Tastes of Rhode Island 2023

Tastes of Rhode Island -profiles, poetry, reports, & reviews

Spring 2023

Photo: BS

Inspiring each other to discover our true selves and use our wisdom for good

Dear Reader, Welcome to our investigative journey: a series of conversations with a local farmer, a chef, and a fisherman; a foray into food poetics; reporting from the field--an ethnographic study of specialty food spaces; reflections; and a selection of restaurant reviews.

Each shared experience captures our engagement with the Rhode Island food culture, the state's dedication and commitment to sustainability, and the abundance of local ingredients provided by the land and sea. The local flavors of Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts are greatly enriched by the international flavors offered by specialty food purveyors--immigrants of yesteryear and today.

We hope our first issue will pique your curiosity and awaken your tastebuds--prompting you to take a road trip, explore a new food space, and, above all else, develop a new appreciation for those who toil, cultivate, and create gastronomic delights to transport you.

Very best, The Rhetoric of Food and Culture Team '23.

* * This collaborative undertaking is a product of the Rhetoric of Food and Culture class, an elective in the Upper School.

Bel Snyman: Humanities

Cover Photo: Appanaug Brewing Company

Table Of

Contents

Local Conversations Nature's Way: An Interview with Pat McNiff by Bella M. - 1 The Importance of Seasonal, Simple Ingredients: An Interview with Gary Comella by Caroline M.- 3 Local Fisherman Dedicated to Conservation & the Sea-to-Table Movement by Silas M. - 7 "Be Local, Eat Local" - A Farm-to-Fork Menu at The Shanty by Massimo D. - 10

Food Poetry Inspiration: A Short History of the Apple - Dorianne Laux - 12 A Short History of the Tomato - Massimo D. - 13 A Short History of the Egg - Bella M. - 14 A Brief History of Salt - Jackson Q. - 15 An Ode to a Potato - Silas M. - 16

Reporting from the Field A Portal to Portugal: Portugalia Marketplace, Fall River, MA by Silas M. - 17 Costantino’s Venda Ravioli: Una Veduta d’Italia, Federal Hill, Providence, RI by Massimo D. - 20 Good Fortune: A Pan-Asian Cuisine Getaway, Providence, RI by Bella M. - 23

Sound "Bites" ... from Bella M. , Silas M., Jackson Q., Caroline M., and Massimo D. - 27

Reviews The Mooring Brings the Ocean to You by Bella M. - 28 Brick Pizza Co: a Brave Space Making Waves in the Ocean State by Silas M. - 31 DenDen Cafe Asiana: A Flavorful Foundation by Jackson Q. - 33

Local Conversations Nature's Way: An Interview with Pat McNiff

https://www.facebook.com/patspastured/photos

Spread out across Rhode Island, with its home farm in East Greenwich, Pat’s Pastured produces allnatural products from ethically raised cows, chickens, ducks, and pigs. The farm was opened by Pat Mcniff in 2002 and is still currently family owned and operated.

and then I actually read a book by Joel Salatin who is in The Omnivore’s Dilemma that you’re reading. I got inspired by him. I’m an omnivore myself so I’ve grazed a lot of great organic produce in my life, but protein wasn’t what I did so it was a great way to learn how to raise all my own food.

(Bella MacDonald (BM): Have you always wanted to become a farmer? Why did you decide to become one?

BM: What is your main mission in regard to the farm?

Pat McNiff (PM): No, I’m actually from the suburbs of Long Island and I grew up not farming or doing any of this. I grew up with maybe a tomato plant and a few little plants in the garden. Our livestock was a dog and a goldfish and that was about it. So I didn’t grow up doing this. I went to school for undergraduate at Providence College and then I was involved in setting up and building community gardens in Providence. When I was up there, I kind of got the bug to want to farm and I was a vegetable farmer first, mostly doing urban agriculture, and then I grew into the role of organic vegetable farmer

PM: Our main mission is honestly regenerating soil, and from soil comes all other life that we see. I know it seems kind of silly because we raise animals and stuff like that, but the foundation of raising healthy and good animals is having good and regenerating soil and building on that. So, our mission is to regenerate soil by using livestock and animal agriculture to improve the overall quality of health of ourselves and our animals. I think that is kind of the base of everything on this planet. It’s where carbon is sequestered. We can really truly improve our lands by using animals to do that with human and animal interaction.

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https://www.facebook.com/patspastured/photos

Pat McNiff and family BM: What are the benefits of having multiple different breeds of animals?

PM: Some of our animals are older style breeds so they grow a little slower, but their quality of product is better. Some of them we raise are hybrids because we are trying to have that balance between having animals that produce really well. In order to be sustainable we have to have a sustainable income, and hopefully a profitable income, so we have to balance being a profitable business but also raising an animal that does well outdoors. Most animals today in agriculture are in confinement, so they’re inside, so we have to find animals that will adjust to being outside to graze. Picking the breeds we use includes a couple of different things we need to do: the breed needs to be calm, produce well, like to graze, and be in a pasture-based environment-- good with humans, as well as other animals.

So there are a lot of different things we have to check off when looking at an animal, so that’s why we have a lot of different breeds.

BM: Can you share a little about the evolution of the farm and how it became what it is today?

PM: Sure. So I went to school in Providence, where I got into urban agriculture and community gardens. I was really involved with organic agriculture and then I went and ran Casey’s Farm down in Saunderstown, and we had a big vegetable CSA, which stands for community-supported agriculture, and I really loved that.

Photo: Bella M.

But then I also really wanted to raise pigs and chickens and all those kinds of things. So I taught myself a lot of things and learned from my friends and good mentors, and started my own farm— which was originally Pat’s Pastured in Jamestown. Then I moved here and the farm has grown a lot since having no staff. Now we have a pretty large staff, we’ve grown in a lot more acreage, we process our own chickens, we have a kitchen we rent for prepared foods, we have our little tiny store, we do delivery, farmers markets, and we are working on shipping with FedEx and UPS, so it’s grown a lot since where I started in terms of agriculture.

Now I have a family, Marin, and Cavan, and you know it’s a great place to raise a family where they know their milk in the morning comes from our cow, the strawberries that will eventually go into a smoothie come from our garden, and almost every bit of protein they eat either comes from ourselves, other farmers we know, or fisherpeople we know.

So it’s pretty exciting to live that life.

Pat’s Pastured is part of the growing farm-to-table movement in Rhode Island, striving to raise sustainable, healthy, and tasty products. Led by his main mission of using regenerative methods to improve the lives of animals and humans, Pat works hard every day to ensure we are consuming food the way nature intended—grass-fed, pasture-raised, and all-natural. No GMOs, no middlemen, and no cages.

For more information patspastured.com

about

the

farm,

visit 2.

