The Bay April 2023

MILUKAS STUDIO

Art sessions offered for all levels, weekly classes & private lessons. Check website for events.

Kelly Milukas is a multi-media painter and sculptor. 503 S Lake Rd, Tiverton • (401) 480 3536 kellymilukas.com/events • @kellymilukas

THE CHEESE WHEEL VILLAGE MARKET

Over 200 cheeses, local meats & produce; house-made bread, sandwiches, soups & spread and meals. Custom charcuterie & cheese boards available. Call to order! Open 9-5 Tues-Sunday 3838 Main Road • (401) 816 5069 • @thecheesewheelri

WRIGLEY STUDIO

CÉDIAN PAINTING

Art Demo! Catch the Wave. Canvas pillow painting at Cédian Painting with Jennifer Jones Rashleigh: Friday, April 7, 5:30-7:00pm.  Contact Jennifer to reserve a space (508) 951-0696

3848 Main Road • www.cedianpainting.com

Showing In April: Roseville art pottery, an extensive and beautiful private collection in the West Wing Gallery Visit the working artist studio and gallery of Brenda Wrigley Scott. 3852 Main Road, Garden Entrance (401) 339 9676 • @Wrigley_studio

TIFFANY PEAY

JEWELRY & HEALING ARTS

Gemstone Cocktail rings: Labradorite, Aquamarine & Blue Topaz. Explore the one-of-a-kind gemstone, pearl and gold jewelry by Tiffany Peay, 3851 Main Road • (401) 816 0878   www.tiffanypeay.com @tiffanypeayjewelry

TIVERTON FARMERS MARKET

A growing collection of food vendors, artisans & farms. Sundays 10am-1:30pm. Winter season at Tiverton Middle School. 10 Quintal Drive, Tiverton. Summer Season at Town Farm Rec. Area. www.TivertonFarmersMarket.com @TivertonFarmersMarket

ASHLEY AINSWORTH & CÉDIAN PAINTING

Working studios of Ashley Ainsworth and Jennifer Jones Rashleigh featuring fne art paintings, prints, pillows, tiles & notecards 3848 Main Road • (508) 951 0696 www.cedianpainting.com • @cedianpainting www.ashley-ainsworth.com • @ashleyainsworthart

FOUR CORNERS GALLERY

A vibrant showcase for Art featuring: painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and jewelry OPEN W-F & SUN 11am-4pm SAT 10am-5pm 3848 Main Road Tiverton, RI www.fourcornersgalleryri.com @fourcornersgalleryri

STUDIO BY THE SEA

Crafting the perfect jewelry item starts with YOU! Colors are sourced, designs are drafted and each piece is created just for YOU! Let’s make something special YOU will adore.

3848 Main Road • (401) 639 4348   www.studiobytheseari.com

LOU LOU’S DÉCOR

Make your beach house a home with a cozy & fun addition from Lou Lou’s Décor with locations in Tiverton & Newport. Full interior design services available. 3913

• (401) 816 4362 www.loulousdecor.com • @loulousdecor

Salubrious Endeavors

Functional Earthy Po ery & Ocean Life Castings @salubriousendeavors1 | salubriousendeavors.wixsite.com

Firefly Mandalas

Perfect Connection of Nature & Art @fireflymandalas | FireflyMandalas.com

Delicate, Feminine, Sterling Silver & Aquamarine Earrings @violetdrurydesigns

Sakonnet River Company

Wine & Cheese Trays | @sakonnetrivercompany Sakonnetrivercompany.com

Jen

Mixed Media Art & Design Tabletop Meditation Series @contradiