quote:elsiefame writes when anyone in our family goes to Fall River , MA, our birthplace, they must bring back chow mein sandwiches, Hartley's pork pies, salmon pies, and , if they can find them, fig or raisin squares!
This post was from last year, so I'm not sure if elsie is here anymore, but - Hartley's pork pies are addictive! They have a small storefront in Lincoln, RI, about 10 minutes from Providence - too many times I've staggered in early in the morning, rather under the weather, for two fresh and four frozen (heat those babies up later. . .) I've never gone in for fig or raisin squares, though.
My parents lived in Bloomington, IN, during the late fifties and early sixties while my father was a graduate student there. They loved it there, except for the heat. But whenever they could, my mom's parents would send them the local Italian-American goodies they missed - they simply could not get that stuff there at that time. Today my parents do the same with my brother who lives in Minnesota (he can get some good Italian there, but it's hard and often way overpriced.)
My folks also lived in Pennslyvania for a time after leaving Indiana. To this day, no member of our family can visit there without having to bring back Lebanon bologna (preferably several varieties), shoo-fly pie, chow chow, etc. We gorge on it, freeze the bologna and dole it out carefully and lovingly, until it's finally gone.
Locally, I'll always pick up some chorizo at one of the great markets in Fall River when there; pierogies when in Chicopee, MA; cranberry curd when out by the Cape. But those are close enough that they probably don't fit in this thread. . .
