, it’s a creemee (or creamie), and it’s delicious. Local lore has it that the more e’s in the word creemie (or creemee), the better the soft-serve ice cream is.

Maple Syrup

New England’s own “liquid gold,” maple syrup is what’s left when maple sap is heated until the water evaporates, leaving a concentrated (delicious) syrup behind. One taste and you’ll forget all about Mrs. Butterworth’s, if you ever knew her at all.

Maple Walnut Ice Cream

More maple? Why not! Another popular New England ice cream flavor, maple walnut is maple-flavored and studded with chunky walnuts.

Moxie

We think Maine’s favorite soda tastes like a subtle, not-too-sweet blend of wintergreen and licorice, but others…well…they toss around words like medicine, motor oil, and “root beer that’s gone really funky.” A true carbonated Maine classic since 1884.

Necco Wafers

Love ’em or hate ’em, Necco wafers are New England candy classics. Made here since 1847, the powdery sugar wafers also come in chocolate and tropical flavors. We love the Sweethearts come Valentine’s Day, too.

Needhams Potato Candy

Mainers love potatoes so much that they even found a way to mash them up with coconut and dip them in chocolate. Eat one needham and love them for life.

New Haven Pizza (this one is from Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana)

For many, no visit to New Haven is complete without a stop at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally’s Apizza, or both! Sometimes, New Haven coal-fired pizza (known locally as apizza) is the reason for the whole trip.

Parker House Rolls

The signature buttery dinner roll recipe at the Parker House Hotel. Famous fans included Charles Dickens, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and most of the Kennedy clan.

Pumpkin Pie

The first Thanksgiving took place here in New England, so it’s only right that we hold a more recent Thanksgiving tradition – the pumpkin pie – in such high regard. We’re also partial to One-Pie brand.

Quahogs

Ever ask, “What’s the official state mollusk of Rhode Island?” It’s the quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria). These hard-shelled clams are most prevalent between Cape Cod and New Jersey, but they especially love Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. Ever wonder, “How do you pronounce that?” Around here, it’s “ko-hog.”

Red Flannel Hash

What do you get when you swap out some of the potatoes in a batch of corned beef hash with beets? The result has flannel-esque patches of red, so we call it Red Flannel Hash. Crack in a few eggs and call it Sunday breakfast.

Red Snapper Hot Dogs

Known for their neon red color and natural casing “snap,” Maine’s Red Snapper hot dogs are a backyard barbecue and camp grill favorite.

Rhubarb Pie

New Englanders know the sweetest rewards for surviving a long winter are the first fruits of spring. Rhubarb, along with its pal the strawberry, is one of the most anticipated, and nowhere does its tart flavor shine brighter than baked into a tasty pie.

Salmon and Peas

An old-school New England 4th of July favorite, the classic combination of salmon and peas has more to do with the calendar than anything else. The late-June ripening of peas and the annual summer migration of salmon made this dish an inevitable July mainstay.

Salt Cod

A staple in frugal Yankee kitchens (well, it used to be), salt cod is cod that has been dried and salted. Before eating, it’s soaked in water and re-hydrated. Popular dishes using salt cod include “Cape Cod turkey” and codfish balls.

Sky Bar

Why settle for one flavor when you can get four? A classic “made in New England” candy bar, Sky Bar has four chocolate squares with different fillings – caramel, vanilla, peanut, and fudge.

Steamers | Classic New England Foods

Signs of summer in New England include watching the Red Sox, battling black flies, and sitting down to a heaping tray of steamed clams (known as “steamers”), served with bowls of broth and butter for swishing and dipping.

Stuffies

Stuffed quahogs, a.k.a. “stuffies,” are Rhode Island’s favorite term for a delectable mixture of breadcrumbs, diced clams, and spices baked on the half-shell.

Succotash

A culinary combination of corn and beans, succotash was one of the first foods that the Native Americans of coastal New England shared with the Plymouth settlers.

Tollhouse Cookies

Today it’s the most popular cookie in America, but the very first chocolate chip cookie was invented right here in New England by Ruth Wakefield at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts back in the 1930s.

Top-Split Hot Dog Rolls | Classic New England Foods

With a toasted, buttery outside and a soft inside, flat-bottomed, top-loading New England style hot dog rolls are arguably some of the best buns in the world.

Tourtiere (Pork Pie)

Tourtiere is a savory French-Canadian meat pie. It’s thought that Quebec immigrants moving south introduced the recipe to New England, where it remains a holiday favorite.

Whoopie Pies | Classic New England Foods

Two hamburger-sized rounds of soft, domed chocolate cookies (nearly cakes in texture) sandwiching an inch or more of pillow-y vanilla filling has made the whoopie pie one of the all-time favorite classic New England desserts, and the official “state treat” of Maine.

Yankee Pot Roast

Whether the “Yankee” in Yankee pot roast is a nod to the dish’s American regional origins or (as some suggest) a joke about New England fru¬gality, a good Yankee pot roast embodies the traditions of simplicity and patience rewarded.