Guilty Pleasures on the Road

Right now, I’m really missing travel. One thing I miss the most is the ability to sample local specialties when I’m on the road – local taste sensations not recognized outside a particular area that are reflected in the cultures of those communities. I remember haggis in Scotland, lamb cataplana in Portugal, cold cherry soup in Poland, and gulyas in Hungary. Here in the U.S., I’ve enjoyed pasties in Wisconsin and Minnesota, shrimp and grits in South Carolina, red-eye gravy in Virginia, fry bread in New Mexico, and scrapple in Pennsylvania. And fish boil in Door County, Wisconsin is worth a separate story.

We’ve all been cooped up since March, and we’re itching to go out while still respecting a prudent approach to social distancing. Can you spell road trip? A recent Expedia survey found that more than three out of four Americans plan to hit the road this summer. Count me in. We’re thinking about some daytrip destinations here in New England. I’ll try to include a stop at a diner somewhere and some time for some local specialties.

Here’s the thing about these local specialties: We tend to take them for granted at home. If you live in New England, suppose you were asked by visiting friends to be taken someplace for a local food specialty. Where would you take them? Maine for a lobster roll? New Hampshire for pancakes and maple syrup? Ipswich or Essex for fried clams or steamers? How about Providence for a coffee cabinet and a stuffie?

It wasn’t until I had left the Midwest that I realized how much I missed breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches. It’s a calorie-laden diner-type sandwich that likely owes its inspiration to a German pork schnitzel. The dish is primarily found in rural areas of Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. Served on a toasted sandwich bun and loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, and dill pickles, slathered with mayo and mustard, it’s a taste explosion. If you’re tempted, here’s a recipe.

As for me, I’m planning a drive to Westhampton to visit my granddaughter sometime soon. Western Massachusetts is diner country, and I’m looking forward to stopping at either Miss Flo’s in Florence, the Blue Bonnet in Northampton, or the Pancake Sundae Diner and Bakery in Westfield. I’m imagining at the very least a slice of banana cream pie in my future.