6 Classic New England Sandwiches
From fried clams to marshmallow Fluff, these six New England sandwiches are regional classics we can’t live without.
By Chris Burnett|May 12 2021|
A baked bean sandwich goes great with potato chips and root beer.
Photo Credit: Aimee SeaveyWhat comes to mind when you hear the words “Classic New England Foods“? Clam chowder? Sure! Lobster? Definitely! Maple syrup? Of course! But sandwiches? Probably not so much.
Surprisingly enough, several much-loved sandwiches can trace their origins back to New England. Here are six classic New England sandwiches that we can’t live without.
6 Classic New England Sandwiches
Baked Bean Sandwich
As many New Englanders will tell you, Saturday night has been and will always be baked beans night. That being said, if you happen to tire of just plain ol’ beans and franks one evening, all you have to do is take those beans, throw ’em between two slices of bread, and — bam! You’ve got yourself a baked bean sandwich!
A baked bean sandwich is one of the best uses for leftover beans from the weekend’s evening meal and is something that can be eaten any time of day. Some like to stick to using white bread, but Boston brown bread is another great option that will add even more flavor to the sandwich (and perhaps improve its structural integrity a little, too).
Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
Clam Roll
The clam roll often takes a back seat to its close cousin, the lobster roll, but its comparative unpopularity is undeserved. This simple sandwich typically consists of fried clams dressed with tartar or cocktail sauce and served in a white-bread roll or — even better — a classic New England hot dog bun. Fried clams are themselves a much-loved New England specialty, and they act as a crunchy, surprisingly-good filling for a sandwich. The most controversial part of the clam roll is whether you choose to use clam bellies or strips (made famous by Howard Johnson’s), but if you ask us, either one makes for a great lunch in the end.
MORE: The Last Howard Johnson’s Restaurant in New England
Photo Credit : Katherine Keenan
Chow Mein Sandwich
In comparison to most of the other sandwiches on this list, the chow mein sandwich is a bit more… unconventional. Native to Fall River, Massachusetts, the chow mein sandwich is one of those things you hear about, think to yourself “wait… seriously?” and then promptly add to your bucket list. The sandwich consists of all the usual chow mein ingredients — noodles, meat, onions, and celery — which are held together by a gravy-like sauce. This concoction is placed within a hamburger bun, though the word “within” is used loosely — the noodles are often overflowing onto the plate, so you would be wise to have a fork on hand.
Despite its potential for mess, this New England sandwich has consistently shown up on menus in Rhode Island and Massachusetts’ Fall River area since the 1930s.
Photo Credit : Brenda Darroch
Lobster Roll
As perhaps the most well-known sandwich to come out of New England, the lobster roll is dear to many Yankee hearts. The most rugged lobstermen claim that a proper lobster roll is made up of only two ingredients: lobster and roll. If you personally prefer a few more dressings on your sandwich, have no fear — you’ll find a variety of styles throughout New England that all taste delicious. Some lobster rolls include celery, lettuce, and mayo in their recipes, while others are simply marinaded with warm butter. Whether you like them cold or hot, or plain or dressed, a homemade lobster roll accompanied by a bag of crispy potato chips makes for the perfect summer meal on the New England seacoast.
MORE: 10 Best Lobster Rolls in New England, The Best Lobster Rolls in Maine, The Best Cape Cod Lobster Rolls
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Fluffernutter
The Fluffernutter will surely go down in history as one of New England’s most beloved and nostalgia-inducing sandwiches. Creamy marshmallow goodness combined with rich peanut butter on two slices of Wonder bread? I mean, what’s not to love? The Fluffernutter’s simplicity and tastiness are practically unrivaled and, as a result, it’s held on as a lunchtime favorite of young and old New Englanders for decades.
Marshmallow Fluff, which is the cornerstone of any self-respecting Fluffernutter, is itself a New England invention. It was created just outside Boston in the early 1900s by a pair of candy makers and has been a New England staple ever since.
Alternatively, strawberry- or raspberry-flavored Fluff can be substituted for the plain variety to (only metaphorically) spice things up a bit.
Photo Credit : Cathryn McCann
Italian Sandwich
The Italian Sandwich is a Portland, Maine, spin on what most of us would refer to as a sub or grinder. Made with American cheese and ham, Maine Italians are topped with diced onion, sour pickles, tomatoes, green peppers, and black olives. On top of that? A generous drizzle of olive oil, plus a shake of salt and pepper. A chain called Amato’s is considered to be the origin of and authority on Maine Italian Sandwiches.
Which New England sandwich is your favorite?
This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
Spukies, Subs, and Grinders | Sandwich Names of New England
Why the Tomato and Mayo Sandwich Is the Perfect Summer Sandwich
Best Hot Dogs in Every New England State
I enjoyed the nostalgia page. I am from New Bedford, Ma. & the things I miss are the fried clam rolls, the chow mein & linguicia & chourico. Which I was surprised you did not include. Best Linguicia from Gaspers Linguica Co. in Dartmouth, Ma is the best around!!
Absolutely! Im in florida now, and they sell it in the grocerie store here.
First of all!!! Baked bean sandwich…just asked six people, and not one ever heard of this! A maine italian..you mean a ham and cheese sandwich with a few extra veggies! No right minded New Engander eats clam strip sandwich anything! That was a howard johnson concoction and you can see where Howard Johnsons is today! Gone!
I live in new England and love clam rolls. Clam strips on a hot dog roll.
Daniel I am not sure what part of New England you and the people you asked are from but my family immigrated from Canada to Maine. My great grandparents, grandparents, parents, cousins etc…ate every one of these sandwiches except for the chow mein sandwich. Mainers do eat clam and bean sandwiches except for those implanted from other states. You must be a flat lander. Lol
Yes, a baked bean sandwich. Preferably made with Campbell’s Pork and Beans, and buttered bread.
Love baked Bean sandwiches, I prefer B&M, topped with some homemade piccalilli, a cold Maine crab meat sandwich is near the top also
I COMPLETELY agree with you. You can get clam strips anywhere, but nobody I know will eat a clam roll without the bellies. HOWEVER, the article states “Howard Johnson’s clam roll” I wouldn’t have ever ordered the clam roll at HoJo’s. They had other things that were very delicious (mac & cheese) but that’s like ordering the clams at Friendly’s (also none here in Florida!)
I agree. I won’t touch clam strips. A true “New England” clam roll includes the bellies. I love clam rolls, lobstah rolls, fried haddock.
I am what you call a Swamp Yankee. Family came in 1620 and 1623. My husband makes fun of me when I say I ate bean sandwiches, etc. He is Italian so what does he know. lol….I once was writing a cook book called Yankee cooking with an Italian flare as we have compromised on a lot of meals.Love everything mentioned in article. Love tripe but can’t find authentic tripe around here in MA. Have a great day.
About tripe! I never ate it, but my mom and dad did years ago so when I heard of a place in Worcester, MA that serves “fantastic” tripe, it brought a smile (and a frown) to my face! The restaurant is LaCucina on Hamilton St.. Give it a try!
I have lived in New England my entire life, & clam strip rolls are extremely popular here in Southeastern CT. All the seafood shacks carry them & they are delicious. You just sound angry.
Wow! I have not thought of baked-bean sandwiches since my childhood when my grandparents used to make them for me on classic squishy white bread. I recall they were good. Also, the Amato’s “Italian sandwich” is a fond memory of my living in Portland in the early 1970s. And, as far as the Howard Johnson style fried clam roll, one needs to realize that the Howard Johnson restaurant chain was founded in New England and pioneered the concept of a national chain of identical restaurants long before the ubiquitous “fast food” chains of today. Thanks to the folks at Yankee for compiling this collection of gastronomic nostalgia!