The Importance of Seasonal, Simple Ingredients: An Interview with Chef Emeritus Gary Comella

Linkedin.com Chef Emeritus Gary Comella Growing up, Gary Comella never ate anything that was out of season. His grandfather was an immigrant from Sicily, Italy, and owned a small produce shop on Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island. Gary described his family as a “food family.” He says that he basically grew up in his father and uncle’s restaurants and, as a result, he is accustomed to searching for the finest quality ingredients to use in his dishes. After graduating summa cum laude from Johnson and Wales University, the Providence native took positions in kitchens across the country and the world. He spent time as a chef in France, worked at the Ritz Carlton in Boston, is a two-time winner of the Los Angeles Chef of the Year Award, and has spent time working in various three-star Michelin Restaurants, including one in New York City and another in Amalfi, Italy. After traveling extensively for his job, he eventually found his way back to Providence, where he served as the executive chef at the University Club, a private club on Benefit Street, from 1994 until this year, 2023. Instead of retiring, he recently stepped down from his position as the executive chef, hoping to still be involved with the club as their culinary consultant.

facebook.com Gary Comella with Michael Benevides of Portugalia Caroline Moonan (CM): There is a story behind every decision to become a chef. What was yours?

Gary Comella (GC): So I was born into, if you will, a food family. My grandfather, who immigrated from Sicily, owned a small produce company. And he sold fruit and vegetables, starting on Federal Hill. And then, of course, his sons. My father being the oldest son, and he had two brothers--they all kind of worked the business. But later on, my father and his middle brother acquired a restaurant. So I sort of grew up in that restaurant; I started working, but never really wanting to be in that business. You know, I just thought it's just what my father had and did. But I had other aspirations. I thought I wanted to be a photographer, and specifically an underwater photographer. I had a pretty strong love for the ocean. And I was into photography, so I wanted to bring the two together. Anyway, that's kind of my story.

3.

Photo: Adam Haley

Baccala all Livornes

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But it wasn't until later on that somebody brought it to my attention that all I ever did was cook, eat, and go to restaurants. And they said, “You should become a chef.” And at that time, I was like, oh, no, no chefs are, you know, degenerate gamblers, foul-mouthed. I mean, because that was the image that dragged them. But at that time there was, I think, a stirring in America, where Americans were looking towards what chefs in Europe, specifically France, did. They were treated like really important people. I think I sort of caught wind of that and I became more interested. I dropped out of college. That's the other thing. I went to college, right out of high school. And, you know, I became disillusioned with everything. I really didn't know what I wanted to do. So I started working, and then after that girlfriend who actually said “You should become a chef”, I looked into that, and two years later, I truly tapped into something I love. I quickly found that out, especially after I went to Johnson and Wales, the second year it was open. So it was a good fit, and I was very happy and I did well. I graduated second in my class. I found something I was pretty good at.

CM: What is your personal philosophy or mission?

How do you express that in the dishes you create?

GC: You know, like anything, any profession, you evolve, you learn, but I think I like simplicity. But simplicity is hard to achieve, there is no perfection, but you strive for that perfection, the perfect sauce, the perfectly cooked item, just the right amount, and the right garnish. I think you have to start with the best product. So I would think that's my philosophy: get great products, keep it as simple as possible. I discovered Italian food later on, even though I grew up Italian. I just really got in touch with my roots later on in my career, because the first half of my career was mostly classical French cooking. I think the Italians do simple really well, with great products. I mean, have you been to Italy? You can see right off the bat when you're there, some amazing products. So they don't have to do too much. Of course they have history behind them and they're good at keeping the tradition going. So yeah, I think that's kind of my philosophy.

4.

GC: I'm inspired by a lot of different chefs. You know, I would say famous chefs. In 2005, I was afforded a chance to work in a three-star Michelin restaurant in New York, called Le Bernardin, which is run by a chef by the name of Eric Ripert, he's actually half-owner. He runs it with a woman named Maguy Le Coze. That was pretty inspirational to me because you know, it's all fresh seafood there. So I look to him for whatever he does. Daniel Boulud is another inspiration. But my biggest inspiration was a chef by the name of Paul Bocuse, who was like the king of chefs. He was one of the more famous chefs not only in France but in the world. I would read his book, from cover to cover, I would just keep reading it.

facebook.com Chef Comella leads a junior Cooking Class

CM: Could you tell me more about the University Club and how you started your relationship with the farm where you get your fresh produce?

GC: Yep, Four Town Farm. So I started going there, oh man, I discovered that a long time ago. A friend of mine took me there one day because I didn't really know there were farms that close to here. I thought farms were in South County, and maybe there were like one or two in Johnston. But he took me there one day--it just blew me away, you know, some of the products that they had. So I just started going and I started to get addicted to going there. I haven't had the conversation with [the new chef]. I said to him, if you're not willing to go, if I'm here, I would be willing to go and get the produce, as it starts to come in. Like right now, I think they're probably just ending their asparagus season--they grow fresh asparagus. And then also some hothouse items, like lettuces and things. So I just started going there. And because it was so close, I would go at least once a day, sometimes even twice a day.

CM: Who or what is your greatest inspiration and specifically, what inspired you to want to use a lot of fresh and local produce in your dishes?

I

CM: Research has shown that there's an increasing demand for organic and locally sourced foods. What are some of the dishes on the menu here that feature locally grown or sourced products?

GC: Right, as of now? I know that we did get some asparagus from Four Town Farm. And there's a company called Farm Fresh. And what they do is they source things from the local farms. And they're like the middleman and you can order through them, and they'll deliver to you. And then we were buying some scallops and those were locally sourced. There are a lot of things that are here that one can use. So a friend of mine, Elizabeth Curran, was a pastry chef, albeit she wasn't working, but at the same time was selling these scallops called Bomster Sea Scallops. It was a small family-owned business out of Stonington Connecticut, which, you know, I consider that pretty local. And, yeah, I think they revolutionized the scallops, because a lot of the scallops that you buy from some of the purveyors, even some of the bigger ones, they're not as fresh, they have ways to keep them, they preserve them a little bit. But these were all natural.

5.

CM: What do you think are some of the challenges with CM: Finally, you've talked about how you want to expand the using local produce? program to offer cooking classes to members. In what ways do you hope that the cooking classes will encourage people GC: Challenges are getting it, finding a way to get it, and to think more about the food they eat, how it's prepared, and getting it into the kitchen. For us, it's unfortunate, but where it comes from? our slower time of the year is the summer and that's when this stuff is really in full throttle. But I don't think GC: You know, I think people are detached from what they it's really a challenge. I mean, cooking it is not a eat. They sometimes almost don't even realize that it was a challenge. It certainly is the same product, but it's just live thing. And I think that people should relate to that and that the quality is a little bit better. So, the tomatoes, hope that those animals were raised humanely. But you you can't really buy those kinds of tomatoes from a know, it's difficult because people get into business to make purveyor. You can, but you'll pay a lot more money, and a lot of money and so, sometimes in the quest to make a lot it's still not as good. Because no matter what they're of money, they do not so great things, especially with meat. selling you it's at least a week, two weeks off. What So I think people should know what they're eating. They you're buying from the farm is a day, half a day old. It's should, they should really look at where it's from. But people off the vine, placed in a bin, and you're picking it from just go through the market, everything's in a package. there.

Nobody ever says, “Hey, where's this steak from?” And I bet they wouldn't be able to get the answer. But we do, we do CM: How important is collaborating with the local know where our steaks come from, we do know where our community and contributing to an equitable, vibrant, chickens come from, they come from Canada, and our and environmentally sustainable food system in Rhode vegetables, they come from farms right in our local area.

Island?

