The Best Things Our Food Editor Ate This August

As food editor of Yankee and co-host of Weekends with Yankee, it’s my job to travel around New England trying all the great food that our region has to offer. In this regular column, I’ll share my favorite discoveries, from New England-made products to cheap eats to fine dining meals. And I find that whenever I find something great, the pleasure is enhanced by the knowledge that I get to share it with you. Come along for the food crawl!

Most of the first half of August was spent within a stone’s throw of various beaches. I was on the hunt for great fried clams along the coast and that meant a lot of driving, stopping, and tasting. I can’t reveal too much now, but as always, I wasn’t disappointed by one of my favorite go-to’s.

1. Fried Clams at PJ’s Family Restaurant in Wellfleet, Massachusetts

PJ’s is a high-volume counter-service restaurant in a beach town and this fact makes it all the more remarkable that the food is so consistently good. The family-run spot makes my favorite stuffie (stuffed quahog) and the clam chowder is homemade and delicious. If I want something light, the tuna sashimi is just the thing. And then there are the fried clams: plump, crisp, briny, and sweet. Served with corn on the cob and coleslaw, this was the perfect summer meal.

2. The Brown Butter Lobster Roll at the Rye Harbor Lobster Pound in Rye, New Hampshire

The menu at this tiny beach-adjacent shack is small and simple and everything they make is terrific. The Lobster Pound is rightfully famous for their “fluffy” clam chowder, served with buttered lobster meat on top. That warm lobster meat, accented with a bit of sherry, also makes a stellar lobster roll. Now, combining sherry with lobster is nothing new: Lobster Newburg dates back to the 19th century and is basically dolled-up lobster and sherry. But it’s a classic combination for a reason. I give them extra credit for not overcooking the meat — a common mistake with such a delicate product. I just wish they’d build a proper website with updated hours!

3. Orechiette with Sausage, Fennel, and Radicchio at Bar Mezzana in Boston

This isn’t my best photography work, I know (the restaurant is dimly lit). But I wanted to alert you to this terrific dish as we settle into fall. The homemade pasta is just chunky enough to stand up to the hearty sausage. The bitter notes from the radicchio break through the richness. And my party of five was fighting over the last bite. I love chef/owner Colin Lynch’s food.

Special International Bonus Edition:

Cardamom Buns and Other Pastries from Juno the Bakery in Copenhagen, Denmark [NOTE: The bakery’s website is under construction, apparently]

My family took a trip to Scandinavia in late August. I have followed Juno the Bakery’s Instagram feed for a few years now and my visit completely lived up to the hype. The traditional cardamom buns had the wonderful floral-meets-Fruit Loops flavor of this underappreciated spice and the dough was buttery enough to be tender, but still light and springy. And the other pastries! In Denmark, what we call Danishes are called spandauer or simply “buns.” Juno the Bakery is known for its signature laminated brioche, which is like brioche dough crossed with croissant dough…and just typing that makes me wish that I could teleport myself there right now. I loved the simple bun filled with vanilla custard, but the plum and almond buns were also fantastic. If you have any plans to travel to Copenhagen, make sure this is on your list.