Iconic New England Local Foods

Lobsters

Ask anyone about life in New England and most likely, the conversation will include local foods. From Maine lobsters to Vermont maple syrup, each state has its own list of iconic local foods.

Maine

Maine is most of all, famous for its lobsters. Maine is the number one producer of wild caught lobsters in the U.S. Maine is also known for its bay scallops, sea scallops, mussels, oysters, fish, and other delicacies.

In addition to its seafood, Maine is known for its wild blueberries which are made into pies, jams, and other foods. Not to be forgotten are Maine potatoes and other cool climate vegetables.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts has a wealth of foods. Like Maine, Massachusetts is known for its seafood. American lobsters are abundant although not comparable to Maine. A lesser known crustacean, the Jonah crab is caught together with lobsters. From the Atlantic, fishermen harvest Atlantic sea scallops, sea clams, fish, and other foods.

Vermont

Vermont is the nation's number one producer of maple syrup. Vermont is famous for its sugar maples, the source of high quality syrup. In addition maple syrup, Vermont producers offer a variety of local foods including cheese, honey, and others.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire's most valuable agricultural product is maple syrup. New Hampshire farms also produce milk and other products. Along the coast, fishermen land a variety of seafood while aquaculturists produce oysters, clams, and other foods.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island is another state that is known for its abundant seafood. Quahog clams are the state shellfish. Squid is one of the state's most valuable fisheries.

Connecticut

Connecticut is one of several New England states with vinticulture. Connecticut's Wine Trail includes over 40 vineyards and wineries. Connecticut farms also produce beef, poultry, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, honey, and other foods.

UMass Boston Senior Economic Security Research

Massachusetts leads the nation with the highest level of elder economic insecurity for older adults living alone, according to a recent UMass Boston study.

The research suggests that economic insecurity is a problem throughout New England and in much of the U.S. Massachusetts,Vermont Maine, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire were among the 10 states with high rates of economic insecurity.

Seven of the top 10 states in that economic insecurity category, including New York and New Jersey, were located in the Northeast.

Researchers tracking the economic security of America’s older adults have found that half who live alone and nearly a quarter of those living in two-person households where both are age 65 or older are unable to afford basic necessities without extra assistance.

The 2019 Elder Index^TM and a companion report, Insecurity in the States 2019, calculates the elder economic “insecurity rate” both nationally and on a state-by-state basis.

The new index data and report were produced by the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston’s McCormack Graduate School.

The index estimates the cost to adults age 65 and older for basics such as food, housing, health care and transportation in every county in the United States. Researchers match income data with the index results to determine state and national rates of elder economic insecurity.

On average across the country, 18.2 percent of older adults living alone have income below the Federal Poverty Level. Another 32.1 percent live “in the gap,” with income that exceeds the poverty line but falls short of covering their actual cost of living.

Key findings in the Insecurity in the States 2019 report include:

• National averages suggest 50 percent of older adults living alone and 23 percent of elder couples have annual incomes below the Elder Index.


• Nationwide, 32 percent of single elders and 18 percent of elder couples fall into the gap between the Federal Poverty Level and the income required for realistic economic security.


• At least 40 percent of adults age 65 or older in every state are at risk of being unable to afford basic needs and age in their own homes.


• More than half of older adults living below the Elder Index rely on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their incomes.

The elder index calculated a realistic national average annual cost of living of $25,416 for renting elder singles and $36,204 for older couples who rent. The 2019 federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states are $12,490 per year for singles and $16,910 annually for couples.

Looking to individual states, the percentage of single older adults living below Federal Poverty Level ranged from 12.8 percent in New Hampshire to 25.8 percent in Mississippi.

The percentage of older adults living alone “in the gap” ranged from 41.1 percent in Nevada to 61.1 percent in Massachusetts.

Complete state rankings and other details are available in the Insecurity in the States 2019 report.

The Elder Index is a free online resource available for anyone to look up customized information about the cost of elder living in any county, state or the country. Its redesigned website can be found at a new location, www.elderindex.org.

The Gerontology Institute conducts research and policy analysis in the field of aging, and offers lifelong learning and pension protection services to older adults. The institute’s priorities include income security, long-term service and supports, healthy aging, age-friendly communities and social and demographic research on aging.

Recognized for innovative research, the University of Massachusetts Boston serves 16,000 students while engaging local and global constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service. To learn more, visit www.umb.edu

Christmas In New England

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse Maine | credit : NPS

Since the colonial period, Christmas has been a special time in New England. This article takes a brief look at Christmas traditions, events, things to do, and trip ideas for Christmas in New England.

