Discovering Rhode Island's Foods with Beryl Shereshewsky

Food creator Beryl Shereshewsky comes to Providence to taste five dishes you’ll have a hard time finding anywhere outside Rhode Island, and to learn the history behind each one. She starts with coffee milk, the official state drink, at Olneyville New York System and Dave’s Coffee. Next is cheeseless party pizza from Palmieri’s, eaten at Prospect Terrace with a view of the State House. She orders hot wieners “all the way,” then tries fresh clam cakes and clear-broth chowder at Dune Brothers. She finishes with Rhode Island-style calamari, the official state appetizer, at Hemingway’s.

Along the way, Beryl explains where each dish comes from. Coffee milk and party pizza trace back to Italian immigrants. Hot wieners came from Greek immigrants. Clam cakes are made with native quahogs. And calamari became a staple because Rhode Island sits in the middle of the Atlantic squid migration. She also visits the Riverwalk, Benefit Street, the Providence Athenaeum and the RISD Museum.

0:00 Welcome to Providence
1:08 Coffee Milk
2:41 Party Pizza
4:18 Hot Wieners
5:44 Clam Cakes
7:07 Rhode Island-Style Calamari