I agree in that I would NEVER eat just the strips now, but as a kid growing up in East Boston, we had a HoJo’s and we did eat those sandwiches. We would go to Lou’s Fried Clams in Revere for the real things. There is no comparison but this article is about stuff we grew up with and this is pretty accurate given how many Howard Johnson’s there were.
I used to have cold bean sandwiches with ketchup, in CT near RI, growing up. I moved to Maine and never understood the fascination with the Italian sandwich considering I came from grinder country in CT. The salami grinder with provolone, shredded lettuce and tomato on an exceptional hearty roll with olive oil salt and pepper I still dream about. We did have a HoJos near us and I remember occasionally going there for clams but they were not that great. We had a number of Greek places that served up exceptional gyros and eggplant sandwiches. My family ate fluffernutters with 3 pieces of bread and jelly on the middle slice. I think there was a name for that sandwich.
I am from CT, too. I live in Maine now. I would take a grinder any day of the week over an Italian. Every time I go to CT, I have to go to Tony’s Pizza in Willimantic to get a grinder. We also ate our fluffernutters with three pieces of bread and jelly in the middle. We always called them a triple decker fluffernutter.
I started in Mass, then to Maine, Then to NH and now back in MA. Always hated the Maine Italian Sub. In Massachusetts and NH we use Salami, Mortadella and provolone cheese, add some oil, pickles, tomatoes, onions and hot pepper sauce and now you’ve got an Italian sub! Kelly’s Roast Beef on Revere Beach, MA use to have a clam roll (with bellies) mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Ooooh, Kelly’s. Their strawberry shortcake was pretty good, too! I grew up a North Shore girl, just outside of Boston, and thought that I’d point out that we did indeed use the term “sub” for most long sandwiches. The term “spukkie” was reserved specifically for a sub roll filled with scrambled egg cooked with onions and peppers, lots of salt and pepper, and topped with cheese- heavenly. Now, who else remembers (to the sound of a choir of angels) Toody’s in Wakefield, Mass.?
Actually, the Italian sandwich originated at Sportsman’s on Congress St. The fellow that founded Amato’s was an employee, and took the recipe when Sportsman’s folded. I believe he was son-in-law to the founder of Sportsman’s, which operated from the 1940’s….not sure when I closed as I was living away. Oh yeah, it is pronounced “Eye-talian”
I remember getting them at Sam’s Italian Sandwiches in Lewiston since I was a little girl and I am 59 yo!
Grew up in Auburn, also loved Sam’s Italian in Lewiston. Had to teach my local Subway shop here in Florida, how to make the Italian sandwich just the way I like it, oils and a little vinegar sprinkled on the roll before and after. Yum !!
I grew up on Italian sandwiches living in Biddeford and the best I’ve ever had is at George’s Italians. It is much more than a ham and cheese sandwich with veges! First of all I get the salami version and secondly, it’s all in the roll. I’ve had Amato’s and they don’t hold a candle to George’s or even Pool St. Market both in Biddeford.
I grew up eating cold baked bean sandwiches made from left over baked beans. My Mom was born and raised in Medway, Mass. My grandparents were from Framingham and Dover, Mass. I grew up on Cape Cod and in Bangor, Maine as a kid. Also loved my Mom’s lobster rolls.
Add fried bologna to the baked beans; a great sandwich!!
I remember eating open-faced bean sandwiches on Saturday nights, while my folks played ‘Old Time Radio’, when I was a kid in Marlboro. Never heard of either the chow mein or Italian sandwiches.
Loved the fluffernutter so much, I taught my kids how to enjoy it, out here in Ohio!
Grew up in Stratford, CT Those clam rolls? Fabulous – was never crazy about Howard Johnson’s, but they got that one right. Yum. My favorite place for clams/clam rolls was Jimmy’s at Savon Rock. OMG! Clams were never better anywhere. I do remember the baked bean sandwiches with left-over Saturday night beans. Soooo good. And yes, the fluffernutters were and are wonderful. To this day, I still treat myself to one every once in a while.
Jimmy’s! It’s still there! Hasn’t changed in over 30 years. I always loved the shrimp from Jimmy’s but found the clams with belly’s at Chicks around the corner a ton better. In regard to the article, no o e I knew from CT woukd eat a clam roll. Either strips or with belly’s. The baked bean sandwich with a side of B&M brown bread in a can was a camping classic!
yup! Jimmys of Savin Rock, awesome, grew up in Easton, and loved that baked bean sandwich on new England brown bread, miss that too! in the Midwest now. I’m in food shock out here LOL!
The minute you said “American Cheese” on an Italian Sub I had to stop and rethink this article. I wonder who you asked to find these “classics” lol Other than the “Italian Sandwich” I only recognize the clam roll and the fluffernutter.
There are classic New England Sandwiches but these are not them. A turkey club, s classic lobster roll, Bill and Bob’s Roast beef, Lena’s Sub, I used to have crabmeat salad sandwiches in my school lunchbox and Moe’s Sub sandwiches in Portsmouth is a classic. Of course the classic grilled cheese with tomatoe was a staple when I worked on Saturdays. Clam strips are what non-New Englanders think clams look like. I have asked for my money back when given one at the Hampton Seafood Festival because they are frozen clams and tough.
If you had Bill and Bob’s and Lena’s you must have grown up on the North Shore of Boston. Both are still around today. I went to school with Tony Lena’s girls. They are running the places now that haven’t been franchised out.
I grew up in East Boston. We had a Rileys in Day Square but when I started to drive, we used to go to Bill and Bob’s. Went to the north shore a lot. Thanks for reminding me about them. Awesome sandwiches.
Hands down Peanut butter & Fluff !!! The best ever !!
Love Baked Bean sandwiches and definitely miss Lobster Rolls.
Being a New Englander I have had a peanutbutter and fluff sandwich as well as a clamroll and lobstah roll sandwich and as far as the maine italian goes oh yes heard of it had it it’s a new england thing and it’s good
Peanut butter and Fluff, beans, butter and sugar and the clam roll are my all time favorite for sure.
Best sandwich would have to be the Fluffernutter because no matter where you are in the country peanut butter and marshmallow is as close as the nearest grocery store!
Unfortunately marshmallow fluff is not available in some areas in the US.
I grew up in Dedham, Mass., and loved fluffernutter sandwiches. When we moved to Nova Scotia, Canada, they never heard of them, and they don’t sell large sized jars of fluff. However, I can find small jars of fluff in the ice cream toppings section of our grocery store ????
The only Marshmallow Fluff is made in Lynn by Durkee Mower. You can order it online at walmart.com and jet.com. Jet is advertising a 16 oz tub for $7.34. About $5 overpriced. Have a friend or relative in the states send it to you or depending on where in Nova Scotia you are take a trip to Maine and buy it. You can also ask your grocery store manager to order the larger size Fluff for you.
I know that you cannot get marshmallow fluff in California because I used to bring it down to my friend when I went to visit. They sell marshmallow Creme and it is not the same. When we have beans for supper there is never any beans left because I always had bread and butter with my meal and would scoop the P.B. onto the bread and eat it that way. Try it, you might just like it.
My sister moved from Mass. to California and couldn’t find Fluff. I sent her some from where I live – in West Michigan!
