tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38490398209041595572024-03-07T20:18:31.216-08:00The Rhode Island StuffieUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-45003029355913834242023-10-26T05:58:00.002-07:002023-10-26T05:58:23.208-07:00In Rhode Island, a hunt is on for the reason for dropping numbers of the signature quahog clam<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKUDkfK9uqHc7uKoONpvXFkpE0ZxlAtw6KQD8AsgRL4_gjp2W8CAMKxeJ28LEXRHWCF89NGGvKhCJAKXkWQ_FDDCY6TEnVhr6NfK0I-aO09aglMmF4CipnFX_yiwCnB3sL4emLLoYioXA1NZEc1UgdicB0y87gWa_jhk_5xkT1HoSIUVnxvQPYo1ICwQz-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKUDkfK9uqHc7uKoONpvXFkpE0ZxlAtw6KQD8AsgRL4_gjp2W8CAMKxeJ28LEXRHWCF89NGGvKhCJAKXkWQ_FDDCY6TEnVhr6NfK0I-aO09aglMmF4CipnFX_yiwCnB3sL4emLLoYioXA1NZEc1UgdicB0y87gWa_jhk_5xkT1HoSIUVnxvQPYo1ICwQz-=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">In Rhode Island, a hunt is on for the reason for dropping
numbers of the signature quahog clam<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The clam itself is a staple of clam chowders and in 1987,
the Rhode Island Legislature designated the quahog the official “Rhode Island
State Shell.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">By STEVE LeBLANC, Associated Press<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">October 25, 2023 | 8:16 AM<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Scientists, lawmakers, and those who make their living from
Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay are teaming up to hunt for the reason why
quahogs appear to be on the decline.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Quahogs have a long history in the state. The shells of the
large, hard-shelled clam were used by the indigenous Narragansett people as
wampum. The clam itself is a staple of clam chowders and in 1987, the Rhode
Island Legislature designated the quahog the official “Rhode Island State
Shell.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">On Tuesday, a special Rhode Island legislative commission
held a hearing to study the reduced catch. The commission is looking at a range
of possible factors that may be contributing to a loss of the signature shellfish,
from oxygen deficiency to changing aquatic life and climate change.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Quahogs — also known as little necks or cherry stones or
chowder clams — are filter feeders drawing nutrients out of water columns. They
don’t move much other than the first 2 to 3 weeks of their lives when they are
larvae, according to Conor McManus, of the Rhode Island Department of
Environmental Management.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Quahogs will traditionally start spawning in mid-June first
in coves along Narragansett Bay and progress through the season. A second large
spawning can occur in July.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There was a peak in the harvest of quahogs in the 1950s
before the dredging of the clams was banned. There was a second peak in the
1980s reflecting an improvement in water quality in the upper bay.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“Since then, we’ve seen a dramatic decline,” McManus said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There’s also been a decline in the number of people trying
to harvest quahogs from historical highs of more than 1,000 people down to
about 400 people a decade or so ago, and now down to 150 to 200 people, he
said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">McManus said the hunt for an answer to the quahog decline is
complex. As an example, he pointed to events that might cause a drop in oxygen
in the water.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Typically, those hypoxia events are seen as a negative for
organisms, but there is also a competing theory that such episodes could help
quahogs because it might force away potential predators.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“Over the course of a quahog’s life there is a lot of
uncertainty,” he said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Jim Boyd, a shellfisherman, said that less than half the
number of quahogs is being harvested from Narragansett Bay compared to a decade
ago and he and others who rely on quahogs need answers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">To the industry, it’s pretty clear that while there may be
many factors for the drop, the primary driver is the reduction in nutrients
needed for quahogs to thrive, he said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">“We really need the department and the universities to focus
on this question for us because this industry is taking a significant hit over
the last decade and our concern is that this is going to continue in the coming
years,” Boyd said. “We’re seeing this slow, methodical decline in the abundance
of quahogs throughout the bay.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Other states along the Atlantic coast have also experienced
declines in both quahogs as well as also oysters, bay scallops and soft-shell
clams, according to McManus.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Quahogs feed on plankton. That also makes them key to the
environment since plankton feeds on nitrates, which water treatment plants
can’t filter out, making quahogs a natural source for filtering impurities out
of the water, as well as being a sought-after food.<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">The commission is charged with reporting back to lawmakers
by May 31, 2024.<o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-80512905491364097832023-10-21T13:16:00.002-07:002023-10-21T13:16:12.560-07:00RI Food<p> </p><p>Stuffies</p><p>Served in the shell, stuffies are baked stuffed clams with lots of breading and butter. This Rhode Island food is so iconic that a seven-foot version of it is being placed in airports around the country to attract visitors to the Ocean State.</p><p><br /></p><p>Clam Cakes</p><p>A deep-fried fritter made with chopped clams, clam juice and a flour base. They have a similar consistency to a hush puppy after they're fried and are more cakey than say a crab cake.</p><p><br /></p><p>RI-style Calamari</p><p>Take a basic calamari appetizer (batter and fried squid) and toss it in butter, garlic and hot peppers, and you get Rhode Island-style calamari. The dish is the official state appetizer.</p><p><br /></p><p>RI Clam Chowder</p><p><br /></p><p>A lighter take on clam chowder than the New England or Manhattan versions, Rhode Island clam chowder skips the cream and the tomatoes giving it a clear broth.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lobster Roll</p><p>Sure, Maine gets a lot of credit for their lobster rolls, but Rhode Island's are every bit as good. As a state, we're not picky about if they're warm or cold. We just like them with an ocean view.