Quahogs and kelp and more, oh my!
Hello and welcome to the April newsletter. I’ve been wanting to send out a newsletter more than once a month, but let’s be honest, we’re monthly right now. So hello to April and what a lovely month it’s turning out to be.
I know a lot of people think of me as the beef and pork guy, but I really, really love seafood. Brenda and I have been finally catching up with “Somebody Feed Phil” (love him) and watched the Maine episode last night and now all I want is some lobster. But until I get me some local lobster (support Maine too if you’re up that way) it’s time for some quahogs!
Yes, that’s right Quahog Week is coming and I’m always happy to spread the word of the Rhode Island clam. If you’re a restaurant or seafood market owner you can spread the word too. RI DEM is looking for participants to sign up before Quahog Week kicks off on April 23rd. All you have to is sign up at https://seafood.ri.gov/joinquahogweek promote local clams and you’ll get some love back too.
If you’re a quahog eater or shopper, then April 23 - 29 is the week for you! Head to some of the participating restaurants and markets and enjoy some clam deliciousness. There are also two open to the public events being held at local breweries. You can find all the details at https://seafood.ri.gov/quahog-week.
While you’re getting ready for Quahog Week, please check out two of the more popular videos on the Eat Drink RI YouTube channel:
Before Quahog Week begins, but overlapping it until the end of the month, is New England Kelp Harvest Week! Have you had kelp yet? You may have if you’re familiar with Japanese kombu in miso soup or other dishes. Sugar kelp is an excellent sea product and is catching on here in New England. There are two kelp farms in Rhode Island now, though I first tried the product from the Connecticut-based Stonington Kelp Company run by my fellow Eating with the Ecosystem board member Suzie Flores.
Again, if you’re a restaurant chef who would be interested in putting a kelp dish on your menu during the April 20 - 30 New England Kelp Harvest Week to promote this locally harvested sea vegetable, head to https://newenglandkelp.com and sign up! I know I’ve seen Ocean House and Weekapaug Inn in RI planning on kelp dishes and one of my new favorite spots in Mystic, CT, The Shipwright’s Daughter, has an entire Immersive Kelp Excursion planned. Check it all out!
There’s a lot more going on in April and if you regularly check the Events Calendar on eatdrinkri.com you know what I’m talking about. There's Newport Restaurant Week and Providence Pizza Week (lots of weeks in April!), the Newport Beer Festival and Taste of Rhode Island. These aren’t Eat Drink RI events, but I’m always happy to share these local productions so keep an eye on that calendar.
What is an Eat Drink RI event is our annual farmers market at Blackbird Farm. We’ve got a great group of vendors signed up already, including a couple of new ones, but we have plenty of room at the Farm Stand for more, so please sign up if you’re interested in being a vendor.
I think that’s enough for one newsletter. As always, please follow me on the various social medias for what’s going on in almost realtime:
I hope you’re able to watch Ted Lasso because it really is one of the most wonderful shows ever. Or maybe Paramount+ roped you into subscribing because Star Trek: Picard is the best Star Trek ever (ok, nothing beats the original crew, but this is so great). If all that is outside your realm of interest, at the very least listen to the new album by boygenius. Is this not one of the most fun Rolling Stone covers ever?