The University Club strives to offer its members a 5-star GC: Yeah, I think it's very important. I think it's more and dining experience (for more information you can visit more important when you are doing business with uclubprovidence.com/dining). As Gary has explained in this people that practice sustainability and strive for interview, one of the main contributing factors to the quality bettering the environment, I think that's really, really of their dishes is the various locally sourced, seasonable important. And you know, the other thing is we, there ingredients that they make an effort to use in every dish. are more and more places that are finding ways to grow The restaurant at the University Club is an example of how our own produce. In the craziest places, rooftops and, the choice to support your local farms is not only a moral or you know, a patch of land somewhere. Sustainability is sustainable one but also one that has the ability to improve an important thing, especially with the seafood and to the quality of the food you eat and your overall dining make sure that [the provider] is not hurting the species. experience.

That's important to me. I try not to buy anything that's not at its best and plentiful. For example, swordfish are abundant in late August right up until September or October. But it's a global product, so it's sought after, and people love it. People love swordfish, but you're buying it from God knows where. So you don't really know where it's coming from. And, and I'm really aware of that. So I try not to serve it until those particular times.

Caroline M. 6.

Local Fisherman Dedicated to Conservation and the Sea-to-Table Movement

the fisherman.com

The next time you drive past the bay on Aquidneck Island, or hop on an early morning ferry ride to spend a day on Block Island, I ask that you divert your attention to the deep. What you may notice, is a few trawlers out and about, with many fishermen just trying to make ends meet and provide for their families. Among them, you may even spot the Finest Kind II, captained by Rob Walls. Rob has been commercial fishing for decades and has been quite successful in the field. His trips have taken him all around New England and even the Continental Shelf of the Atlantic Ocean.

Complimentary to his earnings, he has been paid in countless tales and sights many would consider priceless. It’s safe to say, Rob Walls is an experienced fisherman dedicated to his career, as well as doing what he can to maintain a sustainable fishing industry for his peers.

Rob does not have the background of a typical Rhode Island Commercial Fisherman-contrary to many fishermen who are second or third-generation and have been raised on the water their entire lives.

Rob’s first step through the door of becoming a commercial fisherman was to pick up a quahogging rake. At the age of 16 he began raking and was proficient in the craft for a while.

Eventually he thought it was time to upsize and he purchased his first boat. Andorra was a 32-ft trawler that served him very well for decades.

Once he mastered inshore fishing, he began chasing the thrill of deep ocean fishing. He found himself carried to the Continental Shelf, fishing such areas as Atlantis Canyon, West Atlantis Canyon, and Veatch Canyon to chase tuna fish bigger than the sedan you drive to work. He has partaken in many types of fishing, but primarily specialized in gillnetting as it is much more profitable than other traditional methods. He has also dabbled in rod and reel fishing, long lining; where you place a long rope in the water with hooks spread out that hang down in the water with bait on them, quahogging as previously stated, and deep sea trolling. Another addition to the dock that came and left his ownership was the Amy Elizabeth.

7.

Today Rob has downsized to just the Finest Kind II. He still primarily does gillnetting, but less now, with the addition of some lobster pots. I have been out with him and seen several of these hauls firsthand. Some have yielded more than 30 pounds of lobster in a single pot. While I do not find much enjoyment in the long nights and early mornings of prep and gathering the pots before sunrise, I can find some beauty in the essence of being alone on the ocean, watching the sunrise, and doing something many will never try. Now that Rob has made a return to fishing the bay, the type of fish he specializes in has shifted accordingly. In the winter, it is primarily monkfish, skate, and cod.

In the summer, the emphasis is shifted to fluke and sea bass. He also does a fair amount of lobster potting year-round. Much of his current fishing resides in the Block Island Sound, about 6-7 miles off the island’s coast.

When asked what inspired him to become a fisherman, Rob became emphatic. He expressed with a sprightly assertion his passion for the craft. While he was not raised on the water his whole life, he gravitated towards it naturally.

AbovetheFrayAerials.com

He found great enjoyment in the outdoors, taking up fishing and hunting. He also showed an appreciation for the capability of being your own boss. When asked about his philosophy in regards to fishing, he stated that he enjoyed the challenge, being tasked with the goal of ‘thinking like a fish’.

He also has a sense of respect for the ocean, placing an emphasis on sustainability and conservation. I will dive further into the specifics of his ecological footprint in the latter part of the article, but it was clear that it was personal to him.

He expressed that his main motivating factor was the goal to provide for his family, but he also said something I found to be quite interesting. A thought so profound I am not sure Rob himself realized the gravity of his statement. “Your boat is your island. You need to care for it like it's your only lifeline (when you’re on the water)”.

When reflecting on his career, he again became excited. His biggest catch he could remember, was a 380 pound big eye tuna. To put this in perspective, the average weight of a big eye tuna is around 200 pounds. He also caught a large mako shark off the Atlantic coast. His biggest haul was over 20,000 pounds at shark's ledge, off the coast of Block Island.

Block Island 8.

Credit: AP

Although I was sad to say goodbye by the end of the interview, I was joyful about the conversation that ensued from my questioning. Prior to this, Rob had just been a friend of my father’s that was a fellow fisherman. Now, he is an individual with great charisma and passion for his work.

While I do not know how much more often I will be boarding the Finest Kind II in my lifetime, I have a newfound respect for their line of work. There is something holistic about being out on the ocean, casting the bait into a dark gloomy ocean, and coming out with food for millions of people. The sights, the stories, and the gentle demeanor of Rob Walls have given me and all readers an insight into the perspective of one Rhode Island fisherman who is dedicated to the sea-to-table movement and conservation of the ocean which pays him his living.

His most remembered sight was about 100 miles south of Block Island, on the Continental Shelf. He found a strange beauty in the loneliness; the only boat in sight on an open ocean. He claims to have seen dolphins, oceans, and sunsets, “all a man could want”. Among his lowlights, the only one that came to mind was the loss of his Andorra, in a near-fatal boat collision with a supplier's vessel on its way out to the shelf.

Rob expressed a great passion for sustainability and conservation. While he does have a slight distaste for the strict regulations of the Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission, he still expressed great caution in his haul sizes to ensure a bountiful harvest. The idea of overfishing to him was equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot, taking a large haul this time, only to miss out next time. He does salinity testing for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, testing the salt content of the water to ensure the ocean is healthy. He also occasionally takes out sea samplers from NOAA to inspect the health of the fish caught and observe patterns and fish behaviors.

Once the fish are hauled and stored, they are brought ashore to be sold at Red’s Best Seafood Market, where many local fishermen sell in a fish market. I was also surprised to hear that a large portion of his hauls are exported to Asia. He stated that an example of this would be the exporting of monkfish liver to China. He stated that it is considered an aphrodisiac in Asian countries and had a good market value overseas.

South West Ledge, Block Island, RI

Silas M.

9.

"Be Local, Eat Local" A Farm-to-Fork Menu at The Shanty

©The-Shanty/Facebook

Credit: Brittany G.

The sign says it all!

Local and farm fresh!

What's the point of eating local, without eating fresh? On a cool April Friday at “The Shanty” in Warwick, I sat down with head manager Abby Petrangelo. The Shanty has been serving Americanstyle dishes for nine years and they are opening another location two doors down. That location will be a deli-style restaurant called “The Cornerhouse”. Abby is proud of the fact that The Shanty is woman-owned,

by Ms. Kara Sheridan and managed, by Abby herself.

