Blackburn first rose to fame in 1883. While he was fishing on the schooner Grace L. Fears, a sudden winter storm caught him and a dorymate unprepared while they were in their banks dory, leaving them separated from the schooner. Blackburn began to row for shore, despite the loss of his mittens; he knew his hands would freeze, so he kept them in the hooked position that would allow him to row. He tried to save one hand with a sock and thus worsened his condition by freezing his toes and yet not being able to save his fingers. The crew mate gave up and laid down in the dory and died on the second day. Blackburn carried the body to shore for a proper grave.

After five days with virtually no food, water, or sleep, he made it to shore in Newfoundland. Blackburn’s hands were treated for frostbite, but could not be saved; he lost all of his fingers, and many of his toes, and both thumbs to the first joint.

Blackburn returned to Gloucester a hero, and with the help of the town, managed to establish a successful saloon. Not content with this, he organized an expedition to the Klondike to join the gold rush; rather than go overland, he and his group sailed there, via Cape Horn. Howard, after a disagreement with his partners left the group in San Francisco after a short trip to Portland, Oregon to buy lumber to help finance the trip, and returned home never having panned for gold.

After the quest for gold failed, Blackburn turned his attention to a new challenge — to sail single-handed across the Atlantic Ocean. This had been done before, by Alfred “Centennial” Johnson in 1876, and Joshua Slocum had completed a single-handed circumnavigation in 1898; but for a man with no fingers to undertake such a voyage would be quite an accomplishment. He sailed from Gloucester in 1899, in the modified Gloucester Fishing Sloop, Great Western, and reached England after 62 days at sea.

Returning to Gloucester, Blackburn continued to prosper as a businessman; but he still hankered for adventure. In 1901, he sailed to Portugal in the twenty-five-foot Gloucester Fishing sloop Great Republic, making the trip in 39 days. In 1903 he again set out alone, this time in the sailing dory America, but was defeated by bad weather. Blackburn also circumnavigated the Eastern United States by going down the Mississippi River and back up the Eastern Seaboard. “Great Republic” may be seen at the Cape Ann Museum, in Gloucester.

For more true tales AND great food check out Cape Ann Foodie Tours while  visiting Gloucester, Rockport or Newburyport. Our tours offer those looking for something for everyone. Be sure to check out www.capeannfoodietours.com

Photo via cape ann museum. Check out more at www.capeannmuseum.org

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We meet up at historic Market Square where we are introduced to the city and its historic foundings. After that we move through the brick building lined streets on our way to try some of the best food that Newburyport has to offer.

Taste Newburyport is a foodies delight. We will sample food from one of the finest restaurants in the city and visit several local sweets shops through the tour. Along with the views of the river we take our time at a few local landmarks and learn how they made their mark in town. After a visit to a local fine foods market we will finish up our tour with one last sweet surprise.

You could take another tour but ours will leave you “full” of knowledge and feeling like a local.

Taste Newburyport is a culinary walking tour of downtown Newburyport, MA. For more information on what we do and when we do it please visit www.tastenewburyport.com

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Upon entering you are immediately hit by the smell of the various cheeses and meats that are on display in this quaint store on Pleasant st in Newburyport. The store is owned by a husband and wife team and the level of service they offer is nothing short of making you feel like family.

They say they specialize in European foods that they find on their various trips overseas and this shows. I was instantly transported back to various European cities that I have visited when I walked in.

There beer and wine selection is unparalleled in its offerings. You can be sure that the couple has personally tasted and approved all the wines on the shelf. Their beer selection includes rare Belgian, German, UK, and domestic craft beers along with fine ciders and Meads.

As a food tour (Taste Newburyport) in Newburyport you can imagine my excitement when I found Grand Trunk and asked for their partnership on the tour. Jeremy at Grand Trunk offers the tour a great taster plate that highlights this epicurean wonderland.

Be sure to join us on a Taste Newburyport Food Tour and experience this stop and many others.

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My name is Patrick but feel free to call me P.J. My family has called Gloucester home for generations. Many members of my family were part of Gloucester’s fishing fleet for many years. I know the struggle that this city has faced in that industry and the obstacles it faces as the future approaches.