</p><p><br /></p><p>New York System Wiener</p><p>We know, it says New York in the name, but we promise this is a Rhode Island thing. The weiners – which are a mix of beef, pork and veal – come in a natural casing that makes a 20-foot rope that the restaurants has to cut to size by hand. Once in the bun, it's covered in a spicy sauce that includes onions and ground meat.</p><p><br /></p><p>Grinder</p><p>If you're really from Rhode Island, you'll pronounce it "grindah" and forget about the r. This Rhode Island favorite is a sandwich made with Italian cold cuts, pickles and other vegetables put on a grinder roll. You can mix up the cold cuts, but they have to stay in the salumi family.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dynamite</p><p><br /></p><p>A Woonsocket classic, the dynamite sandwich is a type of sloppy joe-like sandwich served in a torpedo roll with a spicy sauce often made in batches large enough to feed a crowd.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pizza Strips</p><p>Also called a party pizza, red strips or a bakery pizza, a pizza strip is a rectangular strip of pizza, served on a crust that would be best described as focaccia, topped with tomato sauce and often a dusting of grated Romano cheese. It’s served at room temperature. </p><p><br /></p><p>Johnnycakes</p><p>Similar to a pancake, the main difference is Johnnycakes are made with stone-ground cornmeal. A staple at May Breakfasts across the state, they're very easy to make.</p><p><br /></p><p>Pepper biscuits</p><p>An Italian treat, a pepper biscuit is a simple biscuit flavored with fennel and pepper rolled out into a log before being twisted into a round. The crunchy snack pairs well with a glass of wine.</p><p><br /></p><p>Zeppole</p><p>A treat traditionally served on St. Joseph's Day, zeppole resembles a flattened cream puff, filled with cream and topped with more cream and a cherry. Traditional ones are filled with pastry cream. Others are made with ricotta cheese, chocolate cream or whipped cream and fruit.</p><p><br /></p><p>Coffee Milk</p><p>For those who didn’t grow up drinking coffee milk from cartons in elementary school, coffee milk is exactly what it sounds like: milk mixed with a sweet coffee syrup. The drink was invented in Rhode Island, sometime in the 1930s. </p><p><br /></p><p> Del's Lemonade</p><p>Never drink it with a straw! Del's Lemonade is a frozen lemonade with roots in European fruit ices. Perfectly refreshing on a summer beach day, lemon is the classic flavor but the brand offers many others.</p><p><br /></p><p>Doughboys</p><p>Awfully close to the fried dough you might find at any old state fair, but better because of their smaller, more manageable pillow shape. Cover these in sugar and cinnamon for maximum happiness.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-54635003658970038832023-10-19T03:35:00.001-07:002023-10-19T03:35:02.146-07:00Explaining the ‘stuffie,’ a uniquely Rhode Island food that’s trying to attract tourists<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 18pt;">The stuffed quahog is
part of Rhode Island's latest campaign to draw in new visitors. But what
exactly is a stuffie?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Massachusetts is known
for its seafood. More specifically, clam chowder, fried clams, and oysters, and
the food is just one of the reasons why millions of visitors come to the Bay
State every year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">But what about the
rest of New England? Like, Rhode Island, for example? Also known for its
seafood scene, a food that might come to mind is calamari, the state appetizer
that’s tossed with hot peppers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Instead of
capitalizing on that dish’s reputation, the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
is using a food in its recent campaign that is uniquely Rhode Island.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">The “stuffie.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">In an attempt to draw
in visitors to Rhode Island, the agency responsible for statewide economic
development created a campaign starring a whopping 200-pound version of the
stuffed quahog. It’s made of styrofoam, and it sits on a large plate next to an
8-foot-tall bottle of hot sauce. The agency had two of them made by local company
Lance Industries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">The stuffie, which is
making its way around parts of the country that offer flights to and from
Providence, has been subject to some online criticism by the agency’s strongest
detractors — Rhode Islanders themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">“We have a great culinary
scene and having a giant baby pooh on a clam is not going to bring in more
tourists,” one commenter said below a Boston Globe article. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">When it comes to looks
alone, these oven-baked clams aren’t the most attractive plate of food, though
Stephen Bucolo, president of Anthony’s Seafood in Middletown, thinks they make
up for it in taste.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">His business, which
includes a restaurant, a seafood market, and wholesale, sells plenty of
stuffies (though they sell a lot more of their calamari appetizer). Often
they’re asked to explain what a stuffie is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">“Outside of Rhode
Island, very few people know what they are,” he said. “When they ask, we say
stuffed quahog, and then they ask what a quahog is.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Anika Kimble-Huntley,
the chief marketing officer of the Rhode Island Commerce, said that’s part of
the point of the campaign. They want people in their target markets — Los
Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, and Baltimore — to ask about the stuffie. And they
are, she added.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">“I think it’s great
that people are talking about it,” Kimble-Huntley said. “We want people to talk
about it. That’s really what the goal is, to create buzz and to raise awareness
of the unique cuisine in Rhode Island.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Kimble-Huntley said
they have ambassadors on site to explain the beloved stuffie to passersby and
to pump them up about a potential Rhode Island trip. There’s also a video
screen next to the stuffie that shows people how they’re made, from clamming to
cooking. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">So, what is a stuffie?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Outside of the
boundaries of the country’s smallest state, stuffed quahogs really aren’t a
widely-known (or eaten) food. They show up on some menus in southeastern
