BREAKING: RI has highest unemployment in nation. Votes on state appetizer.

[Suu]

I can't make this shit up.

http://www.turnto10.com/story/24707938/bill-making-calamari-ri-state-appetizer-resurfaces

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - There's another call to make Rhode Island-style calamari the Ocean State's official appetizer.

Rep. Joe McNamara said Wednesday that he's reintroducing the legislation, which he says honors one of Rhode Island's best dishes while highlighting its fishing industry.

Similar legislation passed the House last year but died in the Senate. This year, McNamara's bill has a Senate sponsor, Sen. Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat.

McNamara, a Warwick Democrat, says the bill is an easy way to celebrate Rhode Island's fishing and restaurant industries. He says the state should be proud to have the largest squid fleet on the East Coast. The state's squid catch is shipped to all 50 states and around the world.

Rhode Island calamari consists of fresh squid, lightly fried and served with banana peppers.

This is what Luna, Richter, and myself pay taxes for, ladies and gents. Living in NH is going to be a breath of fresh not-stupid for a while.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

This is important fucking shit you imbecile!
Who needs jobs when there are fried squids to be ea....

MY BABIES!!!

[Suu]

I like how my friend popped in and said calamari was a travesty and that clearly our state appetizer is the stuffie. I have to agree with him. Our calamari is tasty (So says everyone but me, I can't eat it) but our stuffies are out of this world. (I shouldn't eat those either, but i have a soft spot for clams. Side of Benedryl, plz.)

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Stuffie???

Squid= does not know the ways of the north

[LMNO]

Stuffie???

Squid= does not know the ways of the north

Take a huge clam, so tough as to be almost inedible, chop it up, mix with breadcrumbs and linguica, bake.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What makes calamari "Rhode Island Style"?

[Cain]

HP Lovecraft?

[LMNO]

What makes calamari "Rhode Island Style"?

Improper cooking temperatures, and banana peppers.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Gross.

[LMNO]

As you can imagine, it's an apt moniker.

[Suu]

I can think of a dozen different dishes that are totally Rhode Island and waaaaaay better than calamari for an appetizer, like stuffies, clam cakes, fritters, steamers, chowder, even hot wieners. Like I said, I can't eat it, so I have no idea if it's good at all or not, but apparently the fact that it's spicy makes it different.  It smells good at least. Apparently the trick is to really toss the fried squid with the pickled peppers so it's coated in the brine.

This is the closest recipe I've found that makes it the way 3 restaurants I worked at did.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rhode-island-calamari-recipe.html


...3 restaurants that aren't even open anymore because of the economy. But fuck that. Calamari in the general assembly, please!