When I mention a Fluffernutter here, people look at me like I’m crazy. I just tell them to try it and you’ll see!
I live in California and buy “Fluff” at the store called “World Market”
Being from Ct. . Ansonia to be exact, I loved cold baked bean sandwiches , & sometimes had them for breakfast. Lobster rolls !! Love, Love Love them & misss them .Also whole belly clams from Phyllis or Jimmys down in West Haven, Ct. We had hot dogs with baked beans on many a night. Now I live in AZ , so I’m missing the clams & lobster.
I”m from Maine and never heard of anyone eating a cold bean sandwhich. I’ve heard of beans on toast which is a french thing done with homemade pot of left over beans. Immigrants from Canada started the tradition of eating beans on toast for breakfast. The clam strip roll I have heard of but never tried.I don’t think it’s all that popular. Everything else on the list yes.
I never heard of it either….nor have I ever known that Maine claimed the Italian Sandwich…. seems to me that the Italians might have something to say about that!
What ’bout sk-banana nut sandwich…?Skippy & bananas
I grew up in VT and there is nothing better than the leftover bean sandwich. Especially on toast for breakfast. Still do it
Yes, on toast for breakfast! Mmmm…
Oh yes my mother ate cold baked bean and bacon sandwiches. Personally I hate beans of any kind and color but Saturday night in Milton Mass was baked beans, brown bread and hot dogs as well as Wednesday nights were Prince Spaghetti nights.
you missed the Rhode Island hot wiener. Especially the Olneyville hot wiener served at New York Systems throughout the state. It is a pork sausage made either individually, like a hot dog, or cut into 5 inch lengths from a long sausage roll. I prefer the latter. It is placed on a rounded steamed wiener bun with wiener (Coney Island) sauce, yellow mustard, onions and celery salt. It goes very well with a glass of coffee milk.
Def the fluffernutter, lobsta roll, and I grill my bean and cheese sandwich oh so yummy, clam roll (bellies). I now live in Florida and so miss the seafood.
???? baked bean sandwich and clam strips. Where’s grilled cheese with tomato soup? And meatloaf sandwiches? They are staples at any NE diner! LOVE fluffer-nutters!
My great-grandfather had a tavern in New Haven, CT during the 1930’s and he served chow mein sandwiches. I thought my father was joking when he told me, but to my dad, those sandwiches were childhood comfort food, fondly remembered.
A lifelong Southern Appalachian, I never heard of or had a fluffernutter until I was in my 40s and a neighbor from New England area moved in next door . Very yummy. Baked Bean sandwich – not a well known sandwich but the good folks in Appalachia eat bean sandwiches – sometimes out of need. Love your publication.
Love the Fluffernutter!! Always have, always will!
How about tomato and cheese sandwich with mayo?
Or sweet gherkin pickles and cheese sandwiches ?
Just had a tomato and cheese with mayo for dinner last night! Need to add a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper too!
Where is the famous fried bologna sandwich, we grew up on those
Isn’t a balogna sandwich an Ohio thing?? Seen it on food channel
Disliked my parents baked beans as a kid. Too much molasses. Do love southern BBQ beans. Never had BB sandwiches in Vt though. My first sub was in 1957 in Berlin NH. Was a real Italian sub. Lettuce tomatoes onions only veggies I remember. Crustest bread I ever had. I was only 12 and I can’t remember a better sub.
I grew up in East Boston and we always had friend bologna sandwiches and no one in my family is from OH. I think it may be a few regions that had it.
Bean sandwiches, absolutely. Clam rolls, absolutely. Flutternutters, absolutely. Lobster rolls, no question about it.
Growing up in Greater Boston, I never heard of an Italian Sandwich with ham and American cheese. Mamma Mia!!!! Italian sandwiches and subs have salami, mortadella, and provolone cheese!!
Always love the cucumber sandwich butter mayo and salt & pepper. Delicious
dont forget spam cream cheese and pickle sandwich
I was born in Caribou Maine and grew up in Connecticut. Fluffernutters were a staple for us kids. I remember mom soaking her beans overnight for Saturday dinners. Loved warm open face bean toasted sandwiches and still do. Lobster rolls were to die for. After living in Florida for almost 30 years, these sandwiches are still my favorite. We have a small restaurant called Jazzies Mainely Lobster in Cocoa Beach Fl. who makes lobster rolls just like I remember. Maine Lobsters are flown in daily.
Just curious what do you get for labstah roll at your restaurant in florida
Thanks Mike, will have to take a ride one day to try the lobster roll. Live in Lake Helen. Grew up in Maine, lived in Newtown, Conn also.
I absolutely love pb and fluff a nutter I had one yesterday and the day before and I grew up having them every day after coming home from swimming.
though never my choice I do remember my aunt ( who would be over 100 if she were still alive) ordering chop suey sandwiches from Salem Willows.
My choice without a doubt – the Kellys (Revere beach) lobstah roll and Lena’s Italian sandwiches ( subs) with italian cold cuts cheese and all kinds of toppings
Judy – Campbells pork and beans are stewed or steamed in tomato, not baked. Real New Englanders eat homemade, Friends or B&M. Bush’s baked beans are made with brown sugar and bacon instead of molasses and salt pork but at least they are baked.
Over 50 years ago, as a teenager, we used to get Italian sandwiches at Gert’s in Kenduskeag. They were the best, even if only soft salami, with pickles onions, tomato and lettuce. She put oil on them and did use American cheese. Mine was always just the salami and onions.
Don’t recall ever having a bean sandwich, but as a kid, was fed fluffernutters. Love fried clams, but clam strips are a far inferior invention.
Saturday night supper, beans on buttered toast. Love it. Tuna melt, a Friendly’s special. Fried bologna, BLT, grilled cheese with what ever was left in the frig, tomato, ham, turkey, pickle. Some days everyone at the table had a different sandwich. New Englanders are very creative and notoriously frugal!!
Sorry, but the Fluffernutter was NOT regional New England sandwich. It was everywhere in 1964. Fluff is nationally-distributed, you know. It’s not just available in New England. And the same for peanut butter.
You miss the point. It is about sandwiches that come from here. Fluff was invented by a guy from Somerville and they have a festival to celebrate it every year. It spread from here so while you may have had it, it CAME from here. Also, if you read the comments, many cannot get it. This isn’t New Englanders trying to lay claim to sandwiches only available here, but those that come from here.
I don’t know anyone who would eat HOJOs clam strips. Wah May’s restaurant in Fairhaven, MA had great chow main sandwiches which I remember back in the 60s and 70s. Fluffernutters are a favorite! I was lucky to have a gram who had a seafood restaurant and I got to gorge myself on fried clams and clam chowder.In my opinion, lobster rolls are best with butter.
Wah Mays restaurant is still open. We were there a few weeks ago. Delicious!
I used to get my Chow Mein sandwiches at Pop Casey’s in Acushnet. I loved all of these sandwiches, and still eat Boston baked bean sandwiches, although I no longer make my own Boston Baked beans. I still have my bean pots, but I have succumbed to Bush’s Original canned beans. It passes, we can’t get B&M brand down here in Texas. I really miss the linguica sandwiches, we can’t get linguica here either. I have ordered it by mail, but it is not what I grew up with. It is too lean and healthy; I grew up with the greasy, stain your bun red, linguica. Does anyone know of any company still making the old fashioned greasy linguica?