Massachusetts, mostly near waters where quahogs are found (like Buzzards Bay),
which is the clam used when making a “stuffie.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">But quahogs are found
in abundance in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. Shellfish culture is
important in Rhode Island, its industry worth hundreds of millions, and
recreationally people enjoy clamming. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">They also, obviously,
really enjoy eating the catches.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Bucolo sells nearly
600 stuffies a week during peak summer season, he said. It helps that his
stuffies were advertised on “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives;” it also doesn’t
hurt that not many people serve them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">But when they are on
the menu, they’re usually always a different take on the stuffie. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">“The reason it’s so
beloved here is that every family makes it their own way,” Kimble-Huntley said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Aside from the
quahogs, the recipes usually call for peppers, onions, the Portuguese sausage
chourico, a breading, and reserved clam juice. You can opt for a different kind
of sausage — or not use one at all, and people use various breadings to put in
their stuffie dish, like sourdough, Portuguese sweet bread, bread crumbs, or
croutons. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Bucolo, who uses his
grandmother’s recipe, puts the latter in his stuffies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">After the clams are
steamed, chopped, and mixed in with the other ingredients, you bake it all
together. Many serve it with hot sauce drizzled on top, but you can also use
melted butter in the same way. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Bucolo said the dish
is really popular during the summer months, an appetizer of choice for a
football game watch party, and it pairs well with an ice-cold beer.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Now back to this giant
stuffie. There is actually a chance for some Bay Staters to view the stuffie
(or, as one Reddit user called it, a “creature from Star Trek”) in person at
this year’s Big E in West Springfield. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">Kimble-Huntley said
the stuffie will be stationed in front of the Rhode Island Building. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">The second stuffie is
currently being driven around Michigan and Ohio, attempting to entice residents
there to visit Rhode Island via Detroit’s airport.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="background: white; color: #2d2d2d; font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-font-kerning: 1.0pt; mso-ligatures: standardcontextual;">The stuffie will
eventually journey to Los Angeles, where it will join another Rhode
Island-specific installation of a Newport mansion, as well as Atlanta and
Baltimore.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-20380982715245338832023-05-17T20:26:00.001-07:002023-05-17T20:26:56.600-07:00The airport Stuffie<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t9T-R01RwubxFO8SM83FjjvQz9XBrfyh9A_xhoglH1m6fZn7qOmYxwxOy_ZGIlleWzusWWb6WcKp5Xiw52wp7PQ3MPDNZGuTnBhNWU4ttFxuMZKP1lwa5-hkE2FpJfUJDzOiz63mY0pLZERlEZWpHltdp3-Aa4tDKe1W-bSP8-KXlor92sv7qcw9NA/s624/Picture121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="624" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t9T-R01RwubxFO8SM83FjjvQz9XBrfyh9A_xhoglH1m6fZn7qOmYxwxOy_ZGIlleWzusWWb6WcKp5Xiw52wp7PQ3MPDNZGuTnBhNWU4ttFxuMZKP1lwa5-hkE2FpJfUJDzOiz63mY0pLZERlEZWpHltdp3-Aa4tDKe1W-bSP8-KXlor92sv7qcw9NA/s320/Picture121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">WARWICK,
R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island Commerce is working on a new campaign that would put
installations of life-sized “stuffies” in airports across the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Stuffies,
also known as baked stuffed clams, are a Rhode Island staple.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
goal of these installations is to get people curious about Rhode Island and
hopefully draw more people to the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Travelers
at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport have mixed reviews on whether
or not a stuffie would draw people into the Ocean State. Some people said yes,
but many people said something else would better represent Rhode Island.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“What
would you think if you saw a giant stuffed claim in the airport?” asked ABC 6’s
Alyssa Azzara.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“SpongeBob
lives here, I don’t know,” said one traveler.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“Would
it make you want to come to Rhode Island?” asked Azzara.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“I
think so…because it looks good,” said another traveler.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“I
don’t think they would come to Rhode Island for that,” said a third traveler.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Some
people say no way to the stuffie, but one traveler that spoke with ABC 6 thinks
it’ll peak people’s curiosity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
whole idea of these life-sized installations is to get people’s attention.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“The
goal is to make them say, ‘Well, what is that?’ And when they say what is that,
we have achieved part one of of goal, which is to get their attention and make
them curious,”‘ said Anika Kimble-Huntley, chief marketing officer at Rhode
Island Commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Some
travelers think Rhode Island Commerce could have picked something different to
better represent the state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“If
Rhode Island had a great coastline, or water, or mansions to visit, maybe if I
saw that I’d be more interested, a quahog… probably not,” said a traveler from
Rhode Island.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Kimble-Huntley
said they want to draw people in with something they may not know about, have
travelers talk with ambassadors about it, and then hopefully they’ll visit the
Ocean State.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“If
we’re able to drive food tourism to restaurants who probably need the help
selling stuffies then there’s an economic impact to that, then think about the
trickle down affect, now you have the shellfish fisherman.. Maybe they’ll be a
greater demand for quahog,” explained Kimble-Huntley.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Kimble-Huntley
