BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: NORTH END MARKET TOUR
By Kathy Arnold in Essentially America (2002)

"So many Americans think that Italian cooking is all about piles of pasta drowned in red sauce. But that's just Americanized Italian cooking. Here in the North End, I'm going to introduce you to the real ingredients for real Italian cooking." A trained chef who set up her own walking tour, Michele Topor's enthusiasm for things Italian should be bottled and sold.

She lives in Boston's North End, an historic area, chock full of 'oldests' and 'firsts'. Down by the harbour, this is where many immigrants, particularly Italians, first set up home after crossing the Atlantic. In the 1920s, 90 per cent of the residents in the 1.5 square mile warren of streets were Italian. A friend of mine who grew up there in the 1950s spoke Italian before she spoke English. Nowadays, the total is about 40 per cent, though the influence remains strong. There are Italian greengrocers and caffès, panetterias (bakeries), pasticcerias (pastry shops) and salumerias (delicatessens). Visitors to Boston usually enter the North End as they follow the Freedom Trail, the walking route linking many of the city's famous sites. Locals come for the food - Italian food. Over the years, I have sampled a few of the restaurants, but it wasn't until I joined Michele on one of her 'North End Market Tours' that I discovered the real flavours of this Italian neighbourhood.

During her three-hour walk, we dive into shops for a munch, nibble or sip. She - and we - are greeted with a wave and invitations to taste olives and cheeses, biscuits and liqueurs. At Maria's Pastry shop we eat sfogliatelle. "As delicious as any in Naples" is Michele's verdict on these breakfast pastries, shaped like clam shells. Opinionated as well as knowledgeable, Michele points out that although Maria's is regularly voted 'Best in Boston' for ricotta-filled cannoli, "connoisseurs come here for crunchy biscuits like zuccherati."

Just as in Italy, shopping is an excuse to catch up on the news and share the latest joke. Nowhere is more convivial than the Salumeria Italiana, where Erminio Martignetti still turns up, even though his son, Guy, is now officially in charge of the deli. As we compare slices of salami and prosciutto, Erminio, Guy and their customers all join in our discussion. Nearby is Cirace, established in 1906 and run by the third generation of the family. As well as a vast array of wine and fine fruit grappas, there are elegant gift baskets plus ceramics in Mediterranean blues or greens. Around the corner, Polcari's Coffee is another award-winner. Forget the slick coffee merchants currently in vogue; Polcari's is slightly scruffy and proud of it, with a heady mix of scents from coffees, nuts and 100 different dried herbs.

As we pass through the narrow lanes, Michele weaves into her talk the history of the North End and of the Poles, Russians, Irish and Jews who settled here, and then moved on. She also reels off tips on healthy eating and quick and easy recipe ideas. By the end of the tour, we're all hungry. No wonder the main questions is: which of the 100 Italian restaurants is the best in the North End? "Oh, you mean, the ones where they don't serve up platters of pasta, drowned in red sauce? Let's see, if you like fish, then I recommend ..."

North End Market Tours
For reservations, www.northendmarkettours.com