The owner, Ms. Sheridan has an interesting background and lots of managerial experience. She started her restaurant career at 16, washing dishes, then studied at Johnson and Whales, and went on to manage several restaurants, including one in Anchorage, Alaska.

Shanty’s past workers runs a farm in East Greenwich and during the summer, almost all of the restaurant's greens are sourced directly from her. The restaurant's mission statement is “Be Local, Eat Local” and they stay true to that by “keeping freezers out of the equation” to ensure everything is fresh.

I found that The Shanty changes their menu every 3 months, to serve what is in season and available from local sources. Abby noted that the salads and side dishes always change based on the season. One of the

Abby also stated that the clientele is pretty consistent no matter what day of the week it is, which is pretty interesting, as that is not the case in the local restaurants that I’ve worked in, such as La Masseria, Twisted Pizza, and BLU. Abby told me that the restaurant serves 130 people nightly from 4 - 10 pm. She also described the clientele as “cultish” as many customers have been coming to the restaurant ever since opening day in 2014. She said a majority of them walk to The Shanty as they live close by. She also said some of them visit The Shanty as often as four times a week.

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"Be Local, Eat Local" The Shanty possesses a cabin-like feel, with an exposed wood beam ceiling. It is similar to small restaurants in Vermont and New Hampshire. Though when I ate there the restaurant was packed, the waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. I ordered the Sweet Soy Wings, and the Fish and Chips which were both excellent! I think the seasonal menu guarantees freshness and promotes the whole idea of “Eating Local.”

©The-Shanty/Facebook

Beer battered cod and chips

Massimo D.

©The-Shanty/Facebook

The Shanty's sweet soy wings drenched in a sweet, sticky ginger and chili sauce and loaded up with chopped scallions.

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Food Poetry The crunch is the thing, a certain joy in crashing through living tissue, a memory of Neanderthal days.

—Edward Bunyard, The Anatomy of Dessert, 1929

A Short History of the Apple Teeth at the skin. Anticipation.

Then flesh. Grain on the tongue.

Eve's knees ground in the dirt of paradise. Newton watching gravity happen. The history of apples in each starry core, every papery chamber's bright bitter seed. Woody stem an infant tree. William Tell and his lucky arrow. Orchards of the Fertile Crescent. Bushels.

Fire blight. Scab and powdery mildew.

Cedar apple rust. The apple endures.

Born of the wild rose, of crab ancestors.

The first pip raised in Kazakhstan.

Snow White with poison on her lips.

The buried blades of Halloween.

Budding and grafting. John Chapman in his tin pot hat. Oh Westward Expansion. Apple pie. American as. Hard cider. Winter banana.

Melt-in-the-mouth made sweet by hives of Britain's honeybees: white man's flies. O eat. O eat.

Getty Images Photo: BS

Dorianne Laux (1952 - ) Photo: John Campbell https://poets.org/poem/short-history-apple

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Food Poetry Inspired by Dorianne Laux (1952 - )

A Short History of the Tomato The red skin penetrated by the diner’s teeth.

As common as Campbell Soup, taken advantage of by Andy Warhol.

The history of tomatoes, rolls from the Andes. Nightshade poison.

The seeds within, begging to be planted.

A green hairy stem, that tries its best. Columbus sailed them across the sea.

San Marzano, Italian pride.

Farms of the Middle Kingdom.

Farms of the globe, the tomato prevails.

Running from ripeness.

Hiding from soft bruises.

Praying for a summer shower.

Picked by a migrant, in a California field.

Reducing heart disease and cancer.

Tomato soup. American as. “Fortnite;” no one frowns in Tomato Town.

The tomato wears the crown.

Photo: BS

Massimo D.M

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Food Poetry A Short History of the Egg Oval in shape. Delicate.

Housing a life. Unless ...

Crack, split, pour. Clear, thick liquid spills out, the yellow just behind.

Humpty Dumpty’s life: ended by a great fall.

Paired with green dye and pork, inspiration for Suess.

For breakfast, the possibilities –endless. Poached, fried, scrambled. A side of bacon.

Pancakes if you’re lucky.

A wintery drink when combined with cream and spice –nog A staple of holiday tradition.

Delivered and hidden by the rabbit. Dipped and dyed for fun. Jeweled and displayed in Russia. Boiled and breaded for the Scotch. A question that sparks debate and argument: What came first? The chicken or the egg?

Photo: blueximages/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Bella M.

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Food Poetry A Brief History of Salt Scientifically speaking: sodium, chloride, Killers, on their own.

Yet, together are harmless enough to sit calmly on our tables, to unify and divide nations, to preserve the basics of our survival and our bodies in death.

Waves crashed on the shore in China, the momentum sent it to follow us in life— mummification in Egypt.

Salt is worth itself, but in wounds, it can amplify pain; Lot’s wife just another casualty of two cities, sins lost to time.

Evaporation—harvesting, Colonization—deadly taxing.

British East India Company, a march of 78, empires can topple like salt thrown over our shoulders.

A pinch here, a pinch there.

Scientifically speaking: acid, base, Neutralizing evil, we’ll create and celebrate a new moon.

https://koyuncusalt.com/

Jackson Q. 15

Food Poetry An Ode to a Potato Hard skin, unappetizing to a stranger.

A familiar face to many.

Apply heat and slice it open ... a persuasive assignment.

Harvested and placed in sacks. Prisoners to the pantry.

The face of a nation. British plunder ungratefully seized.

Buried treasure. How I long for thee!

Standard for one. Precious for another.

Oh, metaphoric vegetables. Don’t judge a book by https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/how-to-make-perfect-baked-potato/ its cover.

Diverse and tough. Aged skin.

Globetrotters. Grown far and wide.

They touch the stars. Interstellar tourists.

Incan feasts, Axomamma. A talisman for the dead.

Mashed, baked, buttered, and salted.

Cut thin and thick. Fried, and golden brown.

A satisfying crunch, encasing a fluffy interior.

“Happy Meals.” The language of love, my tongue is infatuated.

One leads to another; quickly the serving depletes.

Starchy and satiating.

Children hopping to the finish line. Weighed down by burlap.

Toys of a generation--waving to me outside the Silas M. grocery store. blooming in the dirt, fertilized.

Humble beginnings. "O eat. O eat."

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Reporting from the Field

A Portal to Portugal Portugalia Marketplace, Fall River, MA

https://portugaliamarketplace.com/ For Portugalia Marketplace, business is booming with nearly as much hustle and bustle as was seen in the mills that occupied the city of Fall River in past generations. When one thinks of the historic city of Fall River, multicultural is the first word that comes to mind. Portugalia represents just one of the many cultures present in Fall River. Once the home of a booming textile industry, Fall River is seen by many as one of the most dangerous cities in Massachusetts.

The violent crime rate is among the highest in the nation, in cities large and small. There is also a fair deal of gang activity, some of which I myself have borne witness to. However, many hardworking people brave the face of this ‘danger’ and with them come their beautiful traditions. From Cape Verdean to Portuguese, to Caribbean, to Asian, Fall River is home to many different cultures. Portugalia, on the corner of 12th and Bedford St, is quite literally in the heart of the city. The owner now of what once was an old textile mill, Fernando Benevides, has masterfully transformed the interior into a beautiful open-floor marketplace while maintaining the brick aesthetic, reminiscent of the factory that previously resided there.

while maintaining the brick aesthetic, reminiscent of the factory that previously resided there.

