Boston Delights

 

Boston may be best known for steamed clams, Yankee pot roast, and baked beans; but this Massachusetts Living blog article showcases its wide variety of cuisines. This piece from Paddy O'Neil details some of Boston's best food offerings and restaurants.

Clambakes

New England clam bakes are an age-old tradition dating back to Native Americans who introduced Wampanoag tribes to this practice of cooking shellfish over an open fire on sandy beaches. Nowadays, these feasts continue with popular seafood ingredients including lobster, clams, mussels, potatoes, corn and fish among many other seafood options; chicken or sausage may also be included if desired.

Labor-intensive, the clam bake process involves digging an enormous hole on the beach, filling it with rocks heated in a wood fire pit, then raking away their ash when cool before layering seafood, vegetables and corn over stones heated on an outdoor wood fire pit. Seaweed then covers everything to protect it from being scorched while providing extra flavor by being immersed in salt water creating steam that cooks everything up deliciously and adds deliciously seafood-scented flavoring.

Once the food has been steamed, it's removed from the pit oven and placed onto platters so everyone can enjoy it. Meals may include salt and pepper for seasoning purposes and sides such as salad or coleslaw are usually included as well as classic desserts like fruit pie or ice cream for dessert.

Traditional New England clambakes must take place outdoors; however, pot-style clam bakes offer another alternative, providing less expensive meals with fewer labor intensive steps - an attractive solution to enjoy this seasonal treat.

No matter if it's a pot-style or full-fledged outdoor celebration, the key to a successful seafood feast is starting with an abundance of local seafood and side dishes to complement it. Don't forget dessert -- ending your evening off right will require something sweet - perhaps your favorite ice cream flavor or an Italian cannoli to finish things off right! To prepare cannoli shells properly for frying at 360F heat oil to about 180C while simultaneously flipping each over when crispy golden brown in color.

Baked Beans

Baked beans are an enticing side dish to please all age groups. Being naturally low in fat makes baked beans an ideal choice for weight watchers as well as providing plant-based protein sources to satisfy vegetarian and vegan dietary needs. Furthermore, baked beans provide essential potassium and magnesium nutrient intake which aid proper heart and muscle function.

Baked Beans can be prepared from canned or dried navy beans, though to achieve perfect results it's essential that they're cooked correctly so they are soft and tender; one way of testing this is mashing one with your teeth to see how easily you can do so. Also important in making this classic recipe are using the appropriate ingredients. A typical version typically calls for brown sugar, dry mustard and either sorghum syrup or molasses (both beloved Southside sweeteners). When cooking from scratch you can cut back on sodium by choosing lower sodium ketchup as well as forgoing added salt when making store bought varieties.

If you're short on time, canned beans in tomato sauce might be your fastest route to tasty beans in just minutes. Or try creating your own homemade version using dry navy beans cooked slowly in a slow cooker with onions, molasses or sorghum syrup and brown sugar for an authentic homemade flavor!

Baked beans should taste delicious while being easy to prepare. Perfect for summer picnics and barbecues, baked beans also pair perfectly with many classic side dishes such as coleslaw macaroni salad cornbread and collard greens.

One serving of baked beans counts toward your five-a-day, providing essential fiber, protein, vitamin C, K and folate nutrient rich foods to your daily regime. They're an excellent low-fat source of lycopene which may reduce cancer and other diseases risks; their high concentrations of soluble fiber help decrease blood cholesterol levels while decreasing cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Cannolis

Cannoli is a decadent dessert or breakfast pastry filled with creamy ricotta cheese. Its crispy shell has subtly sweet flavors while remaining sturdy enough to support its thick filling, usually featuring a sprinkle of powdered sugar for decoration. Cannoli are especially beloved treats during the Carnivale season (particularly around Christmas time), though they can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Cannoli, a traditional Sicilian pastry, was initially developed for Carnavale, the season that precedes Lent. It's thought that cannoli first appeared during Caltanissetta's Arab-ruled harems from 827AD until 1091AD when their princes would try to impress their lovers by offering unique foods in Caltanissetta's Harem.

The dough for cannolis is created using five essential ingredients: sugar, eggs, Marsala wine vinegar and lard as the primary sources of fat in the recipe; many bakers opt for vegetable oil as an alternative source. Once formed into shapes using cannoli molds and deep-fried, they are then coated with egg white to cool.

Once shells are cool, they can be filled with the ricotta mixture and decorated with chopped nuts or chocolate chips for garnish. A piping bag may be used to apply the filling directly, although spooning works just as well. It is best to do this immediately prior to serving to ensure that it won't melt and ruin delicate shells.

When making shells it's essential to use cold butter, as this will keep the layers crispy and flaky. Furthermore, making sure your oil reaches 360F is also key, so as to not end up with underdone and soft shells or overdone and burnt shells - using a candy or deep fry thermometer is key in reaching this ideal temperature.

Making shells may seem easy at first, but practice will make perfect. If you don't own cannoli molds, wooden dowels or even an extra curtain rod can work just as effectively for rolling the dough into shape.

Corn on the Cob

At a clambake, seafood may be the centerpiece of your meal, but other sides can play just as important a role. Grilled or baked corn on the cob adds a sweet element that sets any table setting off right.

Though best enjoyed when warm, this vegetable makes an excellent addition to soups and casseroles, as well as being grated onto dishes such as pasta, pizza or bread.

Ears of corn are available throughout the year, though their prime season occurs during the summer months. Corn harvested when its endosperm is at the milk stage is softened and sweeter. Sweet corn quickly loses its sugars after picking so it should be prepared as soon as possible; options include boiling, steaming or roasting it.

One of the main difficulties of cooking corn on the cob is removing its tough and inedible husks. For maximum convenience and efficiency, the best method for doing so is using a gripper pad found on can openers or jar-openers; they are cheap, simple to use and effective - simply start at one feathered end and pull down toward the stem end until silk has been completely detached from husk and silk.

When buying corn on the cob, look for tight green husks that are neither dry nor browning. Frozen corn may also be more affordable and still deliver sweet and juicy flavor!

Corn is an ideal source of fiber, carbohydrates and vitamins A and C. According to Registered Dietitian Elyse Homan, corn also boasts a low glycemic index - meaning when eaten it won't lead to sudden spikes in blood sugar. For maximum flavor add a squeeze of lime or olive oil instead of butter for best results - garlic powder chili powder or paprika also add additional depth of flavor!