Look Into the Past

When enjoying the food that is distinctive to a specific area, it is beneficial to know where these influences came from. For Newport, Rhode Island, the largest influence stems from Portugal. Going all the way back to the early 1600s, Portuguese immigrants began settling in the small state. For years to come, Portuguese immigrants made a larger home for themselves in Newport by creating houses of worship and starting businesses. It is no secret that their food has influenced the menus of many restaurants in Newport once you give them a good read and start seeing the trends.

Chorizo is probably the biggest giveaway that a menu item is inspired by Portuguese cuisine. The spicy pork sausage finds its way into many fan favorites of New England food. Corner Café, a popular breakfast spot mentioned in a different blog post, features chorizo in some of their omelets. I’ve also experienced chorizo in stuffed clams from another popular Newport restaurant, Brick Alley pub. This rare addition brings a burst of flavor to the naturally mellow pairings of vegetables, bread crumbs, and chopped clams.

Each culture seems to have their own signature sausage, and chorizo is no different for Portugal. The cured pork is seasoned with smoked paprika which gives the meat that reddish look. The sausage is normally crumbled and added to dishes to heighten the flavors a little bit more than usual. Eggs, potatoes, fish, mussels, and clams are just a few ways to incorporate the Portuguese star in a meal. Next time you’re skimming the menu of a local New England restaurant, keep an eye out for this powerful ingredient and remember the impact that Portuguese immigrants are still having on us today.

Below is a video showing how Chorizo is made:

Chorizo

Corner Cafe For The Win

On the corner of Broadway Street in Newport Rhode Island, a sweet little café can be noticed from a mile away due to the wait out the door usually right around brunch time. Corner Café stands as a competitive brunch spot with a more affordable menu than most. The inside of the restaurant is decorated with colorful throw pillows in its “booths” that resemble a comfortable window seat you would see in a cozy home. For those who maybe want to dine alone or just be up front and personal with the staff, there is a bar at the far end of the restaurant where people can be seated.

The drink menu is loaded with specialty juices that include mixes such as the “Vitamin C” that contains various citrus juices combined. They also offer your traditional hot and cold beverages. But, the thing that stands out most, and was very impressive to me is their bottomless hot or iced coffee. This already puts Corner Café towards the top of my list for brunch spots because I love my coffee, and who doesn’t love the idea of anything “bottomless”? Moving on to their full menu, there’s a little something that meets the eye for every customer. Omelets, scrambles, sweet delights, and Mexican inspired dishes are just a few of the offerings. However, don’t think the choices will be easy. There’s at least seven or eight options under each of the bolded headings. If none of the preset combinations seem to catch your attention, they have the ever so sweet “Create-Your-Own” section of the menu for specialty omelets. I do appreciate their very traditional possibility placed at the top of the menu complete with eggs done to order, toast of your choice, and potatoes. Sweet, simple, and always delicious. As if the decision of what to eat wasn’t already hard enough, there is a board of special offerings for that day placed behind the bar. The waiters/waitresses come take the drink order in a timely manner and give you a good amount of time to think through all the possible concoctions. The aura of the room is sunny and inviting enough to stimulate great conversation with good company, filling the lull we all hate of waiting for the food to come.

Not only are the portions enough to feed you and still take home those last few potatoes you couldn’t finish, and you will want to take home those beautiful, flavorful potatoes, but the plating is absolutely gorgeous. The colors are so vibrant from the fresh produce used and everyone at the table almost gasps at how pretty the food is as if it’s almost too nice to eat. Note that I did say almost. No one will be talking for the first 10-15 minutes after the food has arrived because everyone will be too busy stuffing their faces with their lovely meals. There’s not one displeased looking person in the room, and repeat customers are almost a given after the first experience.

Although known for their brunch, Corner Café also has plenty of lunch options ranging from quesadillas to a good, hearty burger. They are also newly open for dinner and accompanying this start up with the always favored, BYOB.  After having a memorable experience at Corner Café about five times now for brunch, I definitely think it is time to venture on to dinner and see if the night food lives up to the reputation of the day food. This is a challenge I’m up for taking.

Clam Cakes Take the Cake

When I first started living in Newport, it occurred to me that I would be eating a lot of seafood seeing as I can see the ocean from my house. I had no complaints with this and I was very eager to start seeing what all the fuss was about. You always hear people talk about “New England Chowder” and I’ve had it in restaurants not located in New England, and it was always pretty good. That opinion changes from pretty good to delightful once I ordered it from a restaurant in Rhode Island. At the Newport Seafood Festival, I saw this warm comfort food paired with something I’ve never had before: clam cakes.