Portugalia is unique in the way that it draws the rich Portuguese American culture present in Fall River back to its authentic roots. Portugalia is a predominantly Portuguese-speaking marketplace where Portuguese people go to purchase premium goods they can not find at just any supermarket.

There is a balance of expensive goods, as well as very affordable items. Another reason Portugalia was of interest to me is because I, myself, am of Portuguese descent. My father’s mother was born and raised in Fall River by mill workers, and she lived there the entirety of her life. It is important to note that the market closes early on Sundays, which makes complete sense knowing how closely Portuguese culture in Fall River ties in with the Catholic faith.

I found Portugalia Marketplace to be quite unique in comparison to any other market I have visited.

Upon first entry, one may feel overwhelmed with

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many goods labeled in different boxes and crates. The first part of the store resembles an indoor farmers’ market. High ceilings, brick arches, and classic window panes adorn the entry to Portugalia. With three distinct spaces, the food emporium has a good deal of variety for shoppers. Castas & Trigo is the liquor store in the back left corner of the market. It has a massive selection of imported wine and spirits, boasting the largest selection of imported Portuguese wines in America. Ponto de Encontro is a small cafe within the market. It is directly to your left when you first enter, and I was surprised at how affordable it was. They have a small, but sufficient, selection of Portuguese pastries and sandwiches nostalgic for many of the shoppers. I purchased a chourico sandwich for $7 that was simple but tasty nonetheless. O Fiel Amigo (The Faithful Friend) is a particularly interesting section, as it is closed off from the rest of the market by big doors and a large glass pane in the back right corner, opposite Castas & Trigo. This temperature-controlled room houses the large selection of salted cod that Portugalia is arguably known for.

Salted Bacalhau (cod)

In between all these specialty sections, there is a standard Portuguese market. Handcrafted ceramics made of terracotta, soaps, chocolates, and other premium goods are showcased to entrants on the left, and on the right vegetables, fruits, and seasonings of all sorts can be seen in crates, cans, and boxes alike. Potatoes are piled in small wooden baskets, oranges are abundant in cardboard boxes, and beans, nuts, and other goods are labeled in tall wooden barrels. Other notable parts of the store include a deli counter, housing both Portuguese as well as domestic meats, and a premade food section with freshly baked bread. On my first visit, I witnessed a laborer, who must have been on his lunch break, ordering a combination of premade delicacies f from what resembled a large buffet.

Upon first arrival in Portugalia, I was surprised at how busy it was. One pattern I noticed, which was very different from my typical experience inside a traditional supermarket, was how fastpaced the shopping was. It seemed like a madhouse, a formula one race to see who could get their items first and leave the store the fastest. However, one should not assume that given the brisk nature of the shoppers, with that would come a sense of rudeness or disorder.

https://portugaliamarketplace.com/

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Portugalia Marketplace has found the perfect home in the historic city of Fall River, Massachusetts: a reminder to the hardworking immigrants that "home" is only a short car ride away. Not only does it regale the middle-class Portuguese of residents in Fall River, but it also opens the possibility of Portuguese cuisine to a whole new audience.

With every article published, boatloads of consumers travel from far and wide to get a taste of Portugal without ever having to set sail.

For more information about portugaliamarketplace.com

the

market,

visit

Credit: AP

Photo: Alex Gagne

During my time inside Portugalia, everyone seemed rather cordial, even friendly. I did not witness an overwhelming amount of socializing between customers. I did, however, notice very friendly attitudes towards the employees of the store, who ranged in age and background. There was a good mixture of ages among employees on my visits; some looked like teens younger than myself, and the oldest were what I assumed to be late-middle-aged. Most employees were Portuguese, while others were Cape Verdean. These friendly exchanges were especially emphasized among Portuguese shoppers, who communicated in fluent Portuguese with many of the store’s employees.

The location of Portugalia Marketplace could not be better in my opinion. It is very central to the city of Fall River, which boasts the largest Portuguese population in the United States. Keeping this fact in mind, I believe no city in the US could better suit such an immersive Portuguese experience, taking shoppers on a trip back to the “old country.” The lot selected for Portugalia Marketplace also holds great significance and irony. Being that it is in what used to be a textile mill, it holds a great deal of history in relation to Portuguese culture. Mills were used to oppress Portuguese immigrants who came to America and worked hard, long hours for pennies. It has now been transformed into a beautiful space meant to empower Portuguese Americans and remind them of their rich heritage and the sacrifices made by their predecessors.

Saveur.com

Silas M. 19

Reporting from the Field

Costantino’s Venda Ravioli: Una Veduta d’Italia * Federal Hill, Providence, RI

Venda Ravioli, located on Federal Hill in Providence, has been serving specialty Italian foods and products since 1972. Alan Costantino originally purchased the store, hence its full name, Costantino’s Venda Ravioli. In business on Federal Hill for over 50 years, Mr. Costantino proudly claims that “[w]hat [they] are trying to do here on DePasquale Plaza will help Federal Hill retain its reputation as the best place to go for an authentic Italian food and wine experience." Venda started as a mom-and-pop shop and has developed into one of the most respected, and popular Italian food emporiums in Rhode Island.

Venda has a specialty meat counter, offering common meats such as turkey breast, and as foreign as imported Mortadella and Capicola. The counter is a large circle and takes up the entire center of the store.

As you work your way around the counter, you’ll find the vast selections of cheeses, olives, and sandwiches. Some of the cheeses are as American as Land O Lakes American, and as foreign as authentic Parmigiano Reggiano. Additionally, the bountiful selection of olives includes pitted Calamata and Castel Vetrano olives. I would say that the sandwich and hot food section of the counter is the busiest. The entirety of the rest of the counter had three or four people browsing.

Outside the counter, there is a small cafe, shelves of imported goods, and two seating areas along the store's walls. Some of those imported goods include jarred olives, peppers, cheeses, olive oils, vinegar, sodas such as Gassosa, and Sanpelligrino flavors that are not seen in American convenience stores. Venda also sells its own homemade pasta and sauces.

The store itself sits on the DePasquale Plaza, which features additional seating during the summertime and is distinguished by its iconic fountain. Being on Federal Hill, Venda is surrounded by

Photo: DiCenso

some of the best Italian restaurants in the state, such as the historic Old Cantine, Camilles, my personal favorite, Massimo, and several others. A tourist may misinterpret Federal Hill as a harmless “Little Italy”, but it is far from that. Since its heyday, Federal Hill has been in decline in terms of public safety, and its predominant Italian population. It’s no longer safe to park your car on the street after sundown according to a valet I spoke to a few weeks ago. He said multiple cars had been broken into one block away from us the night before, as we stood in front of Massimo. Also, the close and tight-knit Italian generations raised on Federal Hill have moved away, many into the suburbs north of Providence. Now different groups of people have moved in, as the Italian culture of Federal Hill clings to the surviving restaurants. And while all of this is true, Venda has continuously prospered and continued serving its loyal customers who keep coming back for the Venda experience.

