New England Sweets: Doughnuts, Bonbons and Whoopie Pies

A chocolate mill opened in Boston in the late 1700s, setting the stage for New England’s enduring love affair with sweets. Over the following centuries, the region has become home to an extraordinary variety of baked, fried, dipped, sugared and frozen confections. Massachusetts gave us candy classics like Necco Wafers, Sky Bars and Junior Mints, and Connecticut claims lollipops and Almond Joy. New Hampshire boasts the world’s longest candy counter, and Maine puts a homespun twist on its doughnuts and chocolates by blending in a touch of potato. Rhode Islanders sip ice cream shakes called cabinets, while Vermonters prefer smooth maple creemees. From Fluffernutters to whoopie pies, Susan Mara Bregman explores this sugary legacy, uncovering the stories behind the treats that sweetened New England’s culinary landscape.

Susan Mara Bregman is an author and photographer living in Boston. She received a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the Harvard Kennedy School. After a career in public transportation, working as a public official and private consultant, she has returned to her first loves: writing books and taking photographs. She is the author of New England Neon, New England Candlepin Bowling and Along Route 1: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts--all for Arcadia Publishing. Her photography portfolio is online at www.rednickel.com, and she posts on Instagram and Facebook as @RedNickelNeon.