You can find the sausage here! http://www.gasparssausage.com/gaslin.html
No self respecting New Englander would order clams without the bellies! The best are from ‘The Clam Box’ @ Wollaston Beach. A staple growing up was a banana sandwich… Sliced banana, margarine and Wonder Bread. Nothing like a Kelly’s Roast Beef at 2AM. Always had my beans open faced on Brown Bread, and I just happen to have a can of it in the pantry, along with some B&M. Now I know what’s for dinnah…
We used to slice up bananas and sprinkle with sugar and pour the milk, just as if it were cereal. That was from Grandma, originally from Ohio.
I may have missed it but has anyone mentioned a chop suey sandwich from Salem Willows? And any roast beef with sauce. Can’t find that anywhere else in the states.
Fried clam strips? Only New Englanders eat fried clams WITH the belly!!!! I vacation in Greenport, Long Island. Reminds me of Rockport. Nevahh have seen clams with the bellies on ANY menu from the most eastern end of the island or up!
We have belly clams in Albany NY at a few places. I go to RI and Cape Cod every year. Really get my fill of belly clans in both areas. I think it’s popular in NE because they have to be fresh. Clam strips are frozen
Bellies are the best part. You have to have a good one to understand if you don’t live around NE, you won’t understand. The strips are just boring!
I grew up in Nassau County, Long Island, and there are places there (though not many) where you can get the clam bellies. But nothing beats the New England variety!
Born and raised in Northern NY, I eat my baked bean sandwiches with a slice of onion and catsup. I have had Fluffernuters, but prefer my fluff and peanut butter in saltines!! As for lobster rolls, I haven’t had one since I went to The Big E, several years ago. I would eat a genuine Lobster Roll, if I could get one. I may have to break down and buy one at McDonalds .
Grew up in Salem Mass. and ate many chop suey and tender steak sandwiches at the Willows. Live in Downeast Maine now and have beautiful seafood available 24-7. Clam and lobster roll heaven! Still don’t understand the Italian sandwich, but really miss Bill & Bob’s roast beef w/ cheese and extra sauce! Have always wanted to open a franchise near Bar Harbor. So delish!
When my daughter was in kindergarten, she’s now 52, she came home and wanted a fluffiernutter, I had no idea what it was and she was too young to really know. It took me a few days to find out what it was, and we still laugh about it.
Grew up in Salem Mass. and ate many chop suey and tender steak sandwiches at the Willows. Live in Downeast Maine now and have beautiful, off the boat seafood 24-7. Lobster and clam roll heaven! Still don’t understand the Maine “Italian” after eating Lena’s subs, and miss the Bill & Bob roast beef w/ cheese and extra sauce (the Big Beef!) Always wanted to open a franchise near Bar Harbor. Way too delish!
Fluff and PB…the best. Living in New Orleans, for the longest time you couldn’t get Fluff…they have “Marshmallow Crème”. Fluff is now in grocery stores and every once in a while I’ll make the sandwich. Memories….
Shouda included the Italian grinder. I grew up in Pawcatuck, Connecticut in spitting distance of Westerly, RI and across US 1 from Jimmy Reals store. The grinder with salami, provolone, tomato, shredded lettuce, olive oil, salt and course ground pepper was unbelievable. (My mouth is watering as I write this.) What truley made the grinder though was the locally baked and hard crusted Italian bread. Delicious!
i grew up in pawcatuck also and he is right about these italian Grinders!!awesome!
I’m a New Englander living in what I call “temporary exile” in Illinois. I’ve never heard of the baked bean or chow mein sandwiches, and the Italian sandwich, while it looks good, isn’t that different from what you can find at most sub shops. I love the lobster and clam rolls. The latter, I can tell, is a subject of considerable controversy. I actually did like HoJo’s clams–outside of the northeast, they were about the only place one could get clams. I much prefer the clam bellies and make sure to have that when I visit N.E., but out here in the Midwest, the clam strips will do. Maybe I should find a seafood store that has whole clams and try making my own!
I have heard of all of these sandwiches and, although I haven’t tried all of them, I can attest to having enjoyed Fluffernutters since I was a kid. My family has lived in CT since the 1920’s and both my grandmother, mother and two aunts used to go to the Woolworth’s lunch counter in the 40’s/50’s for their chow mein sandwiches. They were long gone by the time I was born, but my Mother always said they were delicious and something they looked forward to whenever they went shopping downtown. Personally, I thought the Woolworth’s lunch counter made a fabulous hot turkey sandwich, but I would have been interested to try a chow mein sandwich if they had been available!
Being from southern Massachuset , I think you should have included the Chourico ,onions and peppers on a Portuguese sweet roll , eat this and think you gone heaven. Make it here in Florida and the rednecks love it.
Baked bean sandwich on white bread with butter, mustard, and a slice of raw onion. Dreaming of one now!
Can’t call a sandwich Itslian without salami and provolone and ‘ham’ should be capicola!
I agree, Joe, but I believe that in Maine, they call all Subs “Italians”. Just the name for a sandwich in a sub roll I think.
Nope….Italians are not subs or grinders. I still go to Central Maine each summer and woe to the people who try to call me an “outta statah” to my face.
Hey Daniel you must be young or just grumpy. Bean sandwich don’t knock it unless you try it!!! Italian is awesome all about the bread and oil and vinegar… Hojo’s was awesome cuz when you couldn’t get whole belly’s in the winter at least you had Hojo’s and tartar sauce…..and fluffernuters were a must…. Anyone have saltine crackers and milk for dinner?
Dad used to have a bowl of saltines and milk for dinner – even had a special bowl just for it. Mom used to do bread and milk.
Grew up in NH, although I was born in Sydney, Cap Breton. Loved all your listed sandwiches but didn’t see day old meatloaf sandwich mentioned which we all grew up with during the 50s/60s, yum.
THE BEST ! I would always make a double batch of meatloaf just to have lots for sandwiches , all on scali bread with a good dose of ketchup …total bliss for all !
My dad used to make meatloaf sandwiches on white bread with strawberry jam.
I am an original New Englander, but have been transplanted to New Jersey. Of course, my number one favorite sandwich is the typical Lobster Roll! I love, love, love them. I can get them here at Friendly’s at this time of the year (which is a life saver for me). I had never heard of a bean sandwich until I came to NJ. We never ate them in the Boston area. They do eat them here. The only other sandwich I had while growing up was the Fluffernuter. I still remember my children putting the knife from the peanut butter into the fluff and making such a mess of the fluff. Those were the days!
I grew up in NY. My grandmother always ate baked bean sandwiches on white bread. She was a chief operator for NY Telephone and she used to take them to work, wrapped in a cloth! My husband is from Malden, MA, and his family ate baked bean sandwiches, too.
I am from Fall River, MA, now living in the Albany, NY area. Yes, we do have a few places that serve whole belly clams, but they just don’t taste the same! As a child I have had the pleasure of enjoying all of the sandwiches, with the exception of the Portland Italian one. While in Maine vacationing, had a grilled Fluffernutter…beyond yummy!!! Last but not least, although not a sandwich, the Fried Clam Cakes at the snack shack at Baker’s Beach in Westport, MA is at the top of my list of New England favorites! I love Yankee for all the memories!
YES! the clam cakes; we called them Clam Fritters when I was growing up in the New Bedford area. It was my favorite treat when we went to Lincoln Park, right up there with the Roller Coaster and the Tilt-A-Whirl.! Great memories!
I’m from Fall River MA and have eaten all of the sandwiches except for the Portland Italian. I’m in the Midwest now and found Fluff at the World Market. I agree with John, I love chourico and pepper sandwiches on a Portuguese roll.
