by

Simmons Farm’s Petting Zoo

Simmons Farm Petting Zoo

Simmons Farm Petting Zoo

Simmons Farm — what a sweet little stop along the side of Route 114 in Middletown, RI.   Not only do they have a farm stand with the best corn on Aquidneck Island (which we refer to as ‘crack corn’ for its addictive properties), but they also have a petting zoo. For 25 cents, you can purchase some grains to hand-feed the goats, llama, lambs, and horses. Forget feeding the pig, who will inevitably be too fatigued to bother with you.

Simmons Farm
1942 West Main Road
Middletown, RI
www.simmonsorganicfarmri.com/petting-zoo/

by

Hurricane Bill: Epic Waves in Newport, RI

Surfer Rides Wave Brought by Hurricane Bill

Hurricane Bill blew 10-20 foot swells into Newport, RI, but politely spared us the actual hurricane.  Last night, we read the surf report, which anticipated today would bring “epic” waves.  Although both First Beach in Newport, RI and Second Beach in Middletown, RI had large swells, the majority of the area’s bravest surfers headed out to the rocky coast of Newport’s Cliff Walk where they found the largest and certainly ‘epic’ (at least for Newport) swells — double overhead.  No, I was not among them.  In fact, I didn’t see one female surfer climbing in or out of the water.  So my surfboard remained safely in the basement, and I remained enviously on the shore.

Another video of RI surfing…

by

Olga’s Cup + Saucer

Homemade pizza with dough from Olga's Cup + Saucer.

Homemade pizza with dough from Olga's Cup + Saucer.

Olga’s Cup + Saucer began in 1988 as a seasonal bakery on a farm in Little Compton.  Over 20 years later, their popular Providence bakery makes delicious homemade breads,  scones, bagels, and other pastries using ‘traditional Artisinal techniques’.  Open for breakfast and lunch, their dishes like french toast, pulled pork sandwiches, and black forest ham pizzas all feature their homemade breads and doughs.   With their seeded bagels (more of a bready texture and covered with sunflower and other seeds) and their blueberry muffins (one covered with almond slices), you really can’t go wrong.

You can also find a selection of Olga’s pastries, breads and pizzas (as well as the ready-made dough) at a variety of farmers markets throughout the summer — Coastal Growers Farmers Market in Saunderstown, RI on Saturdays; East Greenwich Farmers Market on Mondays; and Aquidneck Growers’ Market in Newport, RI on Wednesdays and Portmouth, RI on Saturdays.  Yesterday we made a few pizzas with Olga’s thin pre-rolled dough — Geoff took the dough out of the freezer; added market tomatoes, local basil, fresh mozzarella from Narragansett Creamery, and some grilled mushrooms; and set them directly on the grill for a quick, smoky, and delicious pizza.

Olga’s Cup & Saucer
103 Point Street
Providence, RI
www.olgascupandsaucer.com

by

Washington County Fair

Richmond Sandwich Barn at the Washington County Fair.

We were alerted to the annual Washington County Fair about a month before the event by the sign on Route 138 and immediately put it in our calendars.  The first day of the Fair (Wednesday, August 12) turned out to be a humid and overcast day, and we arrived at the Fair for the first evening.  Now in its 43rd year, the Fair features everything from a dairy clipping show to a tractor pull to country music performances to amusement park rides.

Fair food ranged from the insipid to the superb — a lousy, skinny corndog from some volunteer station versus a flavor-packed steak sandwich from Richmond Sandwich Barn.  Perhaps the greatest surprise came from the Volunteer Carolina Fire Association who made the tastiest, doughiest homemade clamcakes I’ve ever had.

My 2-year-old daughter Madeline had a blast yelling ‘baa’ at the sheep with their never-fail response, and she spent about an hour dancing in circles in front of the antique Wurlitzer band organ formerly used in carousels.

What’s not to love about a fair?

Washington County Fair
Route 112
Richmond, RI
www.washingtoncountyfair-ri.com

by

The Dawg House

Note: We recently drove past here in summer 2010, and it appears that the Dawg House is no more.  If anyone knows anything, please post a comment!

I have driven past The Dawg House in Middletown hundreds of times without seeing it. It’s at the end of a small plaza just before Rt. 138 on Aquidneck Ave. (It is only 2 blocks from Frosty Freez). Hot dogs are not hard to make well, and here they follow all of the standard rules: there is a large cabinet outside for daily roll deliveries; the rolls are steamed, soft and fresh; and the hot dogs are high-quality New York style hot dogs — long and thin with a juicy snap when you bite into them.  So far so good.

Where's the Hot Dog?

Where's the Hot Dog?

What makes The Dawg House special is that Roger, an amicable co-owner thinks long and hard about the flavors to add to his already tasty hot dogs. On one visit, he was in a heated discussion about Peanut Butter — not for the hot dogs — just for the academic exercise (he’s a die-hard fan of the pristine peanut butter from Peanut Butter & Co.)  He’s just as passionate about hot dog condiments, as he makes all of them in-house. (He will happily experiment on you with some of his combinations).