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As I walk in through the double glass doors on a brisk Sunday at 1:00 P.M. I can already hear the buzz of people talking and some shouting. That person shouting may be a worker behind the register or just someone's half-deaf Nonno. After taking in the scene, I hopped in line at the sandwich counter and ordered sausage and peppers on a hard roll. The menu of sandwiches is well-lit above the counter, but hard to read because of all the items squeezed on there in chalk, on the small blackboard. As I waited in line, I observed those around me. While you may expect everyone to be of Italian descent in this Italian specialty store, that was not the case! I observed a complete mix of different people, but they were all trying to achieve one thing, to be fast. And when I say fast, I don't mean sprinting around the store, but rather having their order ready, getting the credit card out, and getting out of people's way. I would describe it as a fast-paced environment. While I waited in line, a lady and her daughter asked me where to order, to which I simply replied “At the counter.” I’d think that this would be the obvious thought in someone's mind, but for a new customer, this is to be expected, as there are 25 people all trying to order a sandwich, clumped at the front of the store. I’ll admit, it was a little hectic! After I got my order in, I sat at a nearby table so I could see when the kind woman behind the counter had finished making my sandwich. As I waited, I noticed the pressed tin ceiling, which I came to find out is original to the building, before Venda was Venda. My

https://www.facebook.com/VendaRavioli/photo The orignal pressed tin ceiling

father, Angelo, who was raised on Federal Hill, told me that “the ceiling is the same from when this used to be the 5 and 10 cents store.” Coming down from the ceiling, the walls are yellow, but are hardly noticeable, as almost every part of the walls is covered with historic photos of Federal Hill, paintings, espresso machines, gift baskets, and even a framed Patriots Jersey.

Photo: DiCenso

https://www.facebook.com/VendaRavioli/photo

Photo: DiCenso Silas M.

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Everyone in the store was treated the same from my point of view. A very standard “Hello, how are you, what can I getcha” type of interaction occurred between all of the workers and customers. The staff's diversity surprised me: a mix of black, white, and Latino, and a mix of young and old were all working together to create an authentic Italian food experience. Aside from a Spanish couple seated next to me, everyone in the store was speaking English, staff included. When it comes to ritualized behaviors in Venda, I spotted a few things. One is that when ordering a sandwich or plate of hot food, there is no ticket system, which is commonly seen in supermarkets such as Dave's.

Instead, there is an old-fashioned line, and the same goes for meats, cheeses, and olives.

Something else I spotted was the social aspect of Venda. In the back corner of the place, there is a five-stool espresso bar, that is surrounded by what looked like patio furniture. And during the time of my visit, every seat was filled. In fact, as my parents and I were leaving, a patient of my dad’s yelled out “Doctor DiCenso!” They talked for a short while, and when we actually ended up leaving the building we spotted Vincenzo, the owner of Capriccio--an icon of classic Italian fine dining.

Venda also offers event catering, and refers to itself on its website as “Rhode Island’s Italian Grocery Store.” I could not agree more!

https://www.facebook.com/VendaRavioli/photo

Silas M. Massimo D.M

*Una Veduta d’Italia (A Glimpse of Italy)

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Reporting from the Field Good Fortune: A Pan-Asian Cuisine Getaway Providence, RI

Photo: BS Peking Duck

The doors slide open. As I step inside, I am instantly greeted by the quiet, calm environment of Good Fortune Supermarket.

There are the regular customers who are there with a purpose, and the new customers who are speechless, like me. Speechless, because I’ve stepped into this huge space, filled with new foods, languages, and customs.

Good Fortune is part of a fast-growing grocery chain in the Eastern US, with various locations throughout. The company is committed to “serving the Chinese, broadening thoughts, exploring more fields, providing more highquality products for the Chinese in the United States, and striving to become a leading enterprise of Chinese businessmen in the United States” (Translated from “Lucky Supermarket.”).

The store in Rhode Island is situated on a side road in the lower south end of Providence, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Considering the Asian population in Rhode Island is most concentrated in Providence County, with the second highest percent being in Kent County, this is an ideal location to be easily accessible to the local Asian communities (“Rhode Island’s 2020 Census”). The building itself is an old car dealership, hence the street name: Cadillac Drive. Its exterior has very few windows and looks rather dull, but when you walk inside it is an entirely different story.

Walking into the store, I see long, skinny aisles lining horizontally to the back of the store. It is dimmer than the grocery stores I am used to. It feels more orderly and peaceful. To the left, I see bins of discount items, a rack of clothing, and a counter with smoked hanging meat (Peking duck and pork ribs). To the right, I see the checkout lanes—where the most noise is coming from. I hear friendly conversations and laughter between customers and employees.

There is what sounds like traditional Chinese instrumental music playing in the background, cementing the feeling that I’ve stepped into a completely new realm.

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I walk forward and enter the first aisle. One side is a freezer, filled with steamed buns and mochi (Japanese rice cakes, in this case, filled with ice cream). The other side is lined with canned vegetables and Spanish spices, an interesting start to the Asian supermarket. I open the freezer door and grab a package of pork buns. I’m not familiar with the brands, so I picked one based on the packaging, and if there is English I can understand. I continue my journey, walking deeper into this novel world.

I am quickly overwhelmed by the vast array of products, all of which are completely foreign to me. The aisles and shelves packed with Asian goods of any flavor or variety create uncertainty about where to start. Especially considering most of the packaging is written in another language, any person whose first language isn't Mandarin will have some difficulty. However, many of the products do have English translations, but it is not always noticeable at first glance.

Photo: BS The interior of Good Fortune

Almost every time I was interested in a product I would have to take it off the shelf and scan for any English words to understand what it was.

Along with that, pictures were my best friend.

They were present on many of the items in the store and helped me quickly identify what things were. This aspect of the products made the store a much more accessible and pleasant shopping experience for anyone, regardless of background.

味全 - 叉烧包

https://ma.gfsuper.com/collections 23 OZ

The organization of the market also aided me when navigating through it. Although the aisles were long and tight, they were organized and each one was dedicated to a specific product.

For example, there was a row for dried mushrooms, another for ramen, another for teas, etc. Something that particularly stood out to me was the variety. Spring roll wraps come in any size or shape one could need. There are teas for every occasion or need whether for stomach bugs, menstrual cramps, or to quit smoking. In the refrigerated section, there are chicken, quail, and duck eggs (raw, boiled, or preserved).

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Even the produce section has more options than many typical American grocery stores.

There are at least ten different types of lettuce, each individually bagged. There are fruits and vegetables from all over the world, most of which I had never heard of. This is what makes Good Fortune the perfect source for restaurants. During my visits, I observed multiple chefs/restaurant workers buying in bulk (one was even wearing a chef hat). They were mainly purchasing produce, fish, meat, and rice. Each one would observe and hand-pick every item they bought, carefully selecting only the freshest and highest quality. It was fascinating how although they took their time to ensure they had the best ingredients, they still moved fast and with a purpose. It was clear they knew the place well and were very knowledgeable about where everything was. For them, this was a place they came often and knew exactly what they were looking for and where to get it.

(@philjordan.ig)

Based on my visits and observations, Sundays are restock days. I observed workers standing on ladders, organizing and filling the shelves to prepare for the week ahead. The workers all wear more casual clothing, most wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. However, many of them were also seen wearing hats and jackets because it was considerably chilly inside. I assume to ensure the entire fish selection stays fresh since it is so large and out in the open.

