Squid Splendor
MEAGHAN SUSI
Did you know the official state dirt of Illinois is the Drummer ? How about that Wisconsin ’ s official state microbe is the Lactococcus lactis ? If you really want to impress at your next virtual cocktail party , just drop the fact that Maryland ’ s official state sport is jousting or that North Carolina ’ s official state dance is the Shag , a derivative of Gaelic frivolity from the Appalachians .
A few years ago , the national magazine The Week published a list of some of the more bizarre state symbols and guess what clocked in as number one ? You betcha ’, Rhode Island ’ s official state appetizer , calamari .
Many of us grinned this summer during the Democratic National Convention with “ only in Rhode Island pride ” when state Democratic Party Chair and Representative Joe McNamara dubbed Rhode Island “ the calamari comeback state .” Within an hour there were more than 100,000 Internet hits on Rhode Island-style calamari .
Senior editor Jamie Coelho has pulled together a comprehensive look in “ Calamari Comeback State ,” from recipes to a surprisingly logical explanation of why we have claimed this cousin of the octopus as our own . We provide you with a list of some of the state ’ s best dining spots for calamari , and also squid dishes all over Rhode Island .
The impact on our fishing industry and processing plants is as impressive as well , as Galilee is the number one port for longfin squid landings on the East Coast with an average of twenty-two million pounds of squid landed each year .
I ’ d also like to take a minute to recognize some folks who over the years have diligently made Rhode Island Monthly the preeminent source for living in the Ocean State . Jamie and her colleague Casey Nilsson have been promoted to senior editors . Both have written countless award-winning stories about our bountiful food scene and candid looks at civic journalism . One-time intern Kaitlyn Murray has been named special editions editor and Meag Susi , art director . I am proud to call them colleagues .
And while Kansas ’ s official canine , the cairn terrier ( there ’ s no place like home , Toto ), may have the cuteness factor cornered , remember that squids have three hearts , making them all the more lovable .
To the Rhode ahead . – J . J . P .
P . S .: If you have a favorite place to get your calamari , log on to RIMonthly . com and vote in our 28th Annual Best of Rhode Island readers ’ poll . It goes live April 1st !
( NIROPE ® ) Nobody Beats Cardi ’ s ... Nobody !
10 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l APRIL 2021