Living just north of Boston we lived Italian subs from Santoro’s with all salami, mortadella and cheese with pickles, onions and oil. We were in Portland ME and got a disappointing version of an Utalian sub. Just didn’t cut it. We grew up with fluff sandwiches; still love them. And clam sandwiches with the bellies. Never heard of bean sandwiches. My Nova Scotian relatives and descendants love fried bologna.
I’m from Fall River and as a young boy after the movies my cousins and I would go to the Eagle Restaurant for Chow Mein Sandwiches. Just writing this comment has me salivating for a taste of one once again.
My grandmother lived at Rye Beach, NH. I spent most of my summers there. We used to go to Rye harbor when the tide was out and dig for clams. We usually came home with plenty for dinner. My grandmother had been a chef at one time so knew exactly how to cook them. She is long gone now but I still miss her and all the wonderful foods she cooked that we got from the sea.
Long subscriber to Yankee magazine. Living in Ct. is not quite like living in New England but one has to go where the jobs are.
“Not like living in New England”??? I beg to differ, dear. Connecticut is every bit New England as any other state.
CT is a New England state….
Sort of… 😉
Line of demarcation is somewhere south of Hartford when the N Y Yankee fans start to outnumber Red Sox Fans
MOE’S SUBS! Late night at Gilly’s for superb Hot Dogs-loaded! YES! Summer Saturdays I used to walk over the OLD bridge ???? from Kittery and in High School from Eliot! Stop at Moe’s (xtra cheese and pickles!) grab a bottle of Root Beer and a bag o’ chips -and spend the day at the Portsmouth Pool ????♀️! What a life!
Can’t pick just one but my top three would be Lobster roll, Italian and the ever so awesome baked bean. I like my baked bean sandwich on white or whole wheat with yellow mustard. Yum. The best bean sandwich of course is one that is filled with beans baked in a pot in a wood stove oven
My grandfather and I used to eat cold baked bean sandwiches all the time. I’ve never known anyone else to eat them.He was an old yankee,with family going back to benjamin franklin
Lobsta roll and Italian Grinda ( Not Italian Sandwich ).
Biddeford, Maine is home of George’s Italian Sandwiches. They are the absolute best. I live in Massachusetts, and every time we go to Maine I get about 25 of them to take back to family and friends.
I loved reading your comment about italian sandwiches. I grew up in Portland, Maine on Amatos and DiPietros and now live in Mexico. We make knock-off’s here, but the cheese and bread isn’t the same. Maybe they’d ship?! ; )
cilla
San Miguel de Allende, MX
Cilla – pretty sure they DO ship – check out Amato’s website!
I’m from CT, and I can’t pass the Biddeford exit without stopping at Georges for Italians !!! Wish I could find the rolls here to make them !!
I love all of them. The clam roll is my favorite.
Daniel (comment on August 17, 2016). I am from New Hampshire and am very familiar with all the sandwaiches in the article. As far as your comment on Howard Johnson’s, there Clam Rolls were very good as was most of their food and ice cream, had a birthday party there when I was 8, great time. You never know someone may resurect the chain.
If anyone is interested, Fluff is available on Amazon.com, but it’s very expensive. I saw it there for about 8 dollars, but I was so happy to see it across the street for less than 2 in Brooklyn, NYC.
” Fluff ” is available for no more than a couple dollars at the store called “World Market “
I get my FLUFF at my local Walmart here in RI and it is not expensive.
Marshmallow Fluff is here in s.w.florida, courtesy of any of the market stores… Publix, Walmart, Winn-Dixie. It has been for years.
I was born & grew up in Lynn, MA, and always knew Fluff was made in my hometown. I was quite surprised to find it on a supermarket shelf in Kinna, Sweden (a small town in the western part of the country) and , yup, there it was on the label: “Made in Lynn, Massachusetts”!
Just read your comment on New England Today Living, that you are from Lynn Mass. I went to college with Iris Roland from Lynn, perhaps did you know her?
My mother sent me to school in the 50’s with baked bean sandwiches, made from Saturday night baked beans. Sometimes plain, sometimes topped with brown sugar or ketchup, even back then some of my schoolmates thought they were ick, but they were a staple in our family. Thanks for the memories.
I still to this day eat a baked bean sandwich. It doesn’t matter if they are cold or warm, if warm I use little butter on the bread and YUM!!!
I remember eating baked bean sandwich spread liberally with mayonnaise. And love Brown Bread warmed with a nice dollop of butter. More yum!
Grew up in Swampscott, Ma and loved the chop suey sandwiches at Salem Willow’s. Cooked at the Barnacle Restaurant in Marblehead in the early ’70’s and we used Ipswich clams, which had the small, sweet bellies. Best in the world, until the Red Tide wiped them out. Good thing they came back, praise the Lord!!
Steve !! LOVED the chop suey sandwiches at ” The Willows , ” haven’t thought about them in years ! My soon to be husband and I went to The Barnacle often in the late 70’s when I had a sweet apt. in Marblehead. Great memories and thanks for your post !
When I was a kid (the 1950s) we used to get chop suey sandwiches as well. They were some incredible low price like $1.13 or something. Delicious. Chicken chop suey in a hamburger roll. Add a bottle of “tonic” for $.50 and you had quite a meal.
The place is called Salem Lowe and it’s like a Chinese hot dog stand. Step up to the counter and order your Chinese selections a la carte. Incredibly, it looks like they are still open! I found them online and their menu says the chicken chop suey sandwich is now $2.24. Amazing!
I’m from central Maine and I love our italian sandwiches here. Oddly enough I once asked for a ham italian in Windham, Maine and they had no idea what I was talking about. My out-of-state relatives can’t wait to have an italian sandwich when they come back to Maine. As for baked bean sandwiches, we ate them on with mayo, salt, pepper & slice cukes from the garden. Oh how I miss summer already. I also grew up on PJB sandwiches. And if I eat clams I want the belly. I’ve never had the opportunity to have a chow mein sandwich but I am sure I would love it!
I grew up across the Taunton River from Fall River in Somerset. We loved chow mein sandwiches, usually getting a dozen for three or four of us. I’ve been in Vermont for almost 50 years. The chow mein is just not the same as in Fall River. Surprisingly, just about every grocery store around Burlington, VT, has Gaspar’s linguicia and chourico, though few people can pronounce chourico “properly”!
My dad grew up in Fall River and always talked about the chow mein sandwiches and never liked the chow mein he would get around here in Worcester county. As far as the sausage, I always heard it pronounced “chou-reese” and it took me a long time to realize it it pretty close to Mexican/Spanish “chorizo/chorico” sausage!
cherese is how I pronounce it
tough to choose a “best Sandwich” If I had to choose, it would be between a Amatoe’s Italian w/ everything and a Coke, Fluffernutter w’ cold milk, or Clam sandwich w/ cold beer…………. or cold B&M bean sandwich while waiting for hot dogs to cook, than topped with warm beans and piccalilli
I am from central Connecticut just outside of Hartford and I never heard of a chop suey sandwich or a baked bean sandwich, or an Italian, but I grew up eating fluffernutter sandwiches as a kid in the seventies. I don’t care for clam bellies but do like the strips. We had a HOJO’s with classic orange roof down the road from us, but it was torn down when I was a little kid and don’t remember what we ate there. I just remember it being kind of cheap. I do remember my local supermarket used to sell frozen versions of Howard Johnson’s mac and cheese and clam strips.