No, not crab cakes. CLAM cakes. Fried bundles of deliciousness blasting with flavor from the first bite to the last. Just from looking at the golden shell of the cakes, they look like they should be dusted in powdered sugar and enjoyed for dessert. However, there is nothing sweet about them. The savory punch of all the flavors makes a clam cake the perfect vehicle for dipping into a warm cup of clam chowder. I have yet to find this food item on menus outside of New England, so this recipe has helped me bring the Newport spirit home to New Jersey for my friends and family to enjoy.

Below is the link to the original page with the recipe:

Clam Cakes

A Celebration of the Sea

If you ask a tourist in Newport, Rhode Island why they chose this town to vacation away from their troubles, they’ll give you a few answers. But, most, will say they come for the reputation Newport has for its delicious seafood. Newport is the perfect spot all summer long to settle in and enjoy the plethora of restaurants lining the main street of Thames. Tourist season in Newport begins in May, stretching through to end of September, and this is when the streets are booming. Many of the restaurants in Newport choose to be seasonal because the revenue of winter months cannot compare to summer. It costs more for them to stay open and they lose money from that so doors close usually around the middle of October.

The beginning of fall weather still comes with one last hoorah for the small town: The Annual Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival. This stands as the last call for tourists to enjoy all things seafood before the winter months take over. Thousands of people come to town and bundle around the stepping stone sidewalks marking the center of Newport. Large tents are set up along the harbor and each participating restaurant sets up shop. Tables and chairs are available for folks to sit down and enjoy their food and beverages along with a live band that holds the center of attention. The crowd can dance and enjoy the tunes while getting a last taste of some of their favorite food options.

Restaurants decide on a small menu that will only be available for the festival and the two dreaded words people hate most in 2017 come alive: “CASH ONLY”. This means that the line for all ATM’s in Newport wrap around its long blocks. The extended bar that is set up under the main tent is filled with people flagging down the bartenders trying to get drinks to go along with their food. Clam chowder, lobster rolls, and stuffed clams are some of the main stars at the festival. Some more extravagant choices, including lobster mac and cheese, also make an appearance and according to a Newport local, is notorious for selling out each year. Students from Salve Regina University flock to this festival because it serves as a treat for themselves to get seafood they normally wouldn’t on any given day.

To my disbelief, I saw a man eating a brisket sandwich at the festival, and I wanted to know why that choice when all the hustle and bustle is about the fish. He told me he has a seafood allergy and then it occurred to me that this festival is so good it even caters to those who cannot, or will not, eat seafood. There is even a section of three or four restaurants that bring non-fishy options to the table. Brisket sandwiches were accompanied by other barbecue delicacies alongside a Mexican restaurant offering their delicious chicken tacos. Even dessert is taken seriously here with a cannoli stand and a hot-n-ready doughnut shop. The sweet smell of cinnamon sugar and chocolate fills that tent, attracting the sweet tooth of many comers.

As 6:00 p.m. approaches and restaurants start packing up their material and the large crowds disperse, the first of two days of the seafood festival comes to an end. But, don’t think that’s where things stop, based on the talk of people on the street, it’s only right to go again the next day.

Below is a link to a video that gives insight to what the festival looks like:

Newport Seafood Festival

Sweet, sweet nostalgia

I can’t remember a time in my life when sharing a meal wasn’t an important part of connecting with someone. Growing up in a Hispanic household, meals were always extravagant. My mother would spend a whole day cooking for all major holidays, and I would always lend a helping hand. Even on nights where nothing special was going on, sometimes my mom would just want to make a ton of different options to eat so we could all sit down as a family and enjoy some time together. Birthdays, Sunday nights, or any time some family connecting was needed, a good meal would be a good place to start.

Living my life around an environment where eating delicious food and having good conversation with even better company led me to believe that the best way to start having a connection with someone would be to sit down and eat something with them. This thought process has not changed for me. I’ve come to realize that some of the best times I’ve had with my family, friends, coworkers, and even my boyfriend have happened when we were gathered around a table. Moving to Rhode Island was scary for me because I didn’t know anyone. I remember the nerves I felt when I first moved into my dorm and realized I had to create a life for myself in an unfamiliar place. After a little while I made friends and we all had one thing in common: we were all Culinary and Baking and Pastry majors. This means our appreciation for food was all at the same level and a good meal was just as important to me as it was for them.

Three years later, and many, many unforgettable dining experiences throughout Rhode Island, I knew I wanted to write about something that could influence the experiences of other people. Newport, Rhode Island gives people countless opportunities to sit down and connect with a loved one through food. Whether it’s at a fancier restaurant with a white table cloth or a dive bar with a loud band, I’ve found happiness in the atmosphere surrounding me when I choose to eat out with friends. It brings me back to the feeling of wholesomeness I had as a child when my family would get together and enjoy every minute we had with each other. That feeling is something I don’t plan on letting go of any time soon, and it’s something I want others to be able to experience when visiting the New England area.