A funny thing happens when you cross from Vermont into one of our New England neighbors. Almost as soon as you cross the border, diners and restaurants advertise their seafood offerings with an enthusiasm you never see in Vermont. New Hampshire just barely has a shoreline - only 18 miles long, the shortest of any coastal state in the United States. But it counts and it's certainly more than our none. So even in the mountains far from the sea, lobster rolls and the like are practically obligatory.
Partly because of the relative prices and partly because we wanted to wait until we got to Portland to fully enjoy the ocean's bounty, we both got burgers instead. My wife got the Cog (with mushrooms and Swiss) with onion rings. I got The Notch (Swiss, bacon and caramelized onions) with fries. All were good. Medium doneness is pinker in New Hampshire than it is in Massachusetts - that's a good start. The fries and onion rings were fine, not exceptional.
It was a comforting meal on a cold winter day.
In my country, Portugal, we eat a lot of fish, cod and sardines!!! Hamburgers are a recent achievement, 30 years old!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds wonderful, especially the sardines. Portugal is firmly on our travel wish list and food and wine are major reasons why.
DeleteNew England (where I live) and the nearby Canadian Maritimes are best known for shellfish: clams, oysters, mussels, scallops and, most of all, lobster. I'm not 100% sure if I've ever eaten cod - funny because if you read the history, our region's economy was built on cod fishing.
I live on an island and seafood is our staple!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing. Interestingly, I grew up in Maryland, a state with a deep connection to the sea and especially famous for crabs. And yet, I didn't really grow to appreciate seafood until I went to college in landlocked Iowa.
DeleteThank you for sharing your cozy dining experience at Cabin Fever in Bartlett, New Hampshire! It sounds like a delightful spot, especially after a day of exploring in the snowy White Mountains. The burger options you and your wife chose sound delicious, and it's interesting to hear about the seafood offerings in New Hampshire despite its limited shoreline. Comforting meals on cold winter days are always a treat. I just shared a new post on my blog. Let me know your views about it. www.melodyjacob.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Melody. I will visit your blog shortly.
DeleteCT has lots of seafood offerings. Such an interesting observation about crossing other New England states from VT! Looks like a fun and unique restaurant in NH! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
ReplyDeleteConnecticut definitely has a robust coastal culture.
DeleteI'd love to spend more time there.
Cabin Fever is definitely fun. I'm not sure about unique. I feel like every northern New England town above a certain population has a place like Cabin Fever. That said, I think it would be interesting to learn more about snowmobiling culture, particularly regarding the hotels, restaurants and other businesses which cater to it. I don't have much interest in snowmobiles myself - only marginally less terrifying than motorcycles. But I do understand the appeal for others. And I certainly feel for the enthusiasts in a mild winter.