Christmas in Connecticut

This year, P and I, and his brother S went to my parents' homes in Connecticut for Christmas. (No, that doesn't mean my parents are wildly wealthy and own several homes - they're divorced.) As usual, the trip South was a fun trip - and with someone in tow who had never visited New England, exposing him to traditional New England food was a must. 

First official New England food spot: Legal Seafoods in Boston, Massachusetts. Chain restaurant, yes, but it was near the Museum of Fine Arts, and they serve excellent chowder and fried clams. There are few things more delicious than plump clam bellies lightly breaded and deep fried, so that they pop a little with hot clam juice in your mouth. I find them so delicious, in fact, that I had a clam roll (the same deep fried clam bellies, but served in a hot dog bun that is - if properly done - buttered and toasted) at Serio's in Pascoag, Rhode Island on a trip to visit my grandmother. 

Next: Pepe's Pizza. A Connecticut institution, and the home of American thin-crust, brick oven pizza. Also the home of the white clam pizza (yes, clams again) - fresh shelled clams, garlic, and olive oil on the perfect crisp crust. The original location is in New Haven, CT, but they've branched out into Fairfield and Manchester, and are at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, CT, and to Yonkers, NY. We visited the Fairfield location, since my mom lives right near there - the pizza is as good as at the original New Haven location, and worth a stop if you're in Connecticut!

There were other American experiences - Dinosaur Bar B Que in Syracuse, NY; Tastykake (seriously the best packaged baked good anywhere); and not a single Christmas turkey - American Thanksgiving is too close to Christmas to want that again. By no means was this an exhaustive food tour of New England, though, or even Connecticut...but there are many more repeat visits home to be made.