New England Fall Food: Cider Doughnuts, Chowder and Leaves

New England fall food is about orchards, bogs and harbors at their best: apple cider doughnuts fried to order, cranberries from flooded bogs, chowder by the fire and farm stands piled with squash. The season runs from September into November, and the leaves change color from north to south.

Plan a drive around a few stops and leave time for weekend traffic, which can double a trip that looks short on the map.

What is New England fall food?

It is the harvest, cooked plainly. Apples are the star, in cider, doughnuts, pies, crisps and butter. Cranberries, pumpkins, squash and root vegetables come next. On the coast, shellfish and fish stay on the menu, and chowder suits the cooler weather. Maple is a year-round ingredient, and fall brings it into pies and baked goods. Fairs and festivals, from town harvest days to the big agricultural fairs, add fried dough, pies and stew to the picture.

Many farm stands and orchards are open only in the fall or from late summer. Check hours before you go.

Apple cider donuts: where they come from

An apple cider doughnut is a cake doughnut made with reduced apple cider, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It is a seasonal specialty at orchards and cider mills. Cold Hollow Cider Mill, in Waterbury Center, Vermont, presses cider and fries cider doughnuts, and a luncheonette on site serves breakfast and lunch. Many orchards across the region make their own.

Eat them warm. A doughnut that was fried an hour ago is still good, but one fried a minute ago is better.

When is the cranberry harvest in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts is one of the largest cranberry-growing states. Bogs, mostly on Cape Cod and in the southeast of the state, are flooded in the harvest, from September into November, so that the berries float to the surface and can be corralled, an image seen on many fall postcards. Farm stands and bakeries sell fresh berries, juice, sauces and baked goods.

Some growers offer tours and viewing days. Dates vary, so check ahead.

New England clam chowder

Clam chowder is a thick, creamy soup of clams, potatoes, onion and often bacon, served with oyster crackers. It is a coastal staple, and cool fall days are the best time for it. Look for chowder at shacks and restaurants on the water, and compare a few. A good bowl has tender clams and a broth that is creamy but not pasty.

Rhode Island has its own clear-broth style, and Manhattan chowder uses tomatoes, but the New England cream version is what most visitors expect.

Fall foliage restaurants: eating along the route

The leaves change first in the north, in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, from late September, and later in the south, in Connecticut and Rhode Island, through late October and into November. By late October, much of southern New England is at or past its peak, and the north is bare.

Choose restaurants in towns along your route: country inns, diners, farm stands and general stores. Book dinners ahead on weekends, since fall weekends are the busiest of the year.

What are the best New England fall desserts?

Apple pie is the classic, but there is plenty besides: apple crisp, pumpkin pie, Indian pudding (a slow-baked cornmeal and molasses dessert), cranberry-walnut tart and maple cream pie. Whoopie pies, a cake sandwich with cream filling, are a Maine and New England treat. Many bakeries make their fall specialties only for a few weeks.

Ask what came out of the oven that morning, and buy a whole pie if you can, since it keeps for a day or two.

Farm stands, pumpkins and squash

Farm stands sell pumpkins, butternut and acorn squash, apples, pears and cider. Many sell baked goods, jams and pickles, and some run corn mazes. Pick-your-own orchards usually charge by the bag.

Bring bags and a cooler. Squash keeps well, so buy extra for winter, and ask the seller how to cook the varieties you do not know. Pumpkins for carving are different from pumpkins for pie, so check which you are buying. Many stands also sell cider, honey, popcorn and fresh bread, which make an easy picnic on the road.

Maple, cheese and the Thanksgiving table

Fall is the time to stock up for the holidays. Maple syrup, cheddar, sausages and apple butter make good gifts. Pies, breads and cranberry sauce can be ordered ahead for Thanksgiving; see the Thanksgiving dinner out guide for tips on booking and ordering.

How to plan a fall food drive

Pick a region and a few stops, and leave time for traffic on weekends, which can double a drive that looks short on the map. Backroads are slower but prettier. Carry layers, since fall days can be cold, and keep a flask of something hot in the car.

For a longer version of the Vermont route, read food worth a drive in Vermont, and for the coast see the Maine lobster roll guide. The whole country is on the US guides page.

Cider doughnuts, chowder and pie make a fall drive worth rating. Use the Mosey app to score each stop by dish, and keep a New England list for next October.