The First Del's Of the Season

Even after a mild winter, there is one thing that everyone looks forward to on a hot day; the thirst quenching, body cooling first sip/ bite of a Del's Lemonade.  It has the perfect size ice crush and real pieces of lemon.  Okay, you have waited long enough.  Here you go ..... just watch out for the brain freeze!

But one first has to work up a sweat to truly appreciate the cooling effects that a Del's has to offer.  I offer the perfect location to get a good sweat on first and then have it answered immediately by proximity to a Del's stand: The bike path in Warren.  Park behind the Del's Lemonade stand located at 65 Child Street, Warren, RI in the municipal lot; it has free parking.  

Let's talk about the bike path.  To begin with, it's gorgeous.  I just bought a new pair of rollerblades, that's right rollerblades, and needed to break them in.  With a friend in tow, we took off.  

Within a mile or so we came upon this sight:

This Save the Bay spot is great for a few reasons.  Let's say that you are with your kids and they need a break.  Not only do you have a beautiful view but you have an educational opportunity.  Further down the path, just over the Warren line and into Bristol, is another gorgeous spot next to a small wetland.

This small wetland protected by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is host to a variety of wildlife.  Just in the short time I spent listening, I could hear red-winged blackbirds, red-bellied woodpeckers, black-capped chickadees, common grackles, and two pairs of ospreys.  I also saw a few frogs jumping around and some tadpoles.  Just listen to these two pairs of osprey go at it:

All along the path you'll find families, friends, couples and a few people going solo to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery. 

It's free, it's fun, and its right in our backyard.  Twenty minutes from Providence and an opportunity for some wholesome together time in the sun or some plain old exercise, the Bike Path delivers.  By the time you get back to your car in the municipal lot, I highly doubt you'll need a reminder to quench your thirst with the Del's that is so perfectly located you would have to be blind to miss it.  The Bike Path and Del's Lemonade, how much easier could it get?

Hearty & Healthy Breakfast: Good Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Delicious and nutritious can absolutely go hand in hand.  Whoever said that to have one is to go without the other is out of their mind.  Point in fact:

Serves 1 hungry person

1 cup of Old Fashioned Oats (not the instant stuff)
2.5 cups of water
2 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of butter (optional)
1/4 cup whole walnuts
1/3 cup frozen berries (can use the real stuff if you have it)



In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil on high heat.  Once boiled, add the Old Fashioned Oats and reduce heat to medium, if you continue to boil on high heat it will boil over.  The most important part of this cooking process is that you constantly stir the oats.  

After 10 minutes of constant stirring, add the brown sugar and butter.  The butter adds a creamy texture to the oatmeal but is not necessary especially if you are counting calories.  It will take about 15 minutes of constant stirring until the oats are broken down and they release their starches.  It will look like this when it is ready:

Pour into your serving bowl and let cool while we add the last touches.  

First we will toast the walnuts.  I prefer to toast them on medium heat in a small cast iron skillet but use what you have.  First I break the nuts into bite size pieces then add them straight into the pan without anything else.  The walnuts will begin to release their oils and darken in color as they toast.  Toss occasionally so that any one side does not burn.  It only takes 2-3 minutes for the desired result.

Once the walnuts are done pour on top of the oatmeal, they will be very hot, so let them cool just a bit before eating.  Then, take the frozen berries and microwave in a microwave safe container for 1 minute.  

The end result will be warmed berries in a sauce.  Pour right on top of the oatmeal and toasted walnuts and voila!  By the end of the meal, if you can finish it all, you'll be satisfied and ready to start your day.

The other thing to consider is that you can make multiple batches of this at once and heat it up during the week.  Double or triple the recipe and you can ensure that you will have a heart healthy meal multiple days a week.  If its been awhile since you've given oatmeal a chance, now is the time to try it.  Plus its just so dam pretty, and who doesn't like to eat pretty food?

Go Take a Hike: Fort Barton Woods, Tiverton, RI then eat at The Black Goose!

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon where the chill of winter was finally starting to wear off.  I've got cabin fever, and the only prescription, is sunshine and a walk in the woods.  I chose Fort Barton.

This is why you must go to Fort Barton.  It is has fabulous views of Narragansett Bay including the Sakonnet River, which isn't actually a river but a tidal strait, and Mount Hope Bay.  You can also see the Mount Hope Bridge in the background.

Here's another representation of what you are seeing:

The video was taken from the top of the observation tower at the very beginning of the hike.  A few logistical things first: Parking is on the street across the Town Hall and is free.  The location is a bit confusing so aim for the Town Hall.  The hardest part of the trail is the steep incline going from the street to the trails.  

