This afternoon, on Friday June 27, 2014, calamari officially became Rhode Island's state appetizer. Governor Lincoln Chafee was on-site at The Town Dock's waterfront headquarters to sign the bill that was recently passed by the state legislature. The weather was perfect for this bill signing on the docks in the Port of Galilee, on Point Judith, in Narragansett, Rhode Island.
The bill honors calamari as Rhode Island's official state appetizer due to both the dish's popularity in the state, as well as the importance of the squid industry to the state's economy. Rhode Island lands more squid than any other state, and the economic impact for the state in key. The bill could not be possible without the hard work of Rhode Island's fishermen who fish every day to bring the best quality and highest volume of squid to dock.
The Town Dock was honored to host the event with the Governor and the state's Department of Environmental Management. The Town Dock is more energized than ever to contribute to a strong Rhode Island economy and to provide America and beyond with the best calamari available.
The event provided samples of "Rhode Island Style Calamari" which features fried calamari with hot cherry peppers and garlic (sometimes served on fresh salad greens). Did you know that this is an easy dish to make, even at home? We have both the recipe that you can print and download, as well as a how-to video, to watch on our blog post here.
Did you know this iconic seafood is available for both foodservice professional and home chefs alike? To learn more about The Town Dock's Rhode Island Calamari® for foodservice, please visit our Rhode Island Calamari product page. If you are a home chef, you can visit our calamari finder page and enter your zip code to find us in a store near you.