The Italian was called a grinder back in the day and fluffernutter is still #1 in my book
I think “Grinder” or “Subs” as opposed to other names, was a Groton/New London thing. For the Welders/Grinders or the Subs that they made.
grew up in Attleboro, Mass fond memories of bean sandwiches with a little sweet pickle relish my dad loved them. lived in Brunswick for a while ate Italian grinders often with friends, Favorite is lobster rolls. found a little new restaruant called Maine lobster in Encinitas Ca. Yummy even the rolls are the same It is a special treat to go there. The only one of the sandwiches I do not like were the marsmallow fluff?peanut butter. My mom liked them.
Great conversations. I grew up in Chesterfield, MA, 14 miles from Northampton. Now live in Jackson, MS. What a difference in the foods. I sure do miss the clam rolls from Friendly’s, and the bean sandwiches. Also, taking a salt shaker and white bread to the garden for a sliced tomato and onion sandwich. Yummm. Sure do miss New England. Ya’all have a great holiday season.
So many memories have been unearthed! I used to live in Wollaston, so walked by the site of the original Ho-Jo’s many, many times – in addition to stopping at several others while growing up! One of the “sandwiches” that also brought back memories is the chow mein sandwich. When I was little (maybe 5-7 yo), my Mom brought me to a “home show program” in Boston, where they gave out various food samples. This was in the days before all the Chinese restaurants we see today.) They passed out samples of chow mein on Ritz crackers! Although I don’t do it often, I still love to get a box of Ritz crackers & some chow mein & make a wonderful “meal”!
Late comer comment. My Mom always had franks and beans for Sat nite supper. She made cold bean sandwiches for a long time and then one day she started grilled them in our old fashioned sandwich grill, the kind with the top on it. Spread butter outside, beans and a little piccallili inside, close the top and grill. Putting weight on it caramelizes the outside and gives it a crunchy, buttery taste! Mom came home from work, and I from school between 12 and 1:30. We also had fluffernutters and sometimes fluffernutters with grape jelly. My friend had a sandwich maker that was round with a long handle. She put a peanut butter sandwich inside closed it up like a clamshell, and held over her stove burner until it was done. crispy on the outside and closed in a circle like a clam. Break it open and you have fragrent warm runny peanut butter, better with crunchy pb and probably heavenly with fluff in the middle! My mom would serve chow mein for lunch, but she didn’t know about cm sandwiches. Loved grilled hotdog; slice it in half lengthwise, then in halves. Put between two pieces of toasted buttered wonder bread! three in a row and the last piece under to fill up the space, and add piccallili and ketchup. Delicious! An only child, I lived with mom and we did everything together. Remember Howard Johnson’s Wednesday night fish fries? All you could eat for $3.00. Fabulous fresh fish, deliciously deep fried, piping hot with those uncomparable HoJo’s french fries!! Peppermint ice cream for dessert! All a 12 year old could wish for!
Is it. Possible to get a resipie for both Chou Mein and Chop Suey. I am a Yankee subscriber Norman Sylvia, Venice, FL
I, too, would love a genuine receipe. My Mom would serve it on rice. Cod fish calls, deep fried, goodness sakes alive. I’m in Denver with a gazillion melennials, beer and the now ubiquitous marijuana. Nobody wants to see the mts anymore. Sad.
Chow mein sand easy. Fry up some hamburg slice add sliced onions and thicker sliced celery. Add mushrooms if you want. The hard part is the sauce that goes with it but you can buy chow mein mix at grocery store. If not make a simple thin gravy with soy sauce beef broth and corn starch. Cook all this together til sauce get thick but still thin. Get a homburg roll put bottom of it on reg size plate. Cover with chowmein noodles then spoon vegtable and gravy all over the noodles and put top of bun on top of the whole thing. I love vinigar on the chow mein
How I miss New England and all my family and friends! I’ve been living in Utah since 1994. I miss all the yummy seafood in NE! Everything left over , I made into a sandwich as my mom and grandma’s did. I grew up in Upton, MA . Went to high school in Grafton and moved to Grafton in 1967. I’m 84 now so I spent many years in MA. As my mom did I baked even my own bread and brown bread for Saturday nite home Boston Baked beans and Brown bread served with cole slaw and clam or cod fish cakes. Some time with hotdogs! For our BBQ’S , Hot dogs on buttered grilled NE hotdog buns with melted cheese. topped with onions, mustard, relish , tomatoes, along with hamburgers on buttered hamburg buns and cheese, topped with, tomato and onion slices, lettuce, pickles, cukes, cole slaw even left over baked beans . What ever you wanted. Growing up with 5 brothers I learned to be very creative with my sandwiches. Even our tomato, cuke, onion sandwiches with salad dressing or mayonnaise for summer lunch! On Monday morn everyone including ‘hubby’ had cold baked bean sandwiches with a slice of onions and ketchup or homemade piccalilli. My 2 boys asked for 2 as their friends loved them and the boys ‘sold’ the sandwiches to them. Lowell’s in Mendon was the place to go for fried clams served with fried onions on the top of a heaped pile of the BEST fried clams. Fluffernutters on white bread or Ritz crackers were an after school stable! And in the summer for lunch! Marshmallow fluff was a must for hot chocolate in the winter. Milford was our place to go for Italian grindah’s . I made my own clam NE chowdah after digging clams with my children . Pastrami on a hard roll with thick onion slices and mustard were our Friday nite drive – in movie supper. Also, my cold meatloaf with piccalilli or ketchup. My dad grew up in Hull , Ma . and Jacobson – ‘Jake’s” Clam Shack came into our life in the 1940’s. The best seafood- Clams , lobster, cod , haddock and Clam and lobstah rolls – yummy! It’s still the BEST , Now Jake’s Seafood Restaurant! We enjoyed Nantasket beach and the great Paragon Park – ‘A Marvel of Fantasy, ‘ with one of America’s oldest wooden carousel, and of course , eating clam and lobstah rolls for lunch. In Utah the seafood is not the same . Everything is flown in and unless a chef is from NE , it is not cooked right and it’s not as fresh. My favorite in Boston is ‘The No Name Restaurant,’ before they opened on the wharf , I loved to watch the fish hauled in and cooked right in front of us. On The Cape we enjoyed many great ‘Clam Shacks’ for clam and lobstah rolls. Each town had our favorites. My mouth is salivating writing this ! My lunch sadly will be a protein shake! I always brought Marshmallow Fluff back to Utah with me . My grands called their friends and introduced them to Fluffernutters! Yum. One time I forget 10 jars in the over head compartment. Always hoped some one knew what to do with it. I also made The Best fudge with Fluff. I made 10 pounds for my grandaughter’s wedding. My daughter Ruth ( her daughter)boxed it in candy boxes. It was gone quickly, with many people asking me for my recipe. The fluff cannot be substituted for marshmallow creme. That’s what is in UT. I had the ocean in MA with the BEST seafood . In Utah I have the mountains and introduced to Mexican food ( no comparison) I have to bloom where I’m planted with my memories! But when I go ‘home’ it’s all ocean and seafood and the greatest of family and friends!
I giggled when I read this! My family is originally from Maine, but I grew up in NH. I recently relocated to CA and brought 6 cans of brown bread in my carry on. None of the Boston TSA agents had heard of this bread and laughed that I was bringing “canned bread” with me 🙂 The first place I ate when I came back was Amatos! I always preferred Dimetro’s (sp) in Potlrtland, but now that they have closed shop Amatos is my go to. I made fluffernutters for all my co workers and at first they were horrified, but as they tried them they fell in love. I joked that if I opened up a fluffernutter food truck in CA, I’d be a millionaire:)
The best Italian sandwich is Moe’s in Portsmouth, NH!!