After the initial steep incline from the street, the hiker will face a series of up and down inclines, with steps, as you make your way to the trails.  I find the ups and downs interesting and a good workout.  The novice will find it a safe challenge.  Once you reach the trailhead you have a few options of where you would like to hike.  For trail map click here.  With my brother and sister-in-law in tow, we decided to hike the entirety of the Red Trail.  Fort Barton has a total 3 miles of trails so I think that the Red Trail takes up about 2.5 miles of that.  

We start by walking over a few wooden bridges with streams gently flowing underneath.  Hiking in the woods is my zen moment.  Its also the perfect time of year to appreciate the little buds starting to form on the trees and shrubs.  Everything is about to wake up and you are there just as its about to happen.  

Beautiful rock formations, moss, and blue sky.

Lovely stream flowing near the Red Trail.

Speaking of waking up, as we are hiking I hear the call of wood frogs in the distance.  Wood frogs, along with other frogs, congregate at vernal pools this time of year and produce a beautiful chorus of calls.  I found such a pool and here is what it sounds like:

Throughout the hike we see a few families, obviously kid friendly, a few dogs and a few solo hikers.  Personally I have hiked this place many times and have always felt safe.  My only suggestion is for the eastern most end of the red trail, the signs get a bit confusing to the point where we went off trail.  Luckily though, and this is the scientist in me, we found an owl pellet.  An owl pellet is the remains of the food an owl eats that cannot be digested.  When found, you can dissect them and get a "birds eye" view of an owl's diet.

Roughly dissected owl pellet with a rodent skull, various other bones and fur.

While I was dissecting the pellet a few kids walked by with their father who were already well aware of what an owl pellet was.  Now those are some educated kids!  

Once we trecked back to the trail is was smooth sailing back to the beginning.  The Red Trail is a loop so its pretty clear where you will end up.  We crossed a few more bridges, and voila, back to where we started.  

We're so proud!

Always check yourself for ticks!!!

Now by the end of the hike we were starving.  The perfect place to go for a hearty, decently priced meal that overlooks the water is the The Black Goose Cafe.  I got the Godfather panini while my hiking buddies both got the Et tu Brute sandwich.

The Godfather Panini

Ham, Genoa salami, pepperoni, provolone, roasted red peppers, baby spinach with a spicy mayo sauce

Et Tu Brute

Grilled chicken breast, bacon, fresh romaine lettuce and shaved parmesan with a stab of Caesar dressing on country white bread

Obviously fresh ingredients, freshly prepared with no skimping on anything.  Both were served with a side of potato salad and a pickle.  The panini did not leave me wanting anything and I left very satisfied.  The potato salad was adequate and the pickle was fresh and crunchy.  The view of Nannaquaket Pond isn't a bad way to spend a meal either.

So on the way out we notice all of the homemade pastries and utter deliciousness mocking us as we try to leave without one of them.  They win:

Needless to say, from the hike to the cafe, I've had nearly every sense awakened and fulfilled.  The zen from the walk, the camaraderie with my family, and a refuel for my tired muscles.  I do believe that this is a perfect day trip.  Its 30 minutes from Providence and an excellent way to see the beauty that is our own backyard.  So get out there, and take a hike!!!

Fine Dining Review: Eating With The Ecosystem

Who says going green can't be fabulous?  That the mere idea of making conscious positive environmental choices would somehow mean that you would be losing or missing out on something.  I'm going to prove to you that that does not have to be the case.  In fact, I am going to show just how delicious it can be.


Point in fact:

Freshly picked and shucked oysters with a surprisingly delicious addition of fresh pink grapefruit and orange with a few slices of local radishes and garlic. 

First things first.  This is a seafood driven dining experience.  If you don't like seafood, that's okay.  What will appeal to you is where everything is sourced.  ALL LOCAL.  That is the entire point of this particular event and the following ones throughout the year.  Eating with the Ecosystem is an initiative about redesigning seafood menus to reflect the variety of life found in our local waters. The mission of this project is to raise awareness about New England's marine ecosystems through creative, localized dining inspired by science; basically a traveling dining adventure.  Here are the dates and locations of the events:

3/20/2012 - Nicks on Broadway, Providence, RI
4/2/2012 - Julians, Providence, RI
4/30/2012 - The Dorrance, Providence, RI
9/10/2012 - Cook & Brown Public House, Providence, RI
10/9/2012 - Hourglass Brasserie, Bristol, RI
11/5/2012 - Tallulah on Thames, Newport, RI

I participated in the first event of sustainable dining at Nick's on Broadway.  Sustainability can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people.  In this case it specifically refers to the food on our plates, where it is coming from and how it is obtained.  This initiative takes into account both the fishermen and the chefs preparing the meals.  Brilliant.  