said they’re also looking at doing events and marketing around the stuffies as
well as looking at putting a Newport mansion installation in airports.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
stuffie installations are a part of a $4.5 million air service marketing
program.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #2b2b2b; font-family: "Fira Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Officials
hope to have the stuffie in airports in June.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-19630937706484871552022-07-01T09:41:00.001-07:002022-07-01T09:41:47.559-07:00Praise of the Rhode Island Wiener: Behold the Hot Wiener, Rhode Island’s All-American...<a href="https://inpraiseoftherhodeislandwiener.blogspot.com/2022/07/behold-hot-wiener-rhode-islands-all.html?spref=bl">Praise of the Rhode Island Wiener: Behold the Hot Wiener, Rhode Island’s All-American...</a>: Don’t you dare call this Providence staple a hot dog. By Brian Yaeger (and photos) Joey Chestnut will attempt to eat 77 mustardless, water...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-18470671441497546112013-06-28T06:06:00.000-07:002013-06-28T06:06:13.267-07:00Stuffies at Portu-Galo, East Providence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">Portu-Galo has opened a local food truck that is reported to be excellent and carries everything from bifana with the pork cutlet to stuffies which come highly recommended ("order the stuffies -- these Rhode Island's icons are some of the best we've had")Also recommened is Seafood Inc. Pawcatuck. </span></div>
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<img src="http://www.theday.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=NL&Date=20130619&Category=ENT04&ArtNo=306199998&Ref=AR&Maxw=475" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Peter Huoppi/The Day A fresh batch of stuffed clams at Seafood Etc. in Pawcatuck </span></h4>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-56751183555596594982013-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:002013-01-13T10:02:26.890-08:00 Lunch In Rhode Island: Stuffies, The Only Way To Eat A Quahog<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wVZCGIYVI3w/UPL2q0NgsII/AAAAAAAAlrk/Ic3-bXylx4o/s1600/sxswqw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wVZCGIYVI3w/UPL2q0NgsII/AAAAAAAAlrk/Ic3-bXylx4o/s320/sxswqw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">Happy New England regional specialty Friday!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">BY JESS KAPADIA</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">A truly authentic Rhode Island stuffie tastes like clam and breadcrumbs, and nothing more.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">I absolutely love discovering regional specialties involving ultra-fresh seafood! I was recently enlightened by the Baltimore crab pretzel, I even made my own semi-legit version in Test Kitchen. Last week I reconnected with a friend from high school who spent a few years on and off in Rhode Island, and was turned on to the stuffie. It involves the quahog, king of chowder. And quite frankly, I just plain like saying it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">So you take your giant clam, shuck it, retain the juice, chop and mix with bread or cracker crumbs and a little extra clam juice to moisten, then return to shell. Bake, add a squeeze of lemon and consume. That's a stuffie and that sounds awesome. I usually suggest a little trio or so of variations, but I don't want anything else in or on that. Maybe a little hot sauce, the mild stuff. Red Devil, at most.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">That said, there are many variations still very much worth eating. Some mix sautéed onions and celery, cherry peppers and/or sausage with the clams before returning them to whenst they came to get crispy. Portuguese stuffies, courtesy of the large Portuguese population in Rhode Island, involve chouriço (relative of chorizo) and green peppers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 26.265625px;">Any sort of battered or breaded and fried seafood is truly sacred to those who have spent time in New England, and this is no exception. While it's no clam belly on the beach, I can definitely see creating a variation on this for our next Test Kitchen. There's nothing like a great stuffed clam-related schooling.</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-76068345149116928852012-12-10T07:10:00.001-08:002012-12-10T07:10:34.867-08:00Fast Food<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puritan &
Company is Will Gilson’s brilliant new homage to classic New England cuisine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">His clever
touches on everything from clam chowder to Rhode Island-style stuffies range
from fresh and exciting to downright decadent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We love the eye
for historic culinary detail: The smoked bluefish pate is served with homemade
hardtack; the aromatic Wellfleet clam chowder with homemade oyster crackers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The lamb belly
is crusted in a Moxie glaze. Yes, the iconic Maine soda. The frisee and foie
gras salad is served with johnnycake, Gilson’s version of the Colonial-era corn
bread; and look next week for cod brandade served with brown bread and baked
beans out of a salt-cod box, meant to remind longtime New Englanders of Friday
night supper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oh, and for
decadence, try the wood-roasted Muscovy duck: gorgeous strips of rich breast
meat with perfectly crispy skin and a sinful layer of fat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Puritan &
Company Stuffies</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 large
onion, chopped finely<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8 oz. butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 c. flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 c. milk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 c. chopped
quahogs 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese 1 T. thyme, chopped 1 T. parsley chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Zest of 1 lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 t. paprika</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 c. flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 eggs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 c. bread
crumbs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cook onion in
butter until soft. Add 2 cups flour and whisk over low heat until mixture
resembles roux. Add milk and whisk over high heat, cooking until mixture
thickens to consistency of cookie dough. Add clams, cheese, thyme, parsley,
lemon zest and paprika, and mix well. Cool, then portion into 2-oz. balls. Freeze.
