North End Market Tour

well worth the money. our guide was very knowlegable about the area. the tour takes you beyond the "touristy" section of the north end, and into the neighborhood. many nice stores, great foodstuffs, and just an all around good time.

A tasty tour of cookies, pastry, pasta, meats, cheese and condiments! Dick gave a great social history of the food Americans think of as Italian -- and showed us what Italians in Italy eat and how it's different. Best parts were the interaction with merchants and the sense of being off the beaten path. As a 15-year resident of Boston I'd never been in any of the stores we visited, and all had been in business longer than 15 years. Now that I have my bearings I'll be able to return to the neighborhood with confidence and actually get some shopping done.

My husband and I really enjoyed the North End Market tour. Our guide, Jim, was very knowledgeable and made the tour very entertaining. For example, "do you know how to tell the gender of an eggplant and why is it important?" You'll learn the answer on the tour. If you are interested in the history of the North End, or Italian cooking, or just a fun afternoon, this tour is a must activity.

Very knowledgable and entertaing!

This tour was run by a former chef who was very knowledgeable about Italian food and the North End in general. By taking the tour, I got a sense of what it might be like to live there. One is able to see passed the tourist crowded Hanover St. The tastings at the different stores were wonderful. The owner of the tour chooses what she considers to be the best shops and then pays those shops for all the tastings. She does not take any money from the owners. I can't wait to get back to Boston to check out this company's new Chinatown tour!

We had a wonderful day to walk around the north end. The group was not too big. The tour guide was very interesting and well informed. We learned lots of interesting information.

For people who are adventurous, curious about Italian and Italian-American cuisine, and who love to learn about food, this is a terrific tour. What did we enjoy most? --the introduction to the history and ethnic cultures of the North End --the contrasts between regional Italian food and Italian American food --the ways that culture affects cuisine --the ways immigrants adjusted to live on this side of the Atlantic --how generations changed in the North End -- and we saw the elderly folks still shopping like their forbears in Italy --the visit to Polcari's where the owner weighed coffee on a 100 year old scale --the visit and tasting at Maria's pastery shop -- absolutely amazing subtleties --the stops along the walk when the guide pointed out historical sites --the Salumeria with an in-depth look at salamis, cheeses, and balsamico --the handouts so we could return in person or on the web All it all, it was perfectly paced, "just right" in terms of how much we learned, and very tasty. We'd do it again in a minute!

This was one of the favorite activities that we did on a recent trip to Boston. Not only was it fun but we learned so much about Italians, Italy, Boston and Italian cooking. Jim, our guide was excellent. The shop owners were delightful. We discussed what we learned over lunch at one of the recommended restaurants then went back and bought Italian cooking supplies based on the knowledge and samples, of this tour. I highly recommend this tour!!!!

This was nothing like the other food tours I have done. The other tours had you walking around the neighborhood as the guide discussed both the history of the area being visited, as well as, stopping at many of the local shops to sample food. I found those tours to be very interactive with the guide. On our tour there was hardly any interaction, but just constant description of foods without actual tastings of food. I would not have spent my time on the tour if I had known what I was in for and the rest of my group felt the same way. I was expecting this to be a highlight of my trip and not a disappointment.

There were a variety of experiences that defined the North End Tour. I thoroughly enjoyed the history lesson with facts and figures. I had heard of regional cooking, but Jim's explanation went a whole level deeper. The differentiation between Italian cooking and Italian American cooking was an undercurrent presented without pretense. We were reminded throughout the day that what the American public doesn't know is, evidently, what makes them the American public. From the fake balsamic vinegar to the D.O.P. distinction on San Marzano tomatoes. I came away from the experience with a solid knowledge base and was introduced to five hidden gems in the North End. My Christmas shopping list started swirling in my head as I walked around Cirache's after the tour. I walked into Maria's not knowing what our first stop would bring. It's funny how you look at a bakery one way, cannolis, bread, cookies, etc. Then after stop one I had a whole different perspective of what I was actually looking at. Plus, to see a little Nana eating her 4pm sweet with coffee as Jim was telling us that mid-afternoon is the time to have sweets since the Italians start dinner so late, was a reinforcing experience that exuded no arrogance, only truth supported by the locals. I've never had authentic balsamic vinegar and now that I've tasted it, I can accept no substitute. Not a fan of those apertifs, but I am intrigued by the saffron colored drink, (Strega?). I learned the taste value of almond paste and ever the chocoholic, I enjoyed the toto as well. I will admit the produce store reminded me a little of the soup nazi episode on Seinfeld, but I understand and accept the protocol since those in the know simply know what to expect. Throughout the tour I was amazed at Jim's wealth of knowledge. He kept his audience on-task and interested. It was three long hours on your feet, that trip to the aquarium in the morning didn't help my cause, but the information we were presented kept the pace moving appropriately--even as we grew in size. I've visited the North End a number of times, but for $55 to get a curtain thrown back on the history and more polished, hidden gems is priceless. I took from the tour an education I can immediately apply to the kitchen and as an educator the lesson you learn that can be applied to life is the most priceless lesson of all. Jim was personable, approachable and knowledgeable. He seemed to me to be Anthony Bourdain minus the ego and pretense. He had instant credibility having worked in a restaurant in the N. End. Plus, his world travels added further authenticity to the tour. I think people with a more distinct worldview have a better presentation in instances such as this. I'll never look at cinnamon the same again, nor will my mom who enjoyed this gift tremendously for her 62nd birthday. Looking forward to Chinatown. Erik Ormberg