Apple picking season has officially arrived in Rhode Island, and the above-average summer rainfall has strengthened this year’s crop. Local orchards are ready for crowds over the next few weekends, and many farms have a full slate of activities, including hay rides, nature trails, cider donuts, and pumpkin picking. NOTE: Due to last winter’s unseasonable […]
Food & Drink
Posted inBusiness
Gardiner House, Newport’s newest boutique hotel, opens this week
Gardiner House, Newport’s newest boutique hotel, opens on Friday, September 8 at 24 Lees Wharf. “A labor of love over five years in the making, the much-anticipated Gardiner House provides a distinctly Newport vantage point of the beloved spaces, experiences, and colorful characters intimate to generational locals – led by co-owners and local Newporters, Howard Cushing and […]
Posted inCity & Government
‘Stuffie’ to travel the United States promoting Rhode Island
Rhode Island Commerce Corporation – the official full-service, economic development organization for the state of Rhode Island -today announced that it is excited to bring one of the Ocean State’s most iconic seafood dishes to life, the stuffed clam, or as it’s locally known, the “stuffie.” Kicking off in key flight markets such as Detroit on Sept. 2, and making its […]
Posted inColumns
Tiny Kitchen Magic: Guacamole Edition!
Well, hello, everyone. Sorry for the delay this month. Sometimes, the real world gets in the way, but enough about that. Let’s talk about one of the most popular and delicious dips one can have: guacamole. Labor Day is coming up, and there will be cookouts. You may be attending one of the said cookouts. […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
RI VegFest’s ‘RI Vegtoberfest’ returns to Trinity Beer Garden on Sept. 23
RI VegFest, Rhode Island’s only fully vegan festival, will again host their annual “RI Vegtoberfest” at Trinity Beer Garden, located at Biltmore Park in downtown Providence, on Saturday, September 23, 2023 (rain date is September 24th). This fun, one-day celebration of compassionate plant-based living is proudly sponsored by Bootstrap Compost, World Centric, and Sam’s Solutions, and […]
Posted inCity & Government
$400,000 in grants awarded to help Rhode Island farmers expand market access for specialty crops
Governor Dan McKee and the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today are announcing that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded through DEM $137,983 in mini grants to Rhode Island farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and over $270,000 to DEM through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) to help Rhode Island […]
Posted inCity & Government
Oysters from Rhode Island harvester recalled following a Vibrio outbreak
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is letting consumers know that Rocky Rhode Oysters Co., LLC, doing business as Walrus and Carpenter Oysters, is recalling all oysters harvested from the Walrus & Carpenter Oysters, LLC Farm with harvest dates of 7/28/2023 until 8/19/2023. This product is being recalled due to a potential link of the harvest area being to a Vibrio parahaemolyticus outbreak investigation. RIDOH is working closely with partners on the investigation.
Only the Walrus & Carpenter Oysters, LLC Farm, in the Dutch Harbor area of harvest area 7B in Rhode Island is impacted. (The other lease areas in harvest area 7B are not impacted.) Oysters from this lease may be listed on the shellfish tags as B2015-09-105. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) closed this area for harvesting on August 19, 2023.
RIDOH is working with the dealer to ensure that the product is removed from commerce. RIDOH has confirmed that the product has not been distributed out of state and was only sold directly to Rhode Island restaurants.
Vibrio parahaemolyticus symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills. The illness is usually mild or moderate, although some cases may require hospitalization. Symptoms usually last two or three days. Children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system can develop more serious symptoms. Anyone who has eaten raw or improperly cooked shellfish and has these symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.
Posted inNews
From pandemic essential to the new normal: How QR codes rose to prominence
The COVID-19 pandemic gave black-and-white-speckled QR codes their moment in the spotlight—one many hospitality industry professionals predicted would fade in the coming years. To better understand how QR codes rose to popularity, Flowcode analyzed data from Insider Intelligence and information from news coverage and industry reports to identify why QR code use is sticking around […]
Posted inFood & Drink, News
Two Connecticut deaths linked to bacteria found in raw shellfish
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Two Connecticut residents have died this summer from infections linked to a bacteria found in raw shellfish or seawater, the state Department of Public Health said Tuesday. Three people in the state are known to have been infected with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which doesn’t make an oyster look, smell or […]
Posted inFood & Drink
2023 Charlestown Seafood Fest a great success
When a small town in the Ocean State holds a seafood event at a former Naval Air Station adjacent to a salt pond famous for buttery smooth oysters, it would have to be a success, right? This year, by almost every metric, the 38th Annual Charlestown Seafood Festival surpassed every expectation. According to Charlestown Chamber […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival tickets are now on sale
Tickets for the 18th Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Presented by J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, scheduled for Sept. 22-24 at Rosecliff, are now on sale to the general public. Closed since January 2 while undergoing an extensive restoration, Rosecliff will host 21 seated tasting seminars featuring fine wines and other beverages from around […]
Posted inBusiness