I grew up in Gloucester and played football at GHS (bench counts too right?) After that I was lucky enough to be accepted to Norwich University in Vermont. I spent my 4 years there studying Criminal Justice and training with the Army ROTC. After my time at school was up I was commissioned into the US Army as  2nd Lieutenant.

My time in the Army was great and the ability to serve as an Officer was an experience I will never forget. I served a total of 4 years and left active duty as a Captain. I returned home to Massachusetts where I now live with my wife of 4 years in Somerville.

I now serve as a Fire fighter for the city of Somerville, its a great job and proud to have it. Most of my family still calls Gloucester home and I am always down visiting and taking in the great beaches.

I started CAFT because of my own experiences in taking food tours and I thought that Gloucester would be a great spot to start a tour, luckily I was right and the rest is history.

My goal is to give each visitor the type of tour that I would want to take if I were on vacation some where. There is so much to see and do in Gloucester so we hope our tours get you out of your hotel room and you walk away from one of our experiences feeling like a local!

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Taste Gloucester is our first and one of our finest food tours. It started out early last summer and turned out to be a huge success! So what is Taste Gloucester all about?

Taste Gloucester is an incredible way to experience America’s oldest working seaport. Of course you have to take a whale watch (we recommend Cape Ann Whale Watch) and see the harbor, but after you see Gloucester by water its time to eat! Our tour meets up on top of Harbor Loop near downtown where we take in the beautiful sights from this grassy knoll that overlooks the working harbor front. From here we learn a bit about the early history of the city and then its off to eat!

Of course we can’t give away all the info on what the tour entails we will say that one of our stops features a sit down at a great local restaraunt where foodies get to try delicious New England clam chowder and a bacon wrapped scallop. During our meal we learn a bit about what makes clam chowder such a staples in these parts.

After our quick taste we continue on down main street where we visit several local vendors and try some more delicious bits and bites and the whole while we learn more about Gloucester. We tell the tales of hero’s like Blackburn who survived a treacherous ordeal at sea and came back a legend (and opened a pub of course.)

To wind down our tour (and take a well deserved seat) we visit a local pub and enjoy Gloucester’s own Fisherman’s Ale. Here we talk at length about the fishing industry past, present and future.

Our tour finishes up with some sweets and then you are free to carry on with your time in beautiful Cape Ann. Of course we offer other tours as well that may interest you!

So Taste Gloucester is a great way to experience Gloucester and learn about its rich history and of course eat some incredible food you may otherwise have missed out on!

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I was on a trip to Italy with my wife. We visited several cities (Venice, Rome, Florence) and in each place we decided to take a food tour over going to visit local museums or other touristy things. I chose the food tour because well, I love food! We took these tours and were opened up to the local culture and foods that I would never have even managed to find by a local guide that knew all the stories and tales of the cities we visited.

I walked away from these experiences with a true understanding of what was behind the tourist facade of these beautiful cities and had a greater understanding of the local culture. I was hooked!

I came back to Gloucester after that trip and looked around at a place I knew had a bigger story to tell. My father fished out of Gloucester for over 20 years and I grew up in the city. After leaving for the Army and later coming home to serve as a fire fighter I still had a connection with the city I grew up in. I wanted to share the same experiences I had abroad but with people visiting this great historic city.

So back to the point from the top. What is a food tour? A food tour is a different way to see a city. You can go on a whale watch or go visit a museum but these tours allow you to become a local, eat where the locals eat, meet the vendors and hear the great tales of America’s oldest working seaport. I liken it to the many times I have visited a small city and just walked around aimlessly because I had no idea what I was looking at. Our tour guides bring to life the stories that make these New England towns so amazing. And on top of that we get to try a host of incredible foods.

I invite you to come out and find our for yourself what a food tour is!

Cape Ann Foodie Tours is a series of walking tours in Gloucester, Rockport and Newburyport. We aim to give visitors a great tour by showing them the real Cape Ann and by that we mean the behind the scenes Cape Ann. I believe CAFT is a great way to highlight your trip to the area.

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Taste & Listen to All That Gloucester Has to Offer!

With its picture-perfect harbors, and long sandy beaches, Gloucester is one of Massachusetts’ many premiere summer destinations. From the Man at The Wheel to The Perfect Storm, Gloucester is known for its rich maritime history, scenic backdrops, a vibrant local arts scene, and as we’ll make note of today, good tunes and good eats!