Heat oil in large, safe pot to 350 degrees. Remove frozen stuffies. Place 2
cups flour, eggs and bread crumbs in three separate dishes. Coat stuffies with
flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Fry each stuffie 4 to
5 minutes. Makes 36 stuffies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Puritan &
Company</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, 1166
Cambridge St., -Inman Square, Cambridge, <i>617-615-6195, www.puritan-cam
bridge.com.) </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-43206808623724171862012-04-30T19:47:00.001-07:002012-04-30T19:47:35.492-07:00New York System in Rhode Island<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Big cities are often identified by a unique local cuisine.
Mention New York and you’ll hear about the pizza. Talk about Philadelphia and
you’ll be compelled to discuss how good the cheesesteaks taste. After a quick
drive around Providence you’ll notice real quickly that Providence is all about
hot wieners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Also known as New York system wieners, hot wieners are a local
favorite<br />
in Rhode Island and you can find them in just about every neighborhood in<br />
Providence. The most famous one of course is Olneyville New York System<br />
Wieners, which was recently featured on </span><a href="http://blog.travelchannel.com/man-vs-food-nation/2011/08/09/providence-home-of-the-hot-dog/"><span style="color: #0060ff; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Man vs.
Food</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. The dogs have a natural<br />
casing and are made up of beef veal and pork. Spicy brown mustard and top-cut<br />
rolls are standard with the wiener, but what makes this special is the meat
sauce.<br />
Depending on the location the sauce can range from dry to wet, gravy like
sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://olneyvillenewyorksystem.com/"><span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Hot
Wieners</span></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">are a staple of after hours eating here in Providence, with most<br />
wiener spots open until 2am on weekends. For the most part these places are<br />
small family-owned restaurants. So what are you going to do if you forget to<br />
catch them before the clock strikes 2:01? You can follow this recipe to make
your<br />
own New York systems at home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6-8 New England Style Hot Dog Rolls<br />
6-8 Deli Wieners or Beef Franks<br />
1 lbs. of 85% lean ground Beef<br />
1 medium-sized Yellow Onion (diced)<br />
1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil<br />
1/2 tsp. of Worcestershire Sauce<br />
1 tsp. soy sauce<br />
Celery Salt<br />
Garlic Powder<br />
Black Pepper<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. Place beef in a large skillet on medium-high until the meat
is evenly<br />
brown. Make sure you are grounding the meat as best you can. Once<br />
brown drain the meat and set it aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. Next place you diced onions and vegetable oil in the skillet
on medium<br />
high until the onion is light brown. I suggest using a wooden spoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. Now you can throw in your beef, Worcestershire sauce, soy,
and spice to<br />
tastes. Mix the ingredients well. Now you can reduce heat to a simmer and<br />
cover. This should simmer for about 20 minutes. Check back every few<br />
minutes and taste it. If the sauce is too dry add a little more vegetable oil,
likewise if you think it needs more seasoning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. In the mean time you can start on your dogs. Traditionally
they are<br />
steamed but you can use any method you like. For whichever method you<br />
chose, make 3 small slits on them so you can tell they are ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. For warm buns, wrap the buns individually in a paper towels
and place in<br />
the microwave for 20 seconds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6. Now its time to put your hot wiener together. Your order of
operations is<br />
deli mustard, frank, and finally top with some meat sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">~Philip Crean ’13.5<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-20745566976393639042012-04-24T11:13:00.003-07:002012-04-24T11:13:40.682-07:00GoLocalProv Names Rod's Grill Wieners as Top Five in RI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
GoLocalProv Names Rod's Grill Wieners as Top Five in RI<br />
<br />It is probably safe to say that if you live in Bristol or Warren, you've been to Rod's Grill at least once. Similarly, it's probably also safe to say that most locals think the wieners at Rod's Grill are the best in Rhode Island.<br />Well, GoLocalProv agrees. On Thursday the site published a list of the top five wiener joints in Rhode Island. Among their top five were Wien-o-Rama in Cranston, the Olneyville New York System in Providence, the Smith Street New York System in Providence, Cosmic Steak and Pizza in Warwick, and of course, Rod's Grill in Warren.<br />Rod's Grill has lasted through the years as a family-owned business and has received numerous awards, such as the Best Lunch Counter, Best of Rhode Island's Best Wieners in the East Bay, Rhode Island Monthly's Cheap Eats, and recently, was named in Fork in the Rhode's top 10 New York System Wiener Challenge.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-18446795104337781782012-04-24T11:13:00.000-07:002012-04-24T11:13:05.746-07:00The 5 Best Wiener Joints in Rhode Island<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ann &
Michael Martini, GoLocalProv Food Editors<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ah, the arguments
we know this one will incite. Alas, when we heard recently that local hot
wiener joints closed in honor of the death of the patriarch of the Olneyville
System wiener family, we knew it was time to round up Rhode Island’s best. As
