New England Recipes from Lobster Rolls

A collection of classic New England recipes has been compiled. The selection draws from the region's coasts, mountains, farmland, and forests, telling a story rooted in Indigenous traditions and shaped by centuries of immigration.

New England's foodways originate with Indigenous peoples like the Abenaki, Narragansett, and Wampanoag. They cultivated beans, corn, and squash, harvested cranberries and blueberries, and tapped maple trees. Dishes like johnnycakes, succotash, and clam bakes reflect this lasting influence. English colonists later adapted these local foods, favoring baking, boiling, steaming, and stewing. These techniques shaped regional staples from baked beans to boiled dinners.

Immigration added further layers. Portuguese communities brought linguiça to southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Italian immigration profoundly influenced the food of southern New England cities. Greek Americans helped establish the region's distinctive pan-baked pizza. In New Haven, Italian Americans created the celebrated coal-fired, thin-crusted style known as apizza.

Notable Recipes and Chefs

The collection features recipes from notable New England culinary voices. These include Massachusetts native Emeril Lagasse and Best New Chefs Jamie Bissonnette, Mary Dumont, and Johanne Killeen. Their dishes celebrate local ingredients like lobster, clams, cod, cranberries, blueberries, maple syrup, cheese, and dairy.

Here are some highlighted recipes.

Two Styles of Lobster Roll

The collection features two distinct regional preparations for lobster rolls, a New England classic.

Maine-style lobster rolls, described by cookbook author Mary-Frances Heck as "knuckle sandwiches," highlight the sweet meat connecting the claws to the body. The chilled lobster is dressed with mayonnaise and served in a warm, buttered bun. Heck suggests making shell-cracking easier with a friend and a cold beer.

Connecticut-style lobster rolls take a simpler approach. Sweet lobster meat is tossed with warm butter and a splash of fresh lemon juice. Served warm in soft buns, the butter develops subtle nutty notes that complement the lobster.

Hyperlocal Favorites and Home Cooking

The region's identity is also expressed through hyperlocal items. In Maine, Moxie is the official state soft drink and wild blueberries are a prized delicacy. Massachusetts offers the North Shore's roast beef sandwiches and Fluffernutter sandwiches made with marshmallow creme from Lynn. Rhode Island is known for coffee milk and New York System hot dogs. Across New England, a bun is always split on top.

New England has played a major role in American home cooking. Amelia Simmons' American Cookery, published in Hartford, Connecticut in 1796, is recognized as the first known cookbook written by an American. A century later, Fannie Farmer's 1896 The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book brought greater precision to recipe writing. The chocolate chip cookie was born at the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts.

Other recipes in the collection include Brussels sprouts with cranberry and shallot from Connecticut-based chef Michel Nischan. Chef Johanne Killeen's grilled pizza is topped with a pile of crisp rosemary potato chips. Chef Greg Mitchell's griddled chicken from Flood's in Portland, Maine, pairs crisp-skinned chicken with buttery polenta and a white wine herb sauce.