Absolutely the best! We’ve ben in Calif 33yrs. Everytime we go back to NH we get a Moe’s Grinder& never miss going two or three times to Starboard Galley, Newburyport, Ma. Best friend Seafood, never greasy, uses new Oil everyday for cooking! That’s why it’s not greasy!
What about deviled ham?
Love deviled ham and cream cheese sandwiches! For variations, I’ll add chopped green olives and if I really want to kick it up a notch, I’ll spread thin layer of Pastene Hot Pepper relish on it. Delish!!
Have lived in the south for over 50 years now and I do so miss the flavors of Maine. Two of my most favorite sandwiches are lobster rolls and Italian sandwiches. There use to be a small shop in Brunswick where we would get our Italian sandwiches….absolutely wonderful. I have attempted to create them here in my own kitchen using the traditional ingredients of tomato, green pepper, onion, sliced green olives, I use dill pickle instead of sour, cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a shake of salt and pepper. oh oh stop…making me hungry.
Ok…..I can’t believe I just sat here and read every comment on the page. But I was smiling and my mind was rolling on all of the great New England memories. Born in Maine and growing up in Maine and MA. has got to be a food junkies paradise. Of course I have heard of all of the sandwiches on the list and all of those talked about in everyone’s post and I will say I have tried many of those places. Just to add my two cents worth here, I have to say years ago, (maybe 50 or a few more), but who is counting. Just like no one cares about counting the calories in a fluff-a-nutter even when you put a pretty big dollop of grape jelly in the center of your Sunbeam or Wonder Bread. It’s those wheat bread eating folks that never hear of a fluff-a-nutter. As far as the Italian Sandwich debate goes, I would have to say The Coffee Pot on State St. in Bangor had to rank right up there at the top Art’s Place AKA ” Gertie’s” in Kenduskeag. As to the debate about the clam roll, “if it don’t have a belly it ain’t a clam. Give me bellies or give me nothing at all.” What about the fried clams from Dysart’s Truck Stop off of (% in Hampden Maine or from the venders at Salsbury Beach in MA. like Lena’s and Martha’s and best of all the old Sailor Bill’s In Salsbury. Llove reading everyones post and got to love life with memories like these.
My grandparents lived in East Millinocket when I was a kid. On our trips up from CT my parents would stop at the Coffee Pot on State Street in Bangor to pick up an Italian grinder. I remember that all the meat and cheese were on the outside of the roll, not the usual at all. But the smell in the car as we completed our trip north was heavenly.
I use to eat the clam strips from HoJo’s because that’s the only way we could get clams unless we dug our own and plus they were cheap. We never went to Maine or fancy restaurants unless it was a special occasion.
Amatos and baked bean sandwiches bring back memories. While in school in (I’m a nut-megger) Portland I was introduce to the Italian Sandwich. Years of local grinders here in CT couldn’t compare to the Amatos. Growing up as a kid in the 50s my mother made us baked bean sandwiches. I told someone the ohter day about it and they thought I was ought of my mind. Memories
Baked Bean sandwiches with bread and butter pickles on top of beans. Yumm lol my kids thought I was crazy. Never could get them to love them like i do.
The lobster roll, hands down, followed by a “grinder”.
We used to summer in Westport, Mass and the Clam cakes at Bakers beach was the best also through out New England the Clam Roll is my Favorite!
You can’t just dump beans on bread and call it a baked bean sandwich. You first have to mix the beans with Cains mayonnaise. Not Miracle Whip salad dressing. It has to be real mayonnaise.
ketchup too
The Chow Mein Sandwich is a Fall River icon. My family runs a Soup Kitchen and we serve Chow Mein Sandwiches twice a year.
As for the The Italian Grinder from Maine the best Grinder is from Marzilli’s in Fall River. It’s has fresh baked bread from the them and Italian meats, Provolone and you can get it was sweet or hot peppers. If you brave you can do a combo of peppers. I get my toasted.
The best New England sandwich is Maine crabmeat with a little mayonnaise and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. I prefer Country Kitchen Canadian White Bread with a bit of butter.
Lived all my life in New England. If you never had a fluffer-nutter then you never lived here, hot dogs and lobster rolls are always in New England buns butter toasted on both sides, Italian subs hard to beat especially with onions and olive oil instead of mayo, whole belly clams on a roll is hard to beat, just strips are not worth your time or money, in the summer toasted cheese with a fresh sliced tomato in the middle. Tuna salad with onions, mayo on a toasted bun. Where to get all the delights, anywhere in NE that you like, best ever.
Born and raised in New Bedford and savor every sandwich mentioned. Now live in SE Pa Amish country but miss whole belly clams and linquica. Linquica can be bought in any Publix Market, We load up on it in Fl. and bring it back to Pa. Also miss peanut butter and bannana sandwiches and stuffed quohogs. I feel a trip to New Bedford coming on.
Does the Whoopie Pie count as a sandwich?
Born and bred in Roxbury 19, Mass.
That gives a clue to age….
Bean sandwich was with B& M beans ( still in Portland, Maine)!
Saturday night suppers after s Satmayinee at the “EGGIE” and confession.
Fluffernutters were a staple. Plain or (I loved crunchy) pb.
Summered in a US Army tent at York Beach and my boy cousins would dive in a (truth be known) STEAL as many LOBSTAHs as they could handle from the Lobster traps. Keep in mind, this was a means of survival and and act of bravery cuz the LOBSTAH claws were not banded. Yes, we were poor but had a Granpa who would drive us to Maine in his Rumble seated vehicle, drop us off and go back and forth for cousins until my cousins wee all there!
You did however omit MAINE BLUEBERRY PIE. My Mom and aunt would make and bake in a metal SOLAR oven….outside of the tent.
I am sooooo grateful for those memories, the fabulous family AND for being poor, we grew to be resourceful, educated and kind, giving adults. AMEN
thanks for reminding me of the Eggie!
Unfortunately B&M is no longer in Portland Maine. It makes me sad every time I pass by the old factory.
I love the Fluffernutter but living in Florida for 30+ years, I sure do miss the classic Italian Sandwich!!!
Born and raised in Melrose, Moved to NH when I met my husband. Now in Florida to thaw out. I miss clams with bellies. Hard to find here. Found a place in Celebration Florida. Little clams but whole bellies and very good. I still make home baked beans every Saturday as did my Mom. I make grilled bean sandwiches too. I miss new England but not the cold and Snow. Melrose will always be HOME in my heart.
Celebration Tavern in Celebration, FL has Ipswich, MA whole belly clams right near you.
Thank you so much for including Red’s Eats in your story Chris!! We truly appreciate it and appreciate you!! Our best always, Debbie
I grew up in Boston, but I had never heard of a baked bean or chow mein sandwich. I live and work in London (UK) now, and Fluff is widely available. When I first found it for sale, I brought it into work to share with young people at my school, where I work as a school counsellor! I miss a good clam or lobstah roll. I never called those long sandwiches anything but a sub.
Here in the UK they like to put potatoes in sandwiches : a “chip butty” has French fries and a “crisp butty” has potato chips! And of course some people love a butter and Marmite sandwich! ????