His New York red sauce with onions is the best I’ve had, much thicker and with larger, sweet onions. His baked beans are delicious, but would be better as a side dish, since they mask the flavor of the hot dog.  Sauerkraut is fresh and crisp, and his mustard has finely ground seeds in it.  My only complaint is that the condiments overpower, so take advantage of the “buy four get one free” and get a couple without too much on them.

Possibly the best thing about The Dawg House is the prospect of a perfect summer lunch. A dozen hot dogs from here (eaten at tables outside beside the shop) followed by soft serve from Frosty Freez a few hundred feet away!

The Dawg House
1132 Aquidneck Ave. (Gambrell Plaza)
Middletown, RI
(401) 324-4089
www.dawghouseonline.com

by

The Newport Antiques Show vs. Armory Antiques

The Newport Antiques Show offers fine furniture and art for antique connoisseurs.

Armory Antiques in Newport, RI features thousands of items from fine antique desks to retro Barbies.

In its third year, the Newport Antiques Show arrived in town this weekend to showcase 40 regional antique dealers selling fine carpets, antique artwork, etched wooden furniture, dishes, grandfather clocks, etc.  Not surprisingly, the show featured a lot of nautical themed objects like paintings of ocean scenes and miniature wooden boats.  The $12/person ticket cost supports the Newport Historical Society and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County.

I can certainly appreciate the beauty of fine antiques, but knowing very little about them makes guessing prices a bit like an absurd Price is Right.  For example, one painting I supposed worth $10,000 was being sold for $180,000.

The only thing I might consider buying was a 10×14 hand-threaded antique carpet from India circa 1920s sold by Oriental Rugs Ltd. At $9,500, it seemed a relative bargain (if you have the money) considering I saw much less interesting rugs for more money at ABC Carpet in New York City just recently.

Armory Antiques in Newport, RI features thousands of items from fine antique desks to retro Barbies.

Armory Antiques in Newport, RI features thousands of items from fine antique desks to retro Barbies.

We enjoyed the visit, but left empty-handed.  Since we hadn’t quite gotten antiquing out of our system, we decided to go to Armory Antiques on Thames Street in downtown Newport, a better bet for people like us who care only what they themselves like and prefer a bargain.  The store is open year-round with no admission charge and features antiques from over 100 dealers.  It’s a much rougher style of antique hunting — with a variety of retro games and toys like Barbie dolls (some clothed, others not), dishes stacked high, paintings leaning on furniture, and plenty of knick knacks.  Likely due to the economy, quite a bit is discounted.  I saw a charming painted wooden crèche in the form of a candle holder — when lit, the fan above swirls causing the figurines inside to circle like a carousel.  The price had been slashed three times down to “$95 firm.”  In addition, several of the vendors offered 25% off formerly “firm” priced items.

At Armory Antiques, it feels more like you might discover some treasure — not of value as an investment, but of personal value.  And in fact, an unsigned pastoral painting listed at $250 struck my eye, and I bought for $200 cash (see the photo at right).

Newport Antiques Show
www.newportantiquesshow.com

Armory Antiques
365 Thames St
Newport, RI 02840
www.armoryantiques.net

by

Summer Indulgence: The Corn Dog

Niman Ranch corn dogs frying.

Niman Ranch corn dogs frying.

I’d never eaten a corn dog before about a week ago when Geoff made them for us.  Somehow the combination of hot dog and fried cornmeal ‘bun’ creates quite a taste sensation, and Madeline is always glad to eat anything that’s served on a stick.  We decided to make them again tonight — although last time we made them with Oscar Meyer hot dogs, and today we went upscale with Niman Ranch.

Recipe:

1 egg, beaten
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. Marie Callender’s cornbread mix
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar

Mix together all ingredients.

Heat a pot of of oil. Test the heat of the oil by dipping a drop of the batter into the oil.  If it browns slowly and evenly, it’s ready. Dip each hot dog in the batter and fry until brown.

by

Aquidneck Growers’ Saturday Farmers’ Market

The local harvest arrives Saturdays at the Aquidneck Growers' Farmers' Market in Middletown, RI.

The local harvest arrives Saturdays at the Aquidneck Growers' Farmers' Market in Middletown, RI.

The Aquidneck Growers’ Farmers’ Market takes place Saturdays during harvest time on the field next to the Newport Vineyards & Winery.  Although today we’re about halfway through the season, there still aren’t many fruits — except blueberries, of course, as well as some pretty hard nectarines and peaches.  But I did find an abundance of locally grown vegetables and leafy greens from local farms such as Simmons Farm, Sweet Berry Farm, and Paradise Hill Farm.