Photo: C. Luke

Lining the back wall of the supermarket is the meat and fish section. The meat is split into two sides, similar to American stores. On one side there are various prepackaged portions of meat including pork, beef, duck, and chicken. The other side is the butcher station where customers can ask for more specific things (and less typical) like duck heads, cow tongues, chicken feet, and pork hearts. Moving onto the fish section, there are many different options available. Whether someone is looking for a whole snapper, sole, herring, or mackerel, Good Fortune has it. There are workers behind the

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counter to answer questions (but their English is limited, so the responses are almost always in Mandarin). There are also various tanks, each with a different live aquatic animal. This includes but is not limited to, catfish, king crab, lobsters, and tilapia. This section of the store is not for the empathic. You might imagine my surprise a I watch interactions at the counter, and a fish is netted and then suddenly smashed with a mallet (two times—I suppose to ensure the fish is completely dead).

After this rather shocking sight, I became aware of the pattern of behaviors. Although there was no defined line, each customer waited patiently for their opportunity to order fish. The same could be said for the checkout lanes. On my first visit, I was confused about where to wait in line, as everyone was sort of clumped together. I decided to position myself somewhere random and hope for the best.

Luckily, although there was no distinct visual order, it moved fast and systematically. People would take turns and let other people go in front of them, creating a smooth process.

The customers varied in ethnicities, ages, and languages spoken. On Saturday, there were many families shopping around for their weekly groceries.

On Sundays, there were more individual shoppers, including restaurant chefs, college students, and

curious new customers. The (assumed) college students had a handful of random things, like instant ramen, soda, and chips. I heard a few different languages around the store, like English, Mandarin, Spanish, and one or two more that I couldn’t name. Regardless of background, most people seemed to keep to themselves, staying in their own little bubbles, and quietly navigating through the store.

As for myself, I chose to adhere to these customs. I interacted with only my dad and the cashier, choosing to spend my time observing rather than participating. I bought a few groceries and snacks to try, attempting to further immerse myself in the culture. Although I could have benefited from having conversations with workers and other customers, I still believe I learned and saw enough to give me an eyeopening experience. One that will inspire me to visit Good Fortune Supermarket often for the foreseeable future.

Overall, Good Fortune is a unique supermarket with an expansive selection of products.

Products that range from Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and more. Although it might be overwhelming and slightly confusing for firsttime visitors, it is structured and accessible to anyone. Good Fortune is the definition of an immersive new world, filled with variety and culture.

Salted Bacalhau (cod)

Bella M.

Photo: GP C

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Sound "Bites" 1.

"This course helped me realize and reflect on the different biases and stereotypes around certain dishes. Some of them I have experienced, but have never really stopped and thought about, like steak and masculinity. Before this course, whenever the server at a restaurant would assume the steak was my dad’s and not mine, I would just laugh it off. Sometimes, I would even avoid ordering steak just because I didn’t want to experience that anymore. I never noticed just how deeply rooted this assumption was in societal norms of masculinity, and now that I do, I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner. " Bella M.

2.

"My perspective on food has wholly changed, and that is from the mouth of someone who already had a great interest in cuisines across the world. What I will say is that while I always have had a great interest in trying cuisines of different cultures, I had never examined such foods as closely as this class required me to."

Silas M.

3.

"Food is central to a lot of cultures around the world and there are also a lot of misconceptions about that, especially in Western countries. I learned that Mexican food is much more complex than many people in the U.S. consider it to be, and I also learned that there’s no one “authentic” kind of pizza. ... The way I (figuratively) look at food has changed."

Jackson Q.

4.

"I found out a lot about mushrooms I did not know before. Despite their deadly nature, mushrooms and humans have a healthy and almost “natural” relationship compared to other food humans consume. A forager’s relationship with mushrooms is a living example of how the indigenous people lived in harmony with the forest to get their food - they sustained themselves while sustaining the forest."

Caroline M.

5.

"Food is of course fuel for our bodies but, beyond that, the food we put into our bodies is influenced by our heritage, and by what traditions we follow. Food in Italian culture is not just about eating, but also about respect. If I were to refuse anything one of my aunts or cousins made to eat, and it wasn’t because I was severely allergic to it, it would be very disrespectful."

Massimo D.

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Restaurant Reviews The Mooring Brings The Ocean To You

Photo: C.Walpole

As I walk downtown Newport, I can’t miss The Mooring. The large restaurant sits far back, with a large gated parking lot separating it from the rest of Sayer’s Wharf. Situated directly overlooking the water, the upscale dining location serves a variety of fresh seafood dishes and a long list of award-winning beverages, while diners enjoy the beautiful view of Newport Harbor.

January is a particularly slow time for the Mooring, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere– considerably different from the hustle and bustle in the middle of summer. With dimmed lighting, a burning fireplace, and vintage pictures of the ocean and Newport dotting the walls, I’m greeted with a cozy and warm feeling. Large windows take up the back wall emphasizing the view, while dark wooden beams line the ceiling—adding character to the interior. There is quiet conversation taking place at the few tables that have customers and louder laughter coming from the bar area.

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The hostess leads our party through the restaurant and seats us at a small booth in the far back. Our table is directly next to a loud, larger party, which is not ideal considering there are many other open tables that are more secluded.

Our server arrives shortly after we are seated and fills our glasses with iced water and brings a plate of dinner rolls with whipped butter. They are straight out of the oven and I assume homemade.

They are warm, soft, and fluffy, and paired with the butter, these rolls are possibly the best restaurant bread I have ever eaten.

For an appetizer, we pick the Bag of Doughnuts ($17), which are described as lobster and shrimp fritters. They are served in a paper bag with a side of chipotle-maple aioli. After the first bite, I am in heaven. The fritters are crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. There are pieces of lobster and shrimp noticeable throughout each doughnut, adding to the freshness and flavor. The sauce is dynamite. With a little bit of spice and creamy consistency, it completes the dish. The Bag of Doughnuts is a must-try.

Beer-battered fish and chips

A Bag of Doughnuts at The Mooring

Photot: R. Fisk

Moving onto entrees, I go the simple route and order the Fish & Chips ($25). The haddock is coated in a thick, beer batter and fried until golden brown. It is served with fries, red pepper slaw, and homemade tartar sauce.

Although the fish is cooked and seasoned well, I still believe the dish is overpriced. I could eat the same quality of fish and chips at a food shack for half the cost. Additionally, the tartar sauce was good, but to be honest it was almost too flavorful with many spices and herbs. I much prefer the simple, classic kind with pickles and mayonnaise. Nonetheless, my dinner was delicious but I’m not convinced it was worth the price.

tripadvisor.com

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My mom is unsure what to order, so our server recommends the Atlantic Salmon ($32) which is grilled and served with horseradish spaetzle (German egg noodles or dumplings), roasted mushrooms, beets, kale, and a mustard-dill sauce. My mom tells me it is incredible. The salmon is cooked perfectly, and the spaetzle adds uniqueness to the dish. The horseradish combined with the mustard-dill sauce adds many different flavors that complement each other very well. Next time I eat here, I will know to order the salmon.

tripadvisor.com Atlantic Salmon

Finishing the night, we share the New York Style Cheesecake ($12). It is homemade and comes with a cherry compote, toasted pistachios, and whipped cream. The presentation is pleasing and bright with the colors from the vibrant red cherries and green pistachios. The compote is interesting and when I take the first bite, unexpected. At first, the cherries are sweet, but then my mouth is filled with a sour citrusy surprise. It takes me aback for a second, and I’m not yet sure if I enjoy it. I take another bite and realize it is divine and unlike any cheesecake, I’ve ever tasted. Additionally, the crunch of the pistachios and graham cracker crust adds a nice textural component. The cake itself is smooth, creamy, and the perfect amount of sweet. We finish the entire slice in less than five minutes, regardless of how full we are.

