Alaina and I cruised out of Boston at around 11:30. Our plan: head to Providence for a sandwich tour—the food store-cum-cheese shop Farmstead, by husband and wife chef team Matt and Kate Jennings, and Hewtin's Mobile Hot Dog Truck, owned by Matthew and Kristin Gennuso of Chez Pascal. What better time to visit a food truck in New England than on a sunny day in mid-March, with wheels at your disposal? More
The state of Rhode Island may be small but it doesn't lack for food activities. One distinctive characteristic is the state's abundance of farmers' markets. With more than 1,200 farms across the state, residents don't have to travel far to get seasonal produce. During winter, options are naturally more limited. But the marvelous Pawtucket Wintertime Farmers' Market becomes the focal point of locavorism from November to May. More
Rhode Island gave us the diner. Who knew? According to the New York Times, "The Naugahyde and Formica restaurants that sizzle with breakfast all day long, and where the waitresses call you 'Hon,' had their start in Providence more than 130 years ago." Remarkably, "an estimated 75 to 80 diners and lunch counters still dot the state." Not only are the three diners mentioned in the story old and cool-looking, but two are owned by serious cooks trained at Johnson & Wales. (Diner contact info after the jump.)... More
