Chow Rhode Island Update

I think I turned a corner in my development as a Rhode Islander this weekend. My parents were visiting so I took my father to the Olneyville NY System. We sat at the counter and I ordered us each a hot weenie all the way. They were delicious. It was a beautiful day. Everyone at the joint was in a good mood. With two sodas, the tab came to $6.58. I could get to like this.

As I've been pursuing my Chow Rhode Island mission, I've encountered expected trouble deciding what counts as a Rhode Island-specific foodstuff. Some things, like hot weenies and coffee milk, are pretty obvious. But other things, often pastries of Italian origin, seem harder to categorize. And then there is the issue of local branded food, such as Del's frozen lemonade. Does Del's per se count as a RI food, or frozen lemonade in general? In the course of wrestling with such issues I realized that it's time to make a Chow Rhode Island Master List. I expect this list will change from time to time, but it's a start. Feel free to suggest additions.

Chow Rhode Island

Standards
Hot Wieners
Coffee Milk
Jonnycakes

Clam Group
Stuffies
Clams Casino
RI Clam Chowder (the third kind of clam chowder)
Clam Cakes

Baked Goods
Pizza Strips
Spinach Pies

Branded Foods
Frozen Lemonade - Del's vs. Mr. Lemon
Cabinets - The Awful Awful

Shrouded in Mystery
Dynamites

That last one has me most curious because it seems from my research that the Dynamite is the one delicacy most likely to be made at home. A very unusual local treat in that regard. And, best of all, the recipes I've found look terrifying. So I'm going to attempt to eat all of this stuff. The possible wrench in this plan (aside from heart disease) is that, at one point in my life, I was allergic to clams. It's been well over a decade since I've eaten a single clam. But for you, dear readers, I will face down this nightmare from my past. I will eat quahogs, and I may vomit all night from it. And then, when the dry heaves have left me, I will crawl to my computer and write all about it... on the next installment of Chow Rhode Island.