This morning, I bought tomatoes, beets, squash, garlic, corn, and red onions.  Geoff bought radishes and hot dogs.  I also spotted eggplants, onions, carrots, kale, swiss chard, green beans, and plenty more.  Having now tried both the corn from Paradise Hill and Simmons, I can now officially declare my preference for the corn from Simmons.  There are also a variety of bakeries (Olga’s Cup and Saucer has excellent pizza doughs and blueberry scones); creameries (try Narragansett Creamery’s Atwell’s Gold or ricotta cheese); and even one butcher (Pat’s Pastured sells top-notch poultry and pork).

Hey, I love avocados too, but I’d almost always rather buy something at a Farmers’ Market than the supermarket.  Shopping at farmers’ markets isn’t cheap — it’s a bit like gambling in that you should arrive with the money you’re prepared to lose.  Even so, it’s always worth it — you certainly get the freshest produce and products, in addition to the satisfaction of supporting local farms and producers.

Aquidneck Growers Farmers Market
June 6-October 24, 2009
Saturdays 9am-1pm at Newport Vineyards & Winery
909 East Main Road
Middletown, RI
www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=1

by

I’d Rather Be at Frosty Freez

I challenge you: who doesn't love Frosty Freez?

I challenge you: who doesn't love Frosty Freez?

If you have a soft spot for soft serve, you must immediately head to Frosty Freez in Middletown, RI.  I have to admit, I have something of an obsession with ice cream and soft serve to the point where my husband once asked me last summer if it was okay that our 18-month old daughter ate ice cream daily.  As I discovered, a cookie or a chocolate could be eaten on the sly, but an ice cream cone is hard to conceal from a toddler.

If I’m within driving, walking or hitch-hiking distance from Frosty Freez, I will go and eat my favorite ice cream — a medium chocolate and vanilla ice cream swirl.  I do not mar my ice cream with jimmies or chocolate or cherry dip, although if that’s your thing, they accommodate you.  And although I keep telling myself I will switch over to their low-calorie Only 8 (which is, in fact, quite good as well), those words just never come out of my mouth when I order.

Here are my words of advice as a Frosty Freez expert.  If you go, do not order the hard-pack ice cream — it’s mostly Hersheys and it’s ordinary.  If your child wants some blue colored hard pack ice cream, do not permit him it.  Instead, here are your options: chocolate, vanilla and coffee soft serve ice cream or Only 8 chocolate and vanilla.  They also have ‘flavor burst’ which they can swirl into vanilla for additional flavors.  And don’t go from October 1 to March 31 — they’re closed.  I know, that’s hard news to hear, but it’s true.  To get around this, I even once emailed Garelick Farms who supplies their milk to find out if there was some other Frosty Freez imitation made with their milk on the eastern seaboard, but they never got back to me.  So there will be times, when even I will not be at Frosty Freez, which is why I have joined the Facebook group “I’d Rather Be at Frosty Freez.”

Frosty Freez
496 East Main Road
Middletown, RI 02842
http://frostyfreez.com

New York City: Come Away
by

New York City: Come Away

This post was originally on Michele’s blog Where in the World:
Traveling and living adventures before and after children.

In a short stint in New York City, I packed in a bunch of movies at the Tribeca Film Festival, several trips to Pinkberry, a Magnolia cupcake, and a Saturday evening performance of South Pacific starring Paulo Szot and Laura Osnes — all of which I highly recommend.

Having done both, I’d say living in NYC is much more enjoyable than visiting it.  In either case, there’s nothing like a great Broadway show, and South Pacific didn’t disappoint.  The sets and lighting truly transported me to a slow sunset on an island much prettier than Manhattan.  The performances were stellar and the vaguely familiar songs quite catchy.  I bought the soundtrack the next day and have been playing it on repeat ever since.  Yes, I am a sucker for the theatre.  I’d like to go back every night.  Do you think there are people who spend $300,000/year going to Broadway shows?  If so, how might I become one of them?

But the thing I noticed about New York was how stressed and hurried strangers seemed.  I’m not sure if I just never noticed it before.  In fact, I’m not sure I wasn’t like that myself before.  I actually saw a woman argue over who was first for a bathroom stall when there wasn’t even a line.  This is a person who is spending too much time crowded in subways, waiting in lines and making sure no one’s getting the better of her.  Oh and trust me, if you’re not paying attention, they will get the better of you.  I realized this when my cab driver decided to drive from Lincoln Center to the Village by way of Times Square on Saturday night, making a 15-minute ride take 45 (and a $8 cab ride cost $16).  And yet we still tipped him.  I might as well be a hick.  But this is how you become a “New Yorker”: spend your day getting cut off, shoved and swindled and pretty soon you’re getting in a cab haughtily instructing the driver which route to take.

Don’t get me wrong, New York is a truly wonderful place — one of the best cities in the world.  For years, I had one of those “I Love New York” bumper stickers on my car.  But I think now I’d need one that says, “I Have Mixed Feelings about New York.”