> > What's Ponderosa?

A family steakhouse chain which is also in Canada. I know there are at least two Ponderosas in Vermont next door to you. (Never found them to be that good at serving steaks... They seemed to have only one method of preparation, which was always "medium well-done.")


> > Then there's Boston, which is famous for, among other things, baked beans.

Waitaminute. Boston is the city responsible for making famous those "Pork 'n Beans" in cans? Hrm. In truth we ought to call 'em "Baked Beans 'n Lard," 'cause really, there's so little pork/bacon inside the can in the first place... (review the sound clip below to see what I mean :-). Boston must have been notable for the tinning industry, as well -- their obsession with cans extends to a baked good known as "Boston Bread." This is served as round slices of a dark brown bread *steamed inside a soup can*. Strange.