Traditions

The region's natural beauty and wealth of resources have played a major role in shaping America's Christmas traditions.

Christmas traditions associated with New England include sleigh rides, ski retreats, Christmas tree farm tours, cranberry sauce, pies, seafood, and others.

Food and Drink

Food is a big part of Christmas in New England. There are usually plenty of main courses such as turkey, ham or even Maine lobster, accompanied by potatoes, winter squash, cranberry sauce, and other traditional foods. For dessert, pies are often served, especially apple, blueberry, and pumpkin. At breakfast, Vermont maple syrup is an essential topping for pancakes or waffles.

Outdoor Activities

During the Christmas season, there is no shortage of outdoor things to do in New England. Enthusiasts can enjoy skiing (downhill and cross-country), snowboarding, sledding, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, hiking, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and other cold weather activities. Holiday train excursions are another option for seeing the outdoors.

Along the coast, winter boat excursions offer unique views of waterfronts, historic landmarks, wildlife, and other sites. For birdwatchers, there are numerous Christmas Bird Counts held throughout New England.

Destinations

New England's diversity is part of its attraction. There are so many unique areas that are unlike anything else nearby.

Maine, the largest New England state, offers an array of experiences. There are isolated wild lands, quaint coastal towns, and many other settings.

Nearby, Massachusetts is another state with a range of settings for Christmas. Visitors can enjoy an urban holiday in Boston, celebrate in a coastal town, or explore the western part of the state.

In Vermont and New Hampshire, visitors can enjoy incredible scenery and a quiet atmosphere. Vermont has winter attractions such as the Green Mountains, ski areas, hiking trails, Lake Champlain ice fishing, top notch spas, and more.

In New Hampshire, nature lovers and outdoor adventurers can explore the White Mountains or ski one of the most extensive networks of cross-country ski trails in the East. Located near Mount Liberty in Franconia Notch State Park, the Flume Gorge is one of the state's most popular natural attractions. In Portsmouth, the Festival of Trees includes a spectacular display of lights.

Rhode Island, the smallest New England state, has plenty of things to do during the Christmas season. Christmas In Newport, a month long celebration, includes traditional lighting, mansion tours, and much more. While in Newport, visitors can take a boat tour to see seals, lighthouses, and waterfront views. Rhode Island also has lots of beaches where families can enjoy a winter walk.

In Connecticut, there are plenty of cities and coastal communities to visit. Favorite destinations include Mystic, New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, Greenwich, or other towns. Annual winter events include Winterfest Hartford, Holiday Light Fantasia (with more than 1 million lights), and the Gingerbread Festival in South Windsor.

Related Information

Where is New England?

New England Facts

Local Foods

New England Slang, Nicknames, and Acronyms

This article includes a few examples of slang, nicknames, acronyms, and local terms that are sometimes used in New England.

Slang - Nicknames

apizza - pizza

blinks - turn signal

brum - broom

bubbler - water fountain

bug - small lobster

camp (up camp) - a summer home, ski house or hunting lodge

cabinet - milk, flavored syrup, and ice cream

carriage - shopping cart

Cape Codder - a permanent resident of Cape Cod

chowderhead - stupid person

creemee - soft-serve ice cream in a cone. Vermonters are especially fond of maple creemees

cunnin - cute, adorable

door yard - front yard or yard nearest the main door of the house

down cellar - go down into the basement

Downeast - Maine coast from Penobscot Bay to the Canadian border. The term originates from sailing down wind, not down geographically

dungarees - denim pants

elastic - rubber band

fluffchucker - fly fisherman

frappe - milkshake

flatlander - city dweller, urban person

from away - tourist

frost heave - bulged road surface, caused by freezing

grinder - submarine sandwich

horsehead - gray seal

leafpeeper, leafer - out of state visitors who have come to enjoy the foliage

lobstah - American lobster (singular, plural)

Mainer - a native of Maine

mud season - early spring, sometimes known as "the fifth season"

nutmegger - a resident of Connecticut

packie - package store, liquor store

pissa - good

P-town - Provincetown, MA

quill pig - porcupine

regular coffee - with cream and sugar

rotary - traffic circle, roundabout

rubbish - trash

scrod - firm, white fish, usually cod, halibut, haddock, or pollock

scooch - squat, crouch
 
skishing - saltwater shorefishing where the angler wears a buoyant wetsuit and swims or wades out from shore to fish (primarily for striped bass in New England)