Kevin O’Donnell of Giusto and Mother Pizzeria in Newport appointed to the 2023 RIHEF Board of Directors
Cranston, RI – July 18, 2023 – The RI Hospitality Education Foundation (RIHEF) has announced the appointment of North Kingstown, Rhode Island native Kevin O’Donnell to its 2023 Board of Directors. O’Donnell started his hospitality journey at a young age, working various roles in local establishments including the Bonnet Shores Beach Club and Junction Pizzeria in Wickford, where […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
Brew At The Zoo returns to Rogers Williams Park Zoo on August 26
Celebrate the 10th annual Brew at the Zoo on August 26 at 5 pm. Guests will tap into their wild side at this adults-only evening event, where they can sample over 170 beers, hard seltzers, and ready-to-drink cocktails from 80+ local, regional, and national brewers. Partygoers will enjoy live musical entertainment by The Niteflies, animal encounters, […]
Posted inBusiness
Mother Pizzeria officially opens on Long Wharf Mall
Mother Pizzeria, a neighborhood restaurant by the team behind Giusto, debuts in downtown Newport on Wednesday, July 12, at 49 Long Wharf Mall (formerly Panera Bread). Mother Pizzeria, which gets its name from the starter or “Mother” used in sourdough baking, marks Chef Kevin O’Donnell’s second restaurant in Newport. His first project, Giusto, opened in 2020 to […]
Posted inColumns, Food & Drink
Tiny Kitchen Magic: Chipotle Cocoa Chicken Tacos
Chances are, you’re reading this on a Monday. That’s perfect because this is a recipe built for Taco Tuesday, which may very well be tomorrow when you’re reading this. I wanted to do something a bit funky this time and I thought I’d do something mole inspired. So, I figured why not add some cocoa** […]
Posted inBusiness
New ‘Private Adirondack Experience’ launches on The Lawn at Castle Hill Inn
Update: On July 10, a spokesperson provided the following update regarding their reservation policy; “The team made some slight adjustments to the offering over the weekend. Effective immediately the cover charge is now $25 per person, 7 days a week, plus sales tax and 20% gratuity. There is also a minimum booking requirement of 6 guests. […]
Posted inFood & Drink, Things To Do
Mondays in Miantonomi: Fun, festive, and mostly free!
By Aquidneck Community Table These exciting community events will begin on Monday afternoon, July 10, in Newport’s lovely Miantonomi Park, adjacent to Hillside Avenue. Visitors will enjoy free activities for children and youth: disc golf, face-painting, and the Food Explorers, a program to inspire healthy food habits in children; a farmers market; cooking demonstrations by […]
Posted inNews
Potatoes, beef steaks, and other groceries that rose in price in the Northeast last month
After more than a year of historical inflation, grocery prices are staying steady. Grocery prices fell in March and April for the first time since September 2020 but changed little in May at a 0.2% increase. The drop in recent months was largely fueled by decreases in eggs—which had previously risen dramatically over a short […]
Posted inNews
Eggs, cheddar cheese, and other groceries that dropped in price in the Northeast last month
Grocery shoppers felt a slight reprieve this spring as grocery prices finally fell, after a run of increases spanning back to September 2020. Grocery prices remained relatively unchanged in May at a 0.2% increase, following two consecutive months of decreases, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. It certainly didn’t undo the two years of […]
Posted inThings To Do
What’s Up Interview: Singer-Songwriter Pete Francis playing Ragged Island Brewery Saturday, June 24
Another in a great series of free concerts comes to Ragged Island this weekend when singer-songwriter Pete Francis, formerly of Dispatch, brings his band to the Portsmouth brewery on Saturday, June 24. I caught up with Francis earlier this week as he was preparing for a few shows in support of his new album PTRN […]
Posted inBusiness
Taproot Brewing Co. to celebrate 5th Anniversary on June 21
Taproot Brewing Co., located at Newport Vineyards, is saying “cheers to five years” with a celebration alongside their Wednesday Music Series kickoff on Wednesday, June 21 from 5 pm – 8 pm. Focusing on small-batch brews, Taproot offers new releases weekly with a consistent dozen options on draft and cans to-go. The brewery has produced over […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Aquidneck Community Table to host its annual Summer Bounty fundraiser on June 20 at Stoneacre Garden
Aquidneck Community Table will host its annual Summer Bounty party again, honoring the Summer Solstice, on Tuesday, June 20, at Stoneacre Garden, on Swinburne Row in Newport. Summer Bounty is a farmers market-style gathering with abundant tastings by local food and beverage vendors, live music, and exciting auction opportunities. All event proceeds will benefit ACT’s […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Tiny Kitchen Magic: Scallops with Orange Balsamic Basil Sauce
Truth be told, my family is not one to celebrate holidays like Mother’s and Father’s Day. Normally, a phone call would suffice, but this year’s a little different for us. Not to get into too much detail, but my family, especially my mother, has had a rough 2023. This year I bucked tradition and decided […]
Posted inArts & Culture, Food & Drink, Music & Entertainment, Things To Do
‘Six Picks’ Events: What’s Up in RI this weekend (June 9-11)
Here’s hoping the smoke clears this weekend, and we can all get out and enjoy some late Spring fun. Check out “Six Picks Events,” our weekly listing of six top events around the state below. Friday: The Friday Night Flea – Pride Edition is an opportunity to showcase LGBTQ+ vendors and allies at the weekly […]
Posted inNews
‘Six Picks’ best strawberry picking in Rhode Island 2023
Early June kicks off the strawberry picking season in and around Rhode Island. Most locations offer a “pick your own” (PYO) option and pre-picked berries by the pint at the farm store. Reminder: Check with your favorite farm before heading out. Arrive early – the best days for picking vary across the state, and many […]