From baked beans to apple cider, from clam chowder to pumpkin pie, this culinary history reveals the origins of New England foods and cookery. It chronicles the region's cuisine from the English settlers' first encounter with Indian corn in the 17th century to the nostalgic marketing of New England dishes in the first half of the 20th century.

At once a sharp assessment and a savory recollection, America's Founding Food sets out the rich story of the American dinner table and provides a new way to appreciate American history.