Now let's get to the food.  It was a four course meal of lovingly prepared and beautifully executed dishes with perfect wine pairings.  The reception began in the bar area where hors d'oeuvres were passed around.  

Hors d'oeuvres:

~ Pickled Salt Pond mussels with house mustard aioli & pickled mustard seeds (served in a shot glass)
~ Crystal Brook Farm early spring goat cheese crostini with Aquidneck honey & sea salt
~ Choux pastry with Narragansett Creamery ricotta & herbs

First Course:
Wild Narragansett Bay oysters with early spring radishes, parsley, citrus fruits and lettuces.
Wine Pairing - 2010 Geografico Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Chianti, Italy

I love oysters on the half shell.  This surprisingly textural combination is divine.  The soft oysters paired with the crunchy radish and fresh citrus is truly a wonderful concept.

Second Course:

Butter roasted Point Judith sea scallop, cripsy skin red hake with young potato, celery, lemon and thyme broth.  

Wine Pairing - 2010 Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare, Santa Cruz, CA

In between courses there were short talks from the folks who had collaborated to make this event possible.  Introducing the second course was Chris Brown, the captain of the F/V Proud Mary, President of the Rhode Island Commercial Fisherman's Association and the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Fluke Conservation Cooperative.  He and fellow fisherman Steve Arnold created Wild Rhody.  

The beauty of this dish is in the purposeful design because of the life history of these two species of marine life.  The sea scallop and red hake have a symbiotic relationship, meaning that the two species are interwoven into each others lives at some point.  More often then not, when you shuck a sea scallop, juvenile red hake can be found inside.

Freshly shucked sea scallop with two juvenile red hake inside.

Third Course:

Geer Farm black corn crusted Point Judith skate wing with pea greens, cabbage, chili, basil and crispy sage (the best part!).

Wine Pairing - 2009 L'Argentier Cinsault, Languedoc, France

What struck me about this dish was the inherent sweetness in the ground corn crust.  The skate's texture was pleasant and sort of reminded me or crab.  The cabbage was not overcooked and every bite was flavorful.

Fourth Course:

Dulse seaweed, vanilla bean ice cream with cranberry port wine compote, dulse seaweed-vanilla bean chiffon with fresh mint.

Wine Pairing - Bunratty Honey Mead

A feast for the senses.  The cranberry was the highlight of the dessert for me.  It was not so overcooked that you could no longer recognize it.  Conversely it was not too raw that the tartness was overwhelming.  Having a bit of mint in every bite brought all of the flavors together and melded into a earthy, savory yet sweet sensation.

Chef Derek Wagner is clearly talented and innovative and has an obvious appreciation for his staff.  His passion was showcased in every course making the diner yearn for the next.  

Nicks on Braodway was the perfect venue for this experience proving that sustainably sourced food can be appealing, delicious, and fabulous.  Its just one more way to make an environmentally conscious decision, and if that means I have to eat some amazing food along the way, so be it.  

Bakery Review: Scialo Bros Bakery - Zeppole di San Giuseppe

Since I can remember being in Rhode Island, I can remember these wonderful little pastries only available once a year just as winter is turning into spring.  I am talking about the zeppole.

All throughout my childhood my mother worked right off of Federal Hill and every year she would bring home zeppoles from Scialo Bros Bakery.  The significance of the zeppole stems from the St. Joseph's Day celebrations in Italy.  St. Joseph's Day is a big Feast for Italians because in the Middle Ages, God, through St. Joseph's intercessions, saved the Sicilians from a very serious drought. So in his honor, the custom is for all to wear red, in the same way that green is worn on St. Patrick's Day and to prepare a feast. In Rome, Naples and Sicily and Malta, these little pastries are sold on many streets and are sometimes gifts on this day. St. Joseph's Day always falls on March 19 and it is also Father's Day in Italy.  Joseph is also the patron saint of pastry chefs.  

All in all, whatever the reason is to consume delicious treats is good enough for me.  Let me explain my experience today at Scialo (pronounced "shallow") Bros Bakery.  As always, I am warmly greeted with cases filled with all sorts of pastries.

As I patiently wait my turn, the line is out the door and a fantastic sign that I am not the only who has unearthed the secret to where to find the BEST zeppoles, I look at the specials to determine which zeppoles I will get.