Let’s start with the tunes.

On August 11th, the Gloucester Blues Festival will roar into Stage Fort Park, where world-class blues will sound off with some of the nation’s top performers. The festival will also feature a bevy of outstanding food and craft vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden boasting craft beers from Cape Ann Brewing Co. and award-winning wines from Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery.

This year’s lineup includes headliner Shemekia Copeland, also known as the Queen of the Blues, fresh off a recent performance at the White House, and performances by Baton Rouge’s award-winning Kenny Neal, Chicago’s Eddie Shaw and the Wolf Gang, multi-instrumentalist Lucky Peterson, Dikki Du and the Zydeco Crewe, as well as the popular Henri Smith, a Louisiana transplant now living on Cape Ann.

The gate opens at 9:00 a.m. (first performance kicks off at 11:00 a.m.), and the festival will conclude at 7:00 p.m. Following the festival, local bars, including Minglewood Tavern, the Pub at Cape Ann Brewing, and the Dog Bar, will feature an after-party pub crawl on Rogers Street in downtown Gloucester.

Tickets to the festival are currently available at GloucesterBluesFestival.com, and you can also stay up-to-date with Festival’s Facebook page here.

So, what about those eats?

Well, it goes without saying that Gloucester is home to an array of great local eats, but how does one take it all in at once?

Simple: The Taste Gloucester Food and Culture Tour!

To get a true sense of the tastes that the oldest working seaport in America has to offer,  the Taste Gloucester Food and Culture Tour is a must.

You’ll stroll through downtown Gloucester, sampling food from six local vendors – from chowder to olive oil to a mouthwatering sandwich that Gloucester natives have been enjoying for years.

Not to mention, along the way, your tour guide will provide you with a dynamic and educational backdrop to the historical 400-year-old city with fascinating stories and interesting factoids every step of the way.

Among the many stops, here’s a quick glance at what’s in store:

Bacon wrapped scallop, credit: Terry Weber

Cape Ann Olive Oil,  credit: Patrick Halloran

St. Joseph Sandwich, credit: Terry Weber

Fish Market. credit: Patrick Halloran

Cape Ann Brew Pub, Fisherman’s Platter, credit: Terry Weber

Chocolates, credit: Terry Weber

The tour runs on select days throughout the summer at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., rain or shine. For more information on pricing, as well as tour days, click here. You can also find Taste Gloucester on Facebook.

Gloucester is also home to a collection of wonderful lodging options, for a complete listing, click here or check out the North of Boston Convention and Visitor Bureau.

And if you’re in the mood to explore more of Massachusetts’ seafood scene, be sure to check out the Seafood Trail.

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The history and culture of a city is often reflected in the aromas and flavors of the foods prepared in its homes and restaurants. Gloucester is no exception. The culinary delights of Gloucester can be experienced through a food tour, aptly named, “Taste Gloucester.” The 2.5 mile walking tour, which begins at 11:00 a.m. and again at 2:00 p.m. almost daily, is designed to unlock the history and culture of America’s oldest working seaport through an appreciation of its exceptional cuisine.

Led by Gloucester native Patrick Halloran, our tour began on the hilltop of the Fitz Hugh Lane House, an excellent location for viewing both the bustling fishing industry and the breathtaking beauty of Gloucester Harbor. From this vantage point Fitz Hugh during the 1800s painted the harbor and became a renowned maritime painter working in the style of Luminism.

Descending the hill, we proceeded to the Topside Grill where we were welcomed to a table set just for our tour. There we sampled a bowl of creamy clam chowder, “the staple of New England,” not to be confused, we were told, with its tomato-based rival, Manhattan clam chowder. Both Halloran and our wait staff entertained us with colorful stories about the fishermen from National Geographic’s television show “Wicked Tuna,” who often can be seen at the Topside enjoying a meal. A juicy scallop wrapped in flavorful bacon completed the sampling.

Our next stop was the newly opened Cape Ann Olive Oil Company.We quickly became experts at distinguishing various types of olive oil from mild to more flavorful. In addition to the hundreds of varieties of olive oil, which include many blended with fruit flavors and chocolate, the store features scented olive oil soaps.