tough as it was to decide, we think we’ve found Rhode Island’s top dogs, or
most of them, anyway. Burp<span style="color: white;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Olneyville New York System,
Providence<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They say the art of prepping wieners “up the arm” of the
guy assembling them behind the counter began in the 1940s on Coney Island. In
that circus-like atmosphere, food vendors would compete for attention and
sales. Well, if the art has been perfected anywhere, it’s a this wiener top
spot (“It adds flavor,” Ann’s dad always says). Not that they need it. The
“sauce” – a tangy concoction of meat and tomatoes and spices that goes on top
is the best of the bunch here at this iconic joint. Expect to see anyone from
Buddy Cianci to Patrick Kennedy to your local general assemblyman belly up to
the counter. Back when Showtime’s “Brotherhood” series used to film here, the
cast and crew would almost clean the place out of wieners regularly. Almost. <i>20
Plainfield St, 621-9500</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wien-o-Rama, Cranston<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If there is, in Rhode Island, a haute hot wiener, this is
where you find it. Wien-o-Rama has something of a cult following among loyals
that includes top local chefs and food lovers who won’t get them anywhere else.
We think it has something to do with the dog itself, made from beef and pork,
tucked into a steamed bun and topped off with a rich and tasty sauce – meatier
than most – mustard and fresh onions. There is something decidedly
palate-pleasing about the combination. Prepare to queue up however – the lines
here can be long and seating is limited, so it’s best to get these dogs to go.
If you must deviate from the menu, the burgers here are quite good too, in a
wiener-joint kind of way. <i>1009 Oaklawn Ave, 943-4990</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Smith Street New York System,
Providence<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">What makes a wiener best? Dare we say it might be the
freshness of the toppings? Okay, maybe that’s a stretch. But if not, consider
this: Olneyville New York System goes through tens of thousands of wieners a
month. So on any given day, you can be assured that the dog that you order at
this institution will be as tasty as they come. A fresh snap from the wiener
itself, lots of sauce and celery salt, mustard, onions. Heartburn follows and
is oh, so worth it. One must order them “all the way” here or the counter help
will look at you like you’re a Yankee Fan in Red Sox Nation. Don’t know what
“all the way” means? You can stop reading now, then. <i>424 Smith St, 331-5349</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cosmic Steak and Pizza,
Warwick<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We have been eating the wieners at Cosmic since we were
in, ahem, high school. And a visit to this Warwick institution, which has been
proudly serving great grub since 1976, on a recent Saturday night shows not
much has changed. Teens and families wait patiently at the counter for the
plethora of tasty treats on the menu: everything from fresh salads to baked
pastas to steak sandwiches to pepperoni pies to hot wieners. And, oh the
wieners are top-notch. The buns are always properly steamed-never a tough or
waterlogged bun to be had here. The meat sauce is terrific and we always end up
with some crispy fries to go along with the tasty wieners. These babies have
that “snap” that you look for in a good wiener.<i>1141 Post Rd, 781-5410 <a href="http://www.cosmicri.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.cosmicri.com</span></a></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rod's Grill, Warren<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Rodriguez
family has been building hot wieners here using the same recipe for more than
50 years. The grandkids run it now using the same recipes Grandma Rodriguez
used. Rod’s is a townie kind of place, a greasy spoon that serves up cheap eats
and everybody knows everybody else’s name. We’re talking traditional comfort
food here. Large portions to fill the fishermen and other blue collar workers
bellies are the norm. The family takes great care to make you feel like you are
a long lost relative. We like our wieners here with a little extra mustard and
extra meat sauce. Don’t forget to add some fries on the side and a coffee milk
never hurt anyone! <i>6 Washington St, Warren, 245-9405</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-51031628814959578362012-04-01T08:44:00.001-07:002012-04-01T08:44:05.977-07:00Rhode Island Food Trail: Stuffies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Rhode Island Food Trail: Stuffies<br /><br />by Johnette Rodriguez<br /><br />
<br />Although you'll find many versions of stuffed clams around New England, it's only in Li'l Rhody that they're called "stuffies," and there are as many variations of them within the borders of this tiny state as there are delis, pizza shops, grocery stores, seafood shacks, fish markets, and upscale eateries to make them.<br /><br />As with many other bread-based dishes, stuffies came into existence to stretch budgets and to provide carb-stoking meals for fishermen, farmers, and other long-day laborers. In Rhode Island, stuffies begin with quahogs, the clams in those big shells with the purple markings inside, once polished for wampum by Native Americans. <br />
To make stuffies, you first shuck the quahogs, capture their juice, and add some extra clam juice to moisten the bread cubes or cracker crumbs. Some stuffie cooks add chopped onion, celery, and sweet or hot peppers; some spice the mix like Thanksgiving stuffing; others make a Portuguese stew, complete with chourico. Still others swear that a true stuffie should taste only like chopped quahogs and clam-juice-soaked bread--just add your own hot sauce or lemon juice on top. One old-timer, who once made thousands of stuffies by hand at his Warwick fish market years ago, used to say, "Putting sausage in a stuffie is like putting raisins in meatballs." So there you have it--something for every taste, simple to spicy.<br /><br />Amaral's Fish and Chips<br />For your basic stuffie, head to Amaral's. This shop prides itself on letting the seafood shine through: delectable clams seasoned with onion, celery, and spices, crispy on the top from baking in a hot oven. 4 Redmond St., Warren. 401-247-0675; amaralsfishandchips.com <br />
