If you are football fan and follower of the NFL, then you know it was 13 years ago when the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles first met in a Super Bowl. If you’ve been waiting ever since for the rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX, then you are in luck.
The Patriots, of course, won 20-17 in that contest at the conclusion of the 2004 season, although the game wasn’t as close as the final score suggests. With the Lombardi Trophy again on the line, the Eagles and Patriots will square off beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 4, 2018 in U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
But besides the game, it really is all about the food, just like for Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the other official and unofficial holidays where people gather to celebrate an occasion or two. Here is a roster full of the best menu selections each city has to offer and I am sure that your guest will be impressed.
Oh, one more thing, click on each food title to find out more about these iconic foods, it will be worth your time, trust me!
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Iconic New England Foods
With its fertile farmland, coastal waters, and flavorful influence from generations of immigrants, it’s no surprise that New England cuisine has a reputation for being seasonal, hearty, and comforting and here are just a few of the regional items you will find from Maine to Connecticut.
Boston Cream Pie
The original “pie in cake’s clothing,” this beloved combination of golden sponge cake, pastry cream, and chocolate ganache is so popular in New England you can even find it in doughnut form. Serving them in mini form is perfect for a party.
Cape Cod Chips
Kettle-cooked and extra crunchy, Cape Cod potato chips have been a Cape Cod (and beyond) favorite since 1980. Did you know their logo is a woodcut of Nauset Light in Eastham, MA?
Clam Chowdah (Chowder)
It doesn’t get much more New England than this. A warm bowl filled with fresh clams, butter, milk or cream, potatoes, maybe some onions or celery, common crackers to thicken it up… is anyone else suddenly feeling hungry? Fish chowder is pretty good, too.
Cold Lobster Roll with Mayo
More common in northern New England, this roll typically comes in a buttered and toasted top-split New England hot dog roll, but the lobster meat is cold and lightly dressed with mayonnaise. Variations include a bed of shredded lettuce, diced celery, and dusting of paprika.
Fried Clam Bellies
“Go belly or go home!” is the cry of the passionate fried clam belly fan. A summertime favorite made with whole-belly soft-shell clams, lightly battered and deep-fried to sweet, golden perfection. Often served at seaside shacks with a side of tartar sauce.
New Haven Pizza
For many, no visit to New Haven, Connecticut is complete without a stop at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally’s Apizza, or both! Sometimes, New Haven coal-fired pizza (known locally as apizza) is the reason for the whole trip.
Del’s Lemonade
Frozen lemonade never tasted so good – a true Rhode Island classic.
Moxie
We think Maine’s favorite soda tastes like a subtle, not-too-sweet blend of wintergreen and licorice, but others…well…they toss around words like medicine, motor oil, and “root beer that’s gone really funky.” A true carbonated Maine classic since 1884.
Iconic Philadelphia Foods
And on the other side of the menu, everyone knows what you’re supposed to eat in Philly. Pick a cheesesteak or hoagie (or both), stop for some water ice, buy a soft pretzel. But save room, because there’s way more to Philly’s food scene.
Bassetts Ice Cream
Although ice cream as a form of frozen dessert that has been around since ancient Egypt and has been served in the United States since the 1700s, a fifth-generation family business and a Philadelphia tradition since 1861, Bassetts Ice Cream Company is a full-service frozen dessert distributor, offering outstanding products and superior service.And this is as good as it gets.
Cannoli from Termini Bros.
South Philly is rightly known for its picture-perfect family-run Italian bakeries, spilling over with sweets like torrone, lobster tails, and (when the season is right) zeppoli. So while, sure, good cannoli can be found in a number of other cities, the one at nearly-century-old Termini Bros. is both definitive and integral to the Philly experience.
The Cheesesteak
The cheesesteak, the quintessential sandwich of Philadelphia, is traditionally made with sliced beef and melted cheese on an Italian roll. In the 1930s, the phenomenon as a steak sandwich began when hot dog vendor brothers Pat Olivieri and Harry Olivieri put grilled beef on a hot dog bun and gave it to a taxi driver. Later, after Pat and Harry had started selling the sandwich on Italian rolls, the cheesesteak was affixed in the local culture when one of their cooks put melted cheese on the sandwich. Originally, the cheese was melted in a separate container to accommodate their large clientele who followed kosher rules (thereby not mixing dairy and meat). Today, cheese choices in Philadelphia eateries are virtually limited to American, Provolone, or Cheez Whiz. The latter is especially popular in those places that prominently carry it.
The Hoagie
The hoagie is another sandwich that is said to have been invented in Philadelphia, undoubtedly of origin in Italian-American cuisine. It has been asserted that Italians working at the World War I era shipyard in Philadelphia, known as Hog Island where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort, introduced the sandwich, by putting various sliced meats, cheeses, and lettuce between two slices of Italian bread. This became known as the “Hog Island” sandwich; hence, the “hoagie”. Declared the official sandwich of Philadelphia in 1992, the hoagie is a sandwich made of meat and cheese with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on an Italian roll.
Roast Pork Sandwich at DiNic’s
Yeah, yeah, Philly is known for cheesesteaks. But locals know a little secret: Get the roast pork instead. And there’s nowhere better to start than at DiNic’s in the Reading Terminal Market. The family-run business — with roots in South Philly — rubs its pork with Italian herbs and spices before roasting it for five hours. It gets sliced thin, topped with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe, and piled onto a Sarcone’s roll. No wonder it was named the Best Sandwich in America by the Travel Channel.
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Pizza at Tacconelli’s
Philly’s got square pizzas and fried pizzas and tomato pies and stombolis, but there are few who can make a regular pizza like Tacconelli’s. Extra-saucy, bubbly all around, charred in all the right places, and chewy like it ought to be, the Tacconelli’s pie is one-of-a-kind — and a hot commodity at that. Ordering a pie might mean reserving the dough in advance, but it’s that sort of forethought that makes one a true pro when eating out in Philly.
Snapper Soup at The Olde Bar
Snapper Soup, a thick brown turtle soup served with sherry, is a Philadelphia delicacy, generally found in area bars and seafood restaurants. In many places, it is served with oyster crackers (such as OTC Crackers, OTC being an abbreviation for “Original Trenton Cracker”) and horseradish. This hearty soup which once defined this city is made of the unusual combination of turtle meat, veggies, herbs, spices, hard-boiled egg, and sherry. And there was a while (over 140 years) where there was one name synonymous with the soup: Bookbinder’s. So when Jose Garces reopened Bookbinder’s as The Olde Bar, he made sure to bring back its namesake item, and he did so with a modernized version.
Hires Root Beer
Although soda is not purely associated with Philadelphia, Hires Root Beer was created by an entrepreneurial pharmacist named Charles E. Hires, who discovered a delicious herbal tea made of roots, berries and herbs while on his honeymoon. Hires continued to experiment with his original recipe and introduced Hires Root Beer at the 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Hires wasn’t the only product introduced at the Centennial Exposition. Other notable inventions such as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, the Remington typewriter and Heinz Ketchup made their debut too. Over the years, other brands that rose to popularity as Hires Root Beer also include Franks Beverages’ which is a unique Black Cherry Wishniak or Vanilla Cream, and Levis Champ Cherry.
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