Live 5 miles outside Boston and visited all New England states. Never heard of the bean sandwich or the chow main sandwich ever. BLTs sandwiches are popular along with roast beef. I couldn’t live somewhere that didn’t have the 4 seasons and the diversity of people who are drawn to NE. Best place on Earth.
Baked bean and chow mein are not eaten across New England. Chow mein sandwiches I’ve seen in Bedford and I think Fall River. Everything else, I’ve eaten and liked:) the Italian would be called an Italian grinder here in Connecticut.
They have the chow main sandwich in Salem, Ma at the Willows!
Never in my 52 years as a New Englander from Boston have I heard of a baked bean or chow menu sandwich. It appears in reading the comments the instances of their existence classify them more as outliers versus staples. Tuna fish, roast beef, chicken parm, even plain mayo sandwiches are more commonplace.
I grew up in Dartmouth Ma, and the chow mien sandwich was a staple in just about every little Chinese restaurant in the greater New Bedford area. In the early 60’s I had a paper route, delivered the Standard Times. Just a short walk from our paper delivery stop was the York Wong Chinese restaurant and as kids we’d go there for the .25 cent chow mien sandwich… And, yes.. baked bean sandwiches were offered by my grand parents…
I moved to RI for grad. school. At my first party I met someone who worked on the URI research ship and he introduced me to the fluffernutter. For the last 48 years I thought a fluffernutter was an invention of sailors. No idea it was a product of my adopted home, RI!
For the person who wanted a chop suey recipe, I’d start with ground pork and sliced onions, minced garlic and a little peanut oil. (Half peanut and corn oil might be better.) Sauté in a large skillet and add chopped celery. Put in several shakes of soy sauce and serve on rice. Don’t forget to serve with crispy fried noodles as a topping.
I love a fluffernutter, but, when I make mine, I slice up a banana, lengthwise, between the peanut butter and the fluff, butter on the outside, then grill it. Awesome.
My cousin made me a similar sandwich when I lived in Mass. She made it on cinnamon raisin bread with pb, marshmallow fluff And a banana. No grilling, though. Delish, either way. Now, in California, no marshmallow fluff.❤️
I believe Amatos is tied to Italian sandwich history, as they are still in business. My grandfather started making them in the 1920’s, before dawn, in his home kitchen. Then delivered and sold the sandwiches to the many Portland area mom & pop stores that blanketed Cumberland County before the larger grocery stores existed.
Yes, I know that A&P existed and eventually IGA. But, they were a mere fraction of a modern “grocery store”.
More recent history is that the founder of Subway was inspired by a visit to Maine and ordering an Italian sandwich.
Not just impressed with the sandwich. But, noticed the ladies in the little store wearing very impressive diamond rings and realized that the sandwiches produced a decent profit.
My Mom made Boston Baked Beans all the time. Leftovers were always beans, mixed with a little mayo on Anadama bread. Yum!
I’m looking for the receipt for Anadama Bread ? Please
Fanny Farmer cookbook has a recipe. Barnes and Noble usu ally has this book in stock.
No mention of the “chicken barbecue” of the Merrimack Valley! I grew up eating them and they were ubiquitous in the 70s and 80s; now I wouldn’t even know where to find one. Boiled chicken on a bun, with mayo and iceberg lettuce. I made them for my mother and me a year or so before she died (9 years ago) and they were so good!
Norm’s White Horse Restaurant, Rte 110 in Methuen
Permanently closed
We spooned warmed-up baked beans over bread and ate it with a fork rather than as a traditional sandwich. Love the occasional FlufferNutter (FluffahNuttah)!
My new fave is fluffernutter with berry jam; BOOM! You’re welcome 😉
I grew up with parents that had me late. I grew up with the big pot of Boston Baked Beans served on Sunday night dinner with the canned brown breads and the Boston Baked Beans sanswtch the next night. YUMMY!!!!!
My parents weren’t older parents, but hot dogs and beans were every Saturday night. Mum is 95 and still has that for dinner on Saturdays. Beans aren’t homemade anymore though.
How about a Deviled Ham and cucumber sandwich? After cucumbers are soaked in vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. We took them to Crane’s Beach and nothing was better…sand, water and a yummy sandwich. Love my New England sandwiches!
Anyone remember Bea’s Pork Cutlet Sandwiches? Yum….miss them!! (I know they were also famous for the Chicken Barbeque (which was not actually barbeque!! It was pressure cooked chicken with mayo on a bun.)
Okay – to all commenting about Maine Italians – it’s not a hoagie or even a grinder, it’s in its own category. It’s not even topped with olive oil, it’s a mixture of olive oil and I think canola. It also has to be on a Maine Italian roll. I love hoagies and grinders too but they are different sandwiches entirely. It’s like comparing a meatball sub to a dagwood. Italians don’t use lettuce because it’s a flavorless filler – instead there are green peppers. Maine Italians are very underrated solely because they use ham or turkey instead of salami. This was a working man’s sandwich.
Does anyone know where to get CHOPPED HAM? Our family used to get chopped ham sandwiches, not flattened ham or ham salad, at Johnny Joyce’s in Lynn. MA. We used to buy pints of chopped ham, stored upside down in fridge, and finger rolls, from Witham’s caterers in Lynn, MA. I believe it was made by grinding smoked shoulder with a little evaporated milk. Please help.
Cold baked bean sandwiches! I’m so surprised to hear they are a real thing. I thought my father invented them and he and I were the only two people in the world who ate them! Leftover beans on white bread, I liked mine with mayo and Dad ate his with mustard and onions. A little odd but it was so delicious! We lived in Quincy and made our own beans or had a can of B&M. The beans had be cold and leftover so they were thick enough to stay in the bread. Dad is gone now but I think of him whenever I have one.
Fortunately I have not had the misfortune of running across a baked bean sandwich . I love baked beans but really in a sandwich? Must be only popular in a very small subset of Me England. Fluff’n Nutter. A kids ting only . The two best on here are the clam roll preferably wit whole belly clams and the Connecticut style lobster roll. No MAYO please
Fluffernutter not a kids thing, had one for lunch today! I do eat beans on white bread also.
Grew up on baked beans on bread – would not have classified it as a sandwich unless you wanted to call it an open-faced sandwich as we did not put it between two slices. Since we had hot dogs and beans every Saturday and there would be leftover beans, it was a great and cheap second helping. It may sound pretty mushy (and it is) but sure tasted great. I don’t eat hot dogs too often nowadays but when I do it is always with beans, and I always pull off a hunk of my bun to put some beans on and chow down.
I grew up in Salem, MA and spent a lot of time at Salem Willows, eating the classic Chop Suey Sandwich from Salem Lowes. I still have to head down there at least once each summer to have one. Also love lobster rolls, clam rolls and Fluffernutters!!
Born in Maine, but grew up in New Hampshire, so had the best exposure to ALL those wonderful sandwich offerings. The baked bean sandwich brings back such memories; I didn’t go for those, but my sweet grandfather carried those, in his lunchbox, for the decades he worked as a fireman, for one of our major pollen manufacturers. He refused anything else; when grandma was ill, I offered to make him a ham and cheese, or ham and bean sandwich for his lunch and his response was “just the beans, please, no ham, no cheese”. I was so surprised. JG
During my growing up and adult years, I couldn’t get enough lobster, or clam rolls; my second love was the fluffed nutter and I still enjoy that, once in awhile, even upon entering my 87th year. Oh, a couple of others you didn’t mention -try brown sugar and butter, on wheat bread, OR sliced cucumer on your tuna salad sandwich, also on wheat bread! Quite delish. JG