Bella M.

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Brick Pizza Co: a Brave Space Making Waves in the Ocean State

Brick Pizza Co. is a pleasantly surprising modernized space in a town where not much is new and notable. It is a mid-scale restaurant located on Wood Street in Bristol.

I visited Brick for the first time with my family a couple of days after Christmas.

Surrounding the restaurant is Bristol’s Unity Park, a former industrial park being rapidly redeveloped and transformed into a consumer-friendly environment. Purchased

by Jordan Sawyer, Brick Pizza Co. fills the spot that previously housed a fire station, a rubber factory, and finally a fitness center.

Having just opened in January of 2022, it was an immediate success. This was a very bold move, considering the lack of attention that Bristol, Rhode Island receives, especially with regard to notable cuisine.

When I visited Brick Pizza Co, I was not expecting much. When I think of the town of Bristol, Rhode Island, noteworthy restaurants do not necessarily come to mind. Brick Pizza Co. is a bustling space, and this inspired in me a feeling of excitement as I walked through the door, welcomed by a very clean, spacious layout and an open view of the

kitchen. One must appreciate having an open view of a kitchen in a restaurant space as such.

It removes much of the uncertainty or anxiety regarding clean kitchen conditions and appropriate care for all food. As well as this, it involves the consumer in the kitchen experience, and lends itself to being observed as patrons wait for their dishes. I estimated there were likely around 150 seats, most of which were filled. I also noticed a separate banquet room that was completely filled, likely with a private party or gathering paying a separate fee. The restaurant was very tidy and well appointed. The whole room had a sort of shine to it, like a freshly cleaned car.

Photo: D. Sousa

Margherita Pizza

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My mom and sister shared an appetizer of Burrata, which contained burrata cheese and pickled vegetables and pesto paired with focaccia, while my grandfather and I shared a plate of fried calamari--served with shishito peppers, roasted garlic remoulade, and lemon -that was quite average. Speaking to the calamari specifically, I enjoyed the light and airy, yet crisp, crust surrounding both rings and tentacle pieces. This was my first time ordering calamari that did not come with banana peppers, which I greatly prefer to the toasted shishito peppers I was served. While the crust’s texture was good, the seasoning left much to be desired, lacking a flavor identity. What I mean by this is that, while they did excel at making a beautiful crust for the calamari, there was no flavor to it and it was extremely bland. The roasted garlic remoulade, like the rest of the course, also lacked flavor in the barely noticeable pool of red sauce that was on my plate (5.5/10).

The waitress returned after we had finished our appetizers, and took our orders. I ordered “Brick Bolognese”; a combination of pork, beef, and veal, in a bolognese sauce, served on homemade rigatoni pasta. My bolognese was enjoyable, but by no means exceptional. The rigatoni was absolutely the star of the show, however. It had the chewy, doughy feeling that only homemade pasta can get. A consumer could absolutely separate the quality of the homemade dough they used to make my rigatoni from the dry product sold at the supermarkets. The bolognese sauce was certainly unremarkable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (7.4/10).

Another member of our party ordered the vegetarian pizza--it was a doughy, brick oven pizza, with the amount of chew to the crust that I tend to enjoy. The peppers, onions, spinach, mushrooms, butternut squash, and mozzarella were standard, and the sauce was also quite average. However, the brick oven and homemade dough did make a much more enticing dish, and a slightly above average pizza as far as brick oven pizzas are concerned (6.8/10).

I feel that the beautiful layout of the restaurant, all the way down to the craftsmanship of the wooden tables is the focal point of the experience this restaurant provides. While the food was above average from my experience, it did not generate any real excitement from me as good food can have the power to do. Brick Pizza Co. plays its role quite well, not daring to step outside of the box much. I feel that Brick Pizza Co. is simply following the suit of its peers.

Chasing the trend of newly opened restaurants that carry a similar aesthetic; chasing an authentic Italian cuisine using high quality ingredients and a classy, but fairly casual, feel, while giving an open view to the kitchen to provide gastronomic transparency as well as entertainment.

Jackson Silas M. Q.

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DenDen Cafe Asiana: A Flavorful Foundation

@2017 Den Den Hospitality

There’s no overwhelming smell when you enter DenDen in Providence, but stay long enough and you’ll start to notice all the subtle delights of the food.

Walking in, you’ll first notice the tables off to the right, and then the counter straight ahead of the door, with the menu marked neatly in chalk above it. If you’re lucky, there won’t be much of a line. You’ll walk past the rustic-looking brick walls when being led to a table. On the menu you’re given, you’ll read all about the tofu stew with its soft, juicy tofu, the earthy taste of the Jap Chae—a stir-fried noodle dish, the crispness and slight tang of the Chicken Karaage— crispy, deep-fried chicken coated in ginger, soy sauce, and an assortment of other flavors, and the many other tantalizing dishes they have to offer. The folks at the counter make ordering an easy and quick process; all you have to do is sit down again and wait—not for long!

I first went to DenDen in 2019 with my friend and their family. It was also my first time trying Korean cuisine—what DenDen specializes in as well as some Japanese dishes (such as the aforementioned Chicken Karaage). I think the experience of human interaction really colored my first impression of the restaurant, and as I went back again and again, the food and ease of it all made my opinion grow more positive.

@2017 Den Den Hospitality

Chicken Karaage

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@2017 Den Den Hospitality

Hot Stone Bibimbap

When I went most recently, I ordered what I usually get: hot stone Bibimbap— consisting of a bed of white rice topped with sauteed carrots, squash, greens, and a fried egg—with citrus garlic soy sauce. Pouring the sauce over the dish, you can see the greens sizzle as it hits them. The spinach is crisp and dry, the egg is the perfect color of fried with a runny yolk, and the carrots and squash are soft and flavorful. The sauce at the bottom of the bowl creates a nice crust with the rice as it slowly gets cooked by the hot stone bowl. It had been months since I’d last been there, so to indulge in one of my favorite foods again after so long was a satisfying experience.

Napkins are available centrally by the brick wall and a server regularly walks around all the tables to fill up water glasses, if they’re empty or just half full.

I, for one, appreciate the proactiveness of that; I’ve never had to worry about sitting for an abysmally long time, thirsty, waiting for a waiter to come nearby. Oh no! Would you look at that— there’s not enough sauce for me to absolutely drench my food? Well, no problem! At any point, you can ask for more sauce, with no hassle and you’ll get it very soon. Once, many visits ago, I spilled some of the sauce on the table and was able to easily receive more. I haven’t needed this since, but just the knowledge that sauce is not such a finite resource makes the overall experience more pleasant for me.

That’s how many things are at DenDen: simple and easily available.

Jackson Q.

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Photo: BS

Tastes of Rhode Island A Local Food Magazine by the Rhetoric of Food & Culture Team With special thanks: Pat McNiff, Gary Comella, Rob Walls, and Abby Petrangelo