Painters love the docks of Cape Ann for their scenic waterside. Gloucester in particular inspires reveries of whalers and seagoing adventurers. It also happens to be home of the nation’s most impressive turtle fleet, at Turtle Alley, a candy shop whose array of chocolate turtles is without compare. Another must-visit culinary highlight of Gloucester is Virgilio’s Italian Bakery, where the watchwords are, “Bread of the Fishermen.” Seekers of regional food travel the cape looking for bakeries that serve anadama bread. This is a dark cornmeal and molasses loaf that allegedly got its name when an ornery Yankee sea captain, frustrated by his wife Anna’s lazy ways, had to knead his own bread, all the while cursing, “Anna, damn her!” True or tall tale, you will not find anadama bread south of Boston; and it’s fairly rare downeast, too. But at cafes that bake it, anadama bread is a breakfast staple, either simply toasted, buttered and grilled, or turned into French toast.
Twelve champion chocolatiers, from the Oregon coast to downeast Maine.
