CRANSTON, R.I. — March 1, 2013 — To promote the fact that the fishing, hospitality and tourism industries are crucial to the economy, Representative McNamara has introduced legislation to declare calamari the “official state appetizer.”
Rhode Island-style calamari is on menus of restaurants far and wide, as Rep. Joseph M. McNamara recently discovered during a visit to New Hampshire. It’s been found on the menus of restaurants in southern California.
“Rhode Island style” means the crispy fried rings and tentacles are tossed with thin loops of pickled hot peppers.
The fact that “Rhode Island style” calamari has such broad appeal may be interesting, but it shouldn’t be surprising that squid caught in Rhode Island, however it is prepared, is immensely popular – Rhode Island has the largest squid-fishing fleet on the East Coast. And with a take of nearly 7 million pounds a year, Rhode Island accounts for about 54 percent of squid landings in the Northeast.
Squid is to Rhode Island what lobster is to Maine, or cod to Massachusetts.
“Some much of what we hear or read about Rhode Island is negative,” said Representative McNamara (D-Dist. 19, Warwick, Cranston). “We need to start promoting the good and wonderful things about our state. And while squid may make some people squeamish, we should be boasting about the fact that Rhode Island is the east coast capital of squid, and that our style of preparing it is being used by chef across the country. Even Guy Fieri has a recipe for it.”