<br />
Champlin's Seafood<br />Besides "basic" stuffies, these folks also offer "casino stuffies" with bacon and "Portuguese stuffies" with chourico and a hint of green pepper. 256 Great Island Road, Narragansett. 401-783-3152; champlins.com<br /><br />Quito's Restaurant & Bar<br />Quito's makes its stuffies with an even smokier taste. They're about the same size as Champlin's; the texture's a bit heavier, but they're still quite good. 411 Thames St., Bristol. 401-253-4500, quitosrestaurant.com<br /><br />Anthony's Seafood<br /> Anthony's stuffies come in both mild and hot options: roasted peppers in the low-key version, cherry peppers in the spicier one. Both include a bit of chourico and a ton of chopped clams. 963 Aquidneck Ave., Middletown. 401-846-9620, 401-848-5058; anthonysseafood.net<br /><br />The Commons Lunch<br /> Commons' stuffies come in heaping portions--a bit spicy, with lots of clams, and both regular sausage and chourico, keeping the dish moist and meaty. 48 Commons, Little Compton. 401-635-4388</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-37204057834190725982012-04-01T07:44:00.001-07:002012-04-01T07:44:07.970-07:00Stuffies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Stuffies are stuffed Quohogs. Quohogs are clams. Ergo,
stuffies are stuffed clams…and delicious ones at that! Usually well spiced with
clams, pepper sauce, lemon, bread crumbs, onions, peppers, then stuffed in a
clam shell, baked, and served with lemon and hot pepper sauce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849039820904159557.post-36268711127071843142011-08-09T15:42:00.001-07:002011-08-09T15:42:51.082-07:00Romancing the clam: The great stuffie wars of RI's South County <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ah, a day at the beach. There’s no better and cheaper way to relax than getting out to the shore in the summer. An old towel, a bathing suit and 50 cents worth of sunscreen and you are on your way. All that salt air and swimming just beckons a seafood meal right around lunchtime. Then you find that a typical plate of fried clams runs about $18. And a good lobster roll? Forget about it. So what’s a tapped-out beach bum to do? Well, in Rhode Island you can turn to the Stuffie; a quahog (a huge cold water hard shell clam) stuffed with seafood stuffing and spices. A few stuffies and a beer is tasty, filling and can get you your seafood fix for about ten bucks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Rhode Island concoction</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stuffies are served virtually everywhere in Southern New England but are mostly considered a Rhode Island contribution. In fact the word “quahog” (pronounced ko-hog) originally came from the Narragansett and Wampanoag Indians indigenous to the Bay. Besides, Quahog, RI is the fictional setting for the popular <i>Family Guy</i> animated comedy. And if anyone carries a sense of authenticity and gravitas, it’s <i>Stewie</i>. How can you argue with that kind of research?<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s all about balance</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In order to find the best stuffie in South County, we brought in Boston’s </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/juliagrimaldi"><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Chef Julia Grimaldi</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> as a guest judge. Grimaldi is a Boston University-educated personal chef and a Program Manager for the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. But even more, she loves a good stuffed clam. As we worked through the various offerings at a number of popular restaurants, we found that the basic ingredients are pretty simple: chopped quahog meat, breading, and a combination of vegetables that can include celery, onion, peppers, and a variety of spices. The meat is scooped from the clam, chopped, mixed with the stuffing mixture, stuffed back in the shell and either baked or fried. They all seem to be garnished with greens, most commonly mesclun mix. While the ingredients varied only a little between restaurants, the balance of clams to stuffing, cooking technique, and attention to managing the flavor and texture profiles turned out surprisingly different experiences in the mouth. As you might guess, there was a big difference between the kitchens that make their stuffies in-house and those that get the pre-made, frozen food service offerings. Here are five of the area's better seafood restaurants we sampled.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5th Place: </span></b><a href="http://champlins.com/menu.html"><b><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Champlins Seafood</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Narragansett $5.99/order of 2</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Located on the pier adjacent to the Block Island Ferry on Great Island Road, Champlins offers an expansive menu in a walk-up counter service setting. The second floor location offers a great view of the river, and there are options for inside and outside dining. Champlins buys their stuffies premade, and unfortunately, you can tell. They are prepared either baked or deep-fried. Either way, we found the texture to be overly soft, bready, and under-seasoned. We had to search for the clams and overall we were underwhelmed. Now, don’t write off Champlins. The place is hopping and we watched big plates of food going by our table that looked and smelled fantastic. But on this day, their stuffie did not measure up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4th Place: </span></b><a href="http://www.starboardgalleyrestaurant.com/"><b><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Starboard Galley</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Narragansett $2.25/ea.