Heading to our next destination, we arrived at Virgilio’s Italian Bakery and Deli, a landmark that serves as a reminder of the influx of Italian immigrants who came to Gloucester during the late nineteenth century looking for work in the fishing industry. We sampled Virgilio’s famous St. Joseph’s sandwich named for the “patron saint of working men” and made with flavorful Italian cold cuts and spices on a sub roll.

Fortified after sampling the sandwich, we moved on to Intershell Fish Market, which sells fresh fish as well as sushi and salads. Our tour guide introduced us to an exotic seaweed salad, which was seasoned with oils and the mild flavor of sesame. Continuing on we paused at Gloucester Harbor to view the site of the “Greasy Pole,” where daring contestants participate in the tradition of trying to walk down a greased wooden pole to capture a red flag.

The bustling Cape Ann Brewing Company was next on our visit. With live music in the background, we sampled the Fisherman’s Platter, overflowing with fried calamari, clams, and haddock. We could choose from a variety of hearty beers brewed on the premises.

The tour ended on a sweet note—a visit to Turtle Alley where the aroma of handmade chocolates greeted us. We sampled delicious nonpareils and caramel-filled chocolates. I left this last stop on our tour with a small bag of fudge, an awareness of Gloucester’s rich culture, and thoughts of returning soon to enjoy a full-course meal.

Tickets are $47.50 and advanced reservations are required.

Andrea Le is a sophomore at Endicott College, majoring in English with a focus in creative writing and a minor in Studio Art. Art Throb is a way for her to combine both areas of study. Le has won several awards for her drawing and painting and has danced most of her life and taught at the Boston Ballet School in Marblehead.

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While whale watches, duck boats and deep sea fishing ships are common fare in Gloucester – offering a taste of what the waters of Cape Ann have to offer – the forthcoming Taste Gloucester tour offers a land-based alternative for tourists new to the city.

The tours started on July 7 and continue throughout the summer (see tastegloucester.com for a full schedule). Taste Gloucester offers walking tours of the city, while learning about local history and sampling fare from local eateries and establishments. Tours cover roughly one mile of downtown Gloucester, and run just under three hours total.

The tour is the brainchild of Patrick Halloran, a Somerville resident who grew up in Gloucester and saw an opportunity in Taste Gloucester. Halloran was actually participating in a trip to Italy that was similar in nature to his new venture here on Cape Ann.

“I was up one night, jet-lagged in Italy, and thinking about how this was a great way to see the city we were in, and not have to go to every museum,” says Halloran. “The best part is, you get to eat all of the great food. That’s sort of where it hit me: This is the type of thing you could do in Gloucester, a way of getting people opened up to the history and culture of the city using food as the gateway.”

The cost of the tour is $47.50, with that amount covering all tastings as well. Tours begin at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., with a tour guide leading participants throughout the downtown area and exposing them to local establishments such as Cape Ann Olive Oil Company and the Cape Ann Brewing Company. Tour guides will also talk about Gloucester’s history while visiting sites such as the Sargent House

“We’ll start at Harbor Loop, where we’ll discuss the history of the city, Charlemagne and what his experiences were here,” says Halloran. “We’ll talk about Fitz Hugh Lane, then move to the olive oil store, then go to the Sargent House and talk about the history behind that. It’s a little food, and a little history.

“It’s to promote their businesses as well,” continues Halloran. “Gloucester needs it right now, a local tour that points toward local businesses.”

Halloran began working on getting Taste Gloucester up and running in April, using his past experience working for hotels, restaurants and whale watches in the city while growing up as a basis. That being said, he was surprised at just how much he learned about the city when he delved into his initial research.

“This tour is for someone who wants to explore Gloucester in a short timeframe,” he explains. “The funny thing is that I grew up here, and in doing the research and background, I learned so much about Gloucester that I didn’t know.”

Halloran is hoping that tour participants will not only leave the tour satisfied with their “taste” of the city, but with the urge to see more once they’ve had a sample.

“Yes, they’ll get a taste,” he says. “Not only will they get to try out great restaurants, we’ll talk about art and history, too. So, if you’re an art fan, you can maybe later check out Rocky Neck or a museum. Or take a harbor shuttle to see more places.”

By Jason Brisbois/capeann@wickedlocal.com
Cape Ann Beacon

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