Southie - resident of South Boston

steamers - soft shell clams

(all) stoved up - bent

stuffie - quahog clam stuffed with cracker or bread crumbs and seasonings

sugarbush - sugar maple tree (source of maple syrup)

tag sale - yard sale, garage sale

the Cape - Cape Cod

the Sound - Long Island Sound

the T - the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; Boston subway

the Vineyard - Martha's Vineyard

noreaster (nor'easter) - a powerful storm with winds blowing from the northeast

u-ey - u turn

wicked - extraordinary, very

woodchuck - old timer from Vermont

Yankee - resident of New England

Acronyms

The region's state acronyms are well known; ME, MA, VT, NH, CT, and RI. The following list includes a few lesser known acronyms relating to New England:

ACK - Nantucket
AT - Appalachian Trail
BI - Block Island
BOS - Boston
CC - Cape Cod
GMNF - Green Mountain National Forest
GOM - Gulf of Maine
LIS - Long Island Sound
NEK - Northeast Kingdom (Vermont)
NET - New England National Scenic Trail
MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MWObs - Mount Washington Observatory
MV - Martha's Vineyard
SNE - Southern New England
URI - University of Rhode Island
WHOI - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
WMNF - White Mountain National Forest

Other Terms

401 -  area code for Rhode Island
802 - area code for Vermont. The letters are popular on t shirts and other apparel, most often followed by a Vermont shaped icon.


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New England Facts

New England Facts

This article includes a variety of facts, statistics, and trivia about New England.

The New England region consists of six U.S. states:  Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820. Maine is the largest New England state, Rhode Island is the smallest. Massachusetts has the highest population, while Vermont has the least residents.

New England is bordered by the U.S. state of New York. and Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec.

Several deep-draft commercial ports are located in New England including Boston, New Bedford, and Fall River, MA; Tiverton and Providence, RI; New London and Bridgeport, CT.

The Port of Boston is the busiest in New England. More than one million tons of cargo passes through the Port each year. The Port of Providence is New England's second biggest deep water port.

Portland Head Lighthouse Maine | credit: USCG

New England's maritime coast includes the North Atlantic Ocean, numerous estuaries, other natural resources.

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is located about 130 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. The area is the first and only marine national monument located in the Atlantic Ocean.

Major New England estuaries include the Gulf of Maine, Buzzard's Bay, Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts Bay, Nantucket Sound, Narragansett Bay, and Long Island Sound.

Important rivers of New England include the Saint John, St. Croix, Penobscot, Kennebec, Charles, Merrimack, Salmon, Sakonnet, Providence, Mystic, and Connecticut.

Located in New England are several world-famous islands including Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and Block Island.

Nantucket Barrier Beach and Wildlife Refuge is designated as a National Natural Landmark.

Off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island Wind Farm holds the distinction of being the first commercial offshore wind farm in the USA.

Rhode Island is one of the few states where public access to shorelines is granted by its constitution. In 2023, legislation clarified the law, setting the access line at six feet landward from the recognizable high tide line, also known as the 'wrack line'.

Boston Light is the oldest U.S. lighthouse station. Originally built in 1716, the lighthouse became a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The lighthouse is still an active aid-to-navigation. 

Located in the Maine Highlands Region, Moosehead Lake is the largest mountain lake in the eastern United States. The lake is the source of the Kennebec River.

Lake Champlain, the sixth-largest body of fresh water in the United States, separates Vermont from New York.

The New England Region is known for its natural beauty, especially its geography. Many of the largest ski mountains on the East Coast are located in New England.

In New Hampshire, Mount Monadnock is one of the most climbed mountains in the USA. With an elevation of 6,288.2 feet, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States.

Touted as "Home of the World's Worst Weather", the Mount Washington Observatory (MWObs) is located on the summit of Mount Washington.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail, begins in Georgia and ends in Maine.

The New England National Scenic Trail (NET) is a 215-mile hiking trail route. The NET travels through 41 communities in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

The time in New England is equal to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) minus 5 hours. For Daylight saving time, clocks are advanced 1 hour on the second Sunday of March and are set back to standard time on the first Sunday of November.

Two of the most recognizable styles of American architecture originated in New England; Cape Cod and Saltbox. Both types of homes are common in New England.

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Where is New England?

New England Slang, Nicknames, and Acronyms

Where is New England?

This article provides a brief overview of New England USA. One of North America's oldest and most beloved regions, the area known as New England consists of six U.S. states: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

New England is bordered by the state of New York to the west and The Atlantic Ocean on its eastern shoreline. To the north are the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec.

New England has strong ties with surrounding regions. To the south is the Mid Atlantic Region. Just across the border is Maritime Canada.

Neighboring regions are important for commerce while sharing cultural influences and other assets.

Related Information

New England Facts

North America

Mid Atlantic