FROM THE PUBLISHER
Quahog Nation
What if you
could give
in a way
that never
stopped
giving?
Ah, the mighty quahog! For the past thirty-three years it has reigned
supreme with distinction as the official shellfish of the State of Rhode
Island. As some may know, the word quahog comes from Rhode Island’s
iconic indigenous tribe, the Narragansetts, who referred to it as poquahock.
Many tribes used the shells for decorative jewelry and as currency, which
was coined “wampum.”
Those of us who were fans of the now-retired Rhode Island artist, satirist
and funnyman, Don Bousquet, may remember when his musings about
our official bivalve appeared in his cartoons, which had a run in the Projo
Sunday comics. I still have a copy of his 1995 tome, “A Quahog Walks
Among Us,” in my collection of Rhode Island memorabilia (yes, along with
an Almacs bag, a Benny’s hat, a ring and a free ride token from the Crescent
Park Carousel, a piece of the stage from “the Tent,” and a jar of signed
marinara sauce from some guy named Buddy).
Associate editor Jamie Coelho, who is known for having her finger on
the pulse of all things edible by land and by sea, has done an outstanding
job in assembling an ode to said shellfish, called “The Quintessential
Quahog Guide.” Whether you are a bivalve fan at the table or in the water,
she tells us where to buy them and how to cook them. She even took one
for the team and, with clam rake in-hand, went out to harvest Mercenaria
mercenaria. That is the scientific name, which is derived from the Latin
word for money, hence the “wampum” connection.
So take a break from your day-to-day travails, immerse yourself in
summer, shore and thoughts of life as we once knew it and will again.
To the Rhode ahead. –J.J.P.
One of life’s great
achievements is
the ability to leave
a lasting legacy.
We can help.
P.S.: Our Best of Rhode Island issue, with more than 300 winners, will
publish in September. Stay tuned for some exciting news about our twentyseventh
annual virtual celebration that you can tune into! #401Love
rifoundation.org/legacy
or call 401-274-4564
JOHN O’DONNELL PHOTOGRAPHY
10 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l AUGUST 2020