The Big E began in 1917, when Joshua L. Brooks opened an agricultural fair in West Springfield, Massachusetts, to the public. Farming in New England had diminished, and production costs were escalating. Brooks’s vision was to bring the six New England states together to improve agricultural techniques through demonstration and competition. For a dairy show […]
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A Sampling of Highlights from the Big E
Craz-E Burger There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned burger. There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned doughnut, either. Put them together and you get the Craz-E Burger, the Big E’s colossus of crispy bacon, gooey cheese, and juicy beef patty sandwiched between two halves of a glazed doughnut. At 1,500 calories (that’s maybe 75% of your […]
Visit an apple orchard this fall and you’re just as likely to see folks munching on golden-brown apple-cider doughnuts as you are actual apples. Beyond the standard cake doughnut, cider doughnuts have apple cider added right into the batter, lending a touch of sweetness and a subtle cider tang that most people find dangerously addictive. […]
What is acer saccharum? New England’s beloved sugar maple, of course.
Minimal Ferry Meets Maximal Foley
In the interest of full disclosure, Portland gallerist Andres Verzosa is a close friend and my partner in a forthcoming publishing venture, but after 35 years of writing about art in Maine, if I refrained from writing about artists and art dealers I know personally, most of the best would be off limits. The current exhibition (September […]
The Undue Fear of Missing Peak Foliage
This past weekend, a cold front came through New England, bringing some much needed rainfall and a wonderful break from the heat. When I awoke early Sunday morning to do some fly fishing in the mountains, temperatures were in the lower forties, and there was a crispness to the air. Heavy mist was coming off […]
New England Fall Foliage Outlook For 2012
Perhaps you haven’t noticed yet, but there are signs of fall beginning to show up all around us. The sun is setting a little earlier, and rising a little later. The birdsongs of spring and summer have quieted now as the birds molt before migrating. The last of the wildflowers: the goldenrod, the JoePye weed, […]
A Day at the SoWa Market
Every Sunday from May through October, the open-air SoWa Market in Boston’s South End entices with food, craft, and vintage market finds – plus food trucks!
Oh, Canada, Their New and Native Art
Oh, Canada (not to be confused with the Canadian national anthem O Canada) is a survey of contemporary art from Canada at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) in the far western Mass. Art mecca of North Adams (through April 1, 2013). I am indebted to my colleague Greg Cook of the Boston […]
Slide Show: Country Roads in New England
Follow one of New England’s country roads and you’re likely to discover a world alive with color and charm — especially during foliage season. Our talented readers have bumped their way along many a back road to bring you this slide show of the roads that wind through New England’s landscape.
Slide Show | Covered Bridges of New England
The covered bridges that span many of New England’s rivers and streams hold a special place in the hearts of our foliage photographers — especially in autumn. View a sampling of some of our favorite reader-submitted images.
Fan Tan Dinner Rolls
Who doesn’t love a buttery dinner roll? No matter what season it is or what’s on the menu, a good roll is like the proverbial little black dress — always appropriate and always in style. I’ve been a vegetarian for over a decade, but in truth I consider myself more of a “carbohydratarian.” My love […]