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Starboard Galley is located just across the street from Scarborough Beach and leads with an informal atmosphere and a view of the ocean. They do a great takeout business and have a small game room with pool table and air hockey. Chef Grimaldi proved that she learned about more than just food during her career as she rallied to a stunning 7-5 victory in air hockey over our humbled writer. But back to the task at hand. The stuffies were served up hot and fast, and truth be said, they weren’t bad. Peppers, celery and onion were all present and accounted for and the clams were tender. But overall, these were a bit bland and needed lemon and Tabasco to bring out what flavor they had. If the competition was not so stiff, these would have fared much better. Still, at $2.25 each, there are no complaints here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3rd Place: </span></b><a href="http://www.rhodyoysters.com/menu.html"><b><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Matunuck Oyster Bar</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, E. Matunuck $3.95/ea.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The simplest way to put it is that everything about The Matunuck Oyster Bar is beautiful. From the breathtaking view of Potter Pond, to the artful preparation of each dish, everything is visually striking. In fact, of all the stuffies we sampled, these were the most distinctive in both appearance and in the quality of the ingredients. Starting with a house recipe, these quahogs incorporated chopped Chourico and cherry peppers. The clams were coarsely chopped, leaving big chunks of the clams in the mix. The breading was the most aggressively spiced and interesting. We <i>wanted</i> to love these stuffies! But for all the multi-layered flavors, the total effect didn’t realize the promise of the ingredients and apparent care applied. The individual parts didn’t seem to coalesce as a single experience. In addition, the big chunks of clams were dry and chewy, most likely from over cooking. This distraction put these stuffies squarely in the middle of the pack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2nd Place: </span></b><a href="http://www.redstriperestaurants.com/narragansett/"><b><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Red Stripe</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Narragansett $2.99/ea.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sister to the popular eatery in Waverly Square, Providence, Red Stripe has recently opened a new location on Pt. Judith Road. Hailing as an “American Brasserie,” the restaurant brings a continental flair to well-prepared, if not up-scale dining. Our first thought when sampling the stuffies here was “This is what people think of when they think of what a stuffie should be.” Like a great all-around athlete that excels at no single thing yet performs well in all areas, these stuffies were beautifully balanced. They have the optimal proportions between the tender clams and rich, buttery stuffing. The texture was enhanced by a counterpoint played between the slightly crunchy veggies and the soft, almost velvety breading. And did I mention the wonderfully rich buttery notes? Tempered with the slightest bit of lemon juice or tart Tabasco, these were a special experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1st Place: </span></b><a href="http://www.capnjacksrestaurant.com/"><b><span style="color: #336699; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Captain Jack’s</span></b></a><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Narragansett $2.99/ea.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Captain Jack’s is closing in on 40 years of service in South County. A family owned and run business, the restaurant focuses on creating seafood fare for the whole family. No exotic ingredients, cutting edge recipes or trendy gimmicks–just the freshest items prepared in a simple, straightforward way. In fact, even the owners and the staff have an “Aw shucks” way about them. But for all of this understatement, Captain Jack’s stuffies ruled the day. The first thing you will notice about them is the marvelous crispy crust on the top of the breading. They achieve this crunch by flash-frying the quahogs and then finishing them off in the oven. The crunchy shell conceals the mixture below which is an exercise in culinary restraint and subtle goodness. The chefs at Jack’s managed the best balance between clams and stuffing. The clam meat was minced fine, releasing ample clammy flavor, while allowing the flesh to cook to tender perfection without being dry or tough. The stuffing inside was savory and delicious, leading with spices reminiscent of Bay Seasoning, perfectly sautéed minced celery, onion, and a hint of parsley. Contributing flavors from the veggies and seasonings were recognizable individually, yet at the same time they harmonized in a single event in the mouth. Flavorful enough to eat plain, this crispy number also serves as a great platform to layer more intense flavors such as lemon juice, Tabasco, or cocktail sauce. This stuffie proves once again that a good recipe prepared with thought and care is surely greater than the sum of its parts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stuffies are not likely to replace baked stuffed lobster as a last meal request on death row. But if you have a hankering for fish on a budget, or if you just want a quick, cheap and delicious meal, the stuffie delivers fullness and satisfaction. And they are sold in just about every in Rhode Island seafood joint. Click on the names of the restaurants in the headings above to see their complete menus, hours and get directions. And don’t forget the sunscreen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com