My Culinary Adventure With “Blade Meat” At This Massachusetts Fair
It was at North Attleboro Kid's Day where I tried "Blade Meat" for the first time. They had it at the food tent
North Attleboro Kid’s Day was the first time I had ever seen the infamous “blade meat.” I was hired as their musical entertainment for the night. But I couldn’t help visit the food tent before I took the stage.
I asked my friends, “What the heck is ‘blade meat?'” because I was intrigued. I had never heard of such a thing. My two girlfriends, Tracy and Heather made me take a bite.
So, What Is “Blade Meat?”
“Blade meat,” has its roots in Portuguese cuisine. This dish features a cut of meat from the shoulder of the cow. After being meticulously sliced and marinated, it’s slowly cooked. The signature note of the dish, however, is its distinct spicy kick. Talk about exciting the taste buds!
The blade meat I ate in North Attleboro came served in a bun. This choice of serving, I learned, is quite popular. A sub roll or bun is the traditional way to serve it.
Have you ever tried Blade Meat? I did for the first time and it was an interesting experience.
The Tasteful Experience
With a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, I took my first bite. The heat of the spice hit me first, followed by the rich meaty flavors. I hate to say it, but the sandwich wasn’t exactly to my palate.
The thing about food is, it’s a subjective experience. What might be a delightful flavor sensation for one might not hit the same for another. For me, my heart (or rather my stomach) lies with the traditional, smoky allure of pulled pork or the tender, juicy goodness of a well-cooked brisket sandwich. The spicy extravaganza of the this meat was interesting, yes, but not my preferred choice.
Despite that, I don’t regret trying it! It was an intriguing experience that broadened my horizons. Have you ever tried it? I’m sure they will have it at the Feast of The Blessed Sacrament in New Bedford this weekend! Or, you can make some at home with this recipe:
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The Most Iconic Food from Every State - Massachusetts is a Surprise!
This list is actually a lot of fun. Taste of Home set out to find the most iconic food from every state. I don’t know about you but immediately I was hit with “here comes the clam chowdah for Massachusetts” vibes. Not that there is anything wrong with clam chowder. I love it! But I feel like the country’s view of Massachusetts is one big cliche. We’re all that cousin… from Bos-ton. We all are constantly parking random cars by random yards. And of course we’re guzzling clam chowdah constantly. I think we actually carry it in hiking backpacks with one of those water tubes running from it to our mouth with a constant flow of chowdah.
But rejoice, Taste of Home dodged the low-hanging chowdah!!
Alright, so here’s how it’ll shake out. I’ll give you the New England states first, then a few extras, then we’ll wrap up with the most iconic food from Massachusetts, which I think is a bit of a surprise. See if you can guess it.
Also, speaking of food, if you’re looking for another surprise – THIS was just named the best family pizza joint in Massachusetts… and it’s not the place you’re thinking.
Ayla Brown has been an on-air morning show host with Country 102.5 since 2018. Before taking this once-in-a-lifetime job, Ayla was (and still is) a country music singer. In 2006, she placed 13th on American Idol. In 2012 and 2013 she celebrated her Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium debut, and over the years she has visited 13 countries overseas to sing for the American Troops.
Country music is in Ayla Brown’s soul. Not only does she sing it, but she gets to talk about it every day on “Country Mornings with Jonathan and Ayla.”
Ayla is happily married to singer-songwriter, Rob Bellamy, and they welcomed a son named Barrett in August of 2022. In her free time, she loves to sew baby bibs and experiment with new recipes in the kitchen. She also loves to travel and try new foods. Ayla writes about Boston area happenings, parenting, holistic lifestyle and living, and travel.