My personal favorites are the Baked pastry cream inside and on top and the Baked Ricotta cream with orange zest inside and on top.  I am always greeted by a smiling face and quick service.  What I particularly enjoy is that you can see straight into the back room from where you order.  You can see everyone working hard and using clean and safe practices.  I ask if I can snap a few pictures and amazingly enough I am given a tour of the backroom by the one of the owners.  

First things first, I need to see a tray of all of the beautiful zeppoles.

Freshly made and ready to go!  Then I am taken to the baking room where I am shown the wood oven where everything is baked fresh on site.  The oven is original and dates back to the 1920's.

Simply incredible.  Not only is there original equipment but the business is still in the family. The original owner Luigi Scialo opened the bakery in 1916 with his brother.  

He ran the bakery for seven generations with the help of his family until he died in 1993 at the age of 103.  It is now run by his two daughters, Lois (Scialo) Ellis and Carol (Scialo) Gaeta.

Carol is pictured here with one of the employees.

Just look at how efficient these guys are:

My tour has finished and now I can eat!  Both zeppoles are incredible and different in their own ways.  The one with the ricotta filing with orange zest is light, bright and fluffy while the one with the pastry cream is rich and decadent.

Ricotta cream on left and pastry cream on right.

I do not like one better than the other.  They are both so delicious that I think it would be a shame to choose one over the other.  Also, this gives me a reason to eat both of them which I find completely satisfying.  One more thing, look at the filling in the ricotta cream zeppole:

You can actually see the real pieces of orange zest in the cream.  This is no joke.  And this is the real deal.  

Stuff your face full of these and be part of the celebration, I couldn't think of a nicer thing to do on an almost spring day.

Restaurant Review: Iggy's Doughboys and Chowder House

This is a tough review for many reasons.  If you know anything about Rhode Islanders, then you'll understand where I am coming from.  Let me explain something to you, Iggy's is a landmark, a tradition and a state of mind.  If you visit Rhode Island, you are coming to Iggy's.  If you live in Rhode Island, you are going to Iggy's.  This place has been around since 1989 and its not going anywhere anytime soon.  

I think the best way to describe Iggy's is that it is simple and consistent.  After undergoing a renovation some years ago, you can see that the indoor dining area is sleek and cozy with fantastic views of Narragansett Bay.

What's nice about this "clam shack" is that the location in Oakland Beach, Warwick, is open year round 7 days a week.  Another thing to note, growing up my mom always said that wherever the older people are, that is where you will find good food.  Don't get me wrong, Iggy's has all walks of life going through its doors at all times of the year.  In the summertime the line is out the door and around the corner.  However, as I wisely choose to visit here in March with the strong winds gusting around the bay, I have ensured that I will have little wait time.  Also in the summertime there is outdoor seating available.  

Now the food!  Whenever I come to Iggy's I have to get chowder & clam cakes ($7.49), and a stuffie ($2.59).  These are my favorites and the chowder and clam cakes are what Iggy's is famous for.  The clam cakes are mostly doughy with a few pieces of clams.  I prefer to dunk them into the chowder seeing as they are more like a side of dense fried bread than anything else.  I get the Rhode Island clam chowder mostly because I can't have dairy.  The broth is simple with potatoes and small pieces of clams.  My mom got the New England clam chowder.  The main difference is the very thick cream based broth with noticeable thickening agents.  The stuffie has all the right components, just needed to be cooked a bit longer, the stuffing was on the wet side.

Now, my mom's way to judge local seafood is by ordering the Fisherman's Platter, coming in at $17.  Now let me tell you!  My mother grew up in New Bedford, one of the if not the biggest fishing hubs around!  My mother knows good seafood!  Oh and she's Portuguese.  Don't mess with her tastebuds.

Like I said before, everything is always fresh, simple and consistent.  The Fisherman's Platter has Bay scallops, clam strips and whole bellies (very sandy that day), shrimp (you can tell they were frozen and not whole), onion rings, french fries, clam cakes and a good portion of fish fillet (looked to be cod and the batter could have been cooked just a touch more).  It also came with cole slaw and a cup of your choice of chowder.  Oh and lest I forget that Rhode Island's own Yacht Club sodas were available, I prefer the lemon lime I think mostly for its insanely bright green color.  Mom opted for cream soda.  Very very good soda.  

All in all a Rhode Island experience.  Views of the bay while you eat and enjoying each others company.  Food is not fancy or perfect, everything comes in styrofoam containers with plastic utensils, but you know what you are getting when you go.  I'll avoid the lines in the summer and take advantage of the scenery when the crowds die down or when I feel like braving the line for a chance to enjoy the summer in Rhode Island.  

Iggy's is a tradition for a reason.  Come find out why :-)