A Fond Farewell

I’ve been writing about food, restaurants and chefs for SO Rhode Island since this magazine made its debut in September 2007, and since 1998 for its parent company which also publishes Providence Monthly and The Bay. I figure I’ve written hundreds of articles and restaurant reviews during my career as a food writer, which began in 1983. During that time I’ve also written several books about Rhode Island, its wonderful restaurant scene and its many talented home cooks.

It has been a dream job, but now it’s time to slow down a bit, and this is my final column for SO Rhode Island. I’m giving up almost all aspects of my career as of this month. The only thing I’ll be doing from now on is writing cookbooks and restaurant guides. That will keep me more than busy.

In 2006 I wrote The Providence and Rhode Island Cookbook, which was published by Globe Pequot Press. Last year, my publisher asked me to update the book, and The Providence and Rhode Island Cookbook, Second Edition came out a few months ago. The 292-page book has been totally updated and now features 30 new recipes from some of the hottest restaurants in the area. The second edition also features new color photography that illustrates how beautiful our state is, and how appealing our delicious food is – from arancini to zeppoles.

The book contains more than 200 recipes that are unique to Rhode Island, especially from the southern part of the state. I write about our beloved johnnycakes, the thin variety from Newport County and the thicker version found in South County. I sing the praises of Allie’s Donuts, Block Island doughnuts, May breakfasts and the breakfast sandwich favored by local sportfishermen.

And then there’s our amazing seafood – real Rhode Island chowder with its clear broth, the red clam chowder we enjoyed at Rocky Point and the creamy scallop chowder from The Mooring Restaurant in Newport. So many of my favorite recipes are in the book: Martha Murphy’s smoked bluefish paté, Chef Paul Shire’s calamari, Perry Raso’s baked Matunuck oysters, Normand Leclair’s clam cakes and Captain Stu Tucker’s quahog chili. Other seafood recipes include South County paella, Point Judith fish roll-ups, Block Island hali- but, Swamp Yankee quahog fritters, stuffies, steamers and the correct way to prepare an authentic Rhode Island clambake.

Did you know that everyone’s favorite appetizer – Clams Casino – was “invented” in Narragansett? Julius Keller, the maître d’ at the original Casino next to the historic Towers on Ocean Road, created this dish which became popular at the Casino before it burned to the ground in 1905. (No relation, but Thomas Keller from the French Laundry in California – recently named the best restaurant in America – was once the chef at the Dunes Club in Narragansett.)

Pasta lovers will enjoy the recipes for lobster ravioli, seafood pasta alfredo with Narragansett Bay scallops, penne pasta a la Snug Harbor and South County seafood lasagna.

There are several dessert recipes from Kenyon’s Corn Meal Company in Usquepaugh as well as one for the Indian pudding served at Aunt Carrie’s and another for the doughboys from Iggy’s; both those restaurants are in Narragansett.

It has been a privilege to collect all these uniquely Rhode Island recipes and compile them in my Rhode Island cookbook, which my publisher expects to be available for decades to come with revisions to be made every few years. I’ll also be busy with new books. Once that second edition was done, my editor asked me to write another book, The Seafood Lovers’ Guide to New England, which will be published this summer. It contains everything you need to know about the seafood scene in Rhode Island and beyond. And there are more projects in the works. All these books are available at major bookstores, gift shops and online.

When it comes to business and the economy, Rhode Island is at the bottom of too many lists, but when it comes to food, we’re right at the top. Providence is the best food city in the country, and our pizza beats out Boston and New York, according to Travel + Leisure magazine. People love to talk about the Red Sox vs. Yankees or the Patriots vs. Giants, but food really dominates our conversations and is always there when we watch a game. Wherever I go, food is always the hot topic. In that way, we are a lot like that great food city, New Orleans, where people at breakfast decide where they’ll be having lunch, and at lunch they make their dinner plans. Around here too, food is literally a way of life, and it’s been a huge part of my life for the past 30 years.

So cutting back on my freelance writing and devoting my time to writing books will give me more time to do the many things on my bucket list. There are so many recipes I want to try, so many books to read and so many places I’ve yet to visit. As for this summer, you can find me on my deck looking out at Scarborough Beach with a good book in one hand and a glass of white wine in the other.

You can reach Linda at Lindab2720@aol.com and you can follow her on Twitter.