Rhode Island Summer Bucket List

Photograph courtesy of the Town Dock.

Impress everyone at the cookout with your Rhody culinary skills.
Seal the deal on your obsession with all things Ocean State by bringing one of these tasty treats to share.
Rhode Island-Style Calamari
Courtesy of the Town Dock

Vegetable oil, for frying
¾ cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 lb. calamari tubes (cut into ½-inch
rings) and tentacles (trimmed)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Pickled hot cherry peppers, sliced
Pepperoncini rings, sliced
1 Tbsp pepperoncini juice

Heat oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Coat pan with about ¼ inch of oil.
Mix flour, garlic powder and pepper in a plastic bag.
Add calamari rings and tentacles into the bag and shake to coat.
Shake off excess flour and add ½ pound calamari to skillet when oil is very hot. Fry until crisp and brown (approx. 1 ½ minutes).
Remove from oil and drain on paper towels, add the rest of squid to oil and repeat.
Saute fresh chopped garlic in oil. Add all peppers and pepperoncini juice and heat. Add calamari, evenly coating rings and tentacles.
Serve with wedges of lemon and marinara on the side.

Littlenecks and Chourico
Adapted from a recipe by fisherman Jody King

2-dozen clams (bonus points if you
dig them yourself)
Pinch of flour
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ onion, chopped
1 lb. JC’s Butcher Shop chourico,
chopped
3 cloves garlic
Red pepper, to taste

Scrub clams and place them in a bowl of cold water sprinkled with flour to loosen the grit.
Over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil, onion and chorizo to a large stock pot. Cook until chorizo is nicely browned, about five minutes, stirring periodically with a wooden spoon.
Drain and rinse clams, then add them to the pot. Drizzle remaining olive oil, garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes over the top. Cover and cook until all clams are steamed open.
Serve with crusty bread, local wine and Rhody-made cheese.

Coffee Milk Mudslide

2 cups ice
1 ½ oz. vodka
1 ½ oz. coffee-flavored vodka
1 ½ oz. Irish cream liqueur
1 Tbsp Autocrat Coffee Syrup
Whipped cream
Chocolate syrup, for drizzling

Combine ice, liquors and Autocrat coffee syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into two glasses and garnish with whipped cream and twisty drizzles of Autocrat and your favorite chocolate syrup.