Calamari, Rhode Island's controversial state appetizer, becomes an unexpected star of the DNC

[brooklynite]

Washington Post

Rhode Island’s entry was filmed on Warwick’s sandy Oakland Beach, where state party chairman Joseph M. McNamara submitted 34 of the state’s 35 delegate votes to Joe Biden. Then McNamara, who once led a contentious, years-long campaign to give fried squid official recognition in the statehouse, made an enticing appeal to DNC viewers at home.
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“Our state appetizer, calamari, is available in all 50 states,” McNamara said, as a masked chef in a black apron silently held up a platter with crispy rings of breaded seafood in its traditional local preparation: slathered in garlic, parsley, and sliced cherry peppers.

If that sales pitch was not the outright victor of Tuesday’s roll-call video montage, it was certainly the most irreverent. Or, at least, the most characteristically Rhode Island way to make an appearance on a prime-time national stage.

“Rhode Island’s use of its DNC state roll call primarily as an opportunity to hawk calamari,” one person wrote on Twitter, “is the most on-brand of all the states and territories.”

[elleng]

1. and coffee milk!

(Not as enticing, of course, but I've wanted to visit RI since seeing spots for foods there on 'travel/food' shows on TV.

There's also Awful Awful!

[samnsara]

2. ive visited friends in RI every year for 2 decades and NEVER had calamari there..

... lots of stuffies, coffee milk (ick), clam chowdah, fried dough, hot weenies, clam cakes, awful awfuls..but NEVER calamari..

[Renew Deal]

11. Well, that's about to change

[underpants]

3. I thought the electrician in Ohio was the star

It took two reporters to put that article together?

[octoberlib]

12. I loved that guy.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

4. A vote for chourico!

Spicy Portuguese sausage, popular also in the area

[denem]

5. Maine Lobster !

Last edited Wed Aug 19, 2020, 08:45 AM - Edit history (1)

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. Now I'm tempted to get a bottle of Autocrat and try this coffeemilk thing.

Calamari, I've tried. Think: Fried Rubber Bands. Not my cup of grits, but to each his own.

[Ilsa]

7. yep. I'd rather just have the fried batter.

Calamari does nothing for me.

[Zorro]

9. Same here

Calimari is like a rubber teething ring to me.

[FoxNewsSucks]

14. If it's rubbery, it's not cooked right.

Calamari should be tender. Cooked right, it's delicious. If not, well, fried rubber bands is accurate.

[DeminPennswoods]

8. Part of the traditional Italian

xmas eve fare of all seafood. If calamari was called what it is, squid, no would eat it. Fried oysters otoh, yum.

[bdamomma]

10. ah....

my little state of Rhody may be small,but we do have interesting food, I miss calm cakes. Calamari is good depends on how they season it!.

[oswaldactedalone]

13. OK, the Rhody bit was good

But I’m all in on the Northern Mariana Islands!!

[Tommy_Carcetti]

15. How can calamari be controversial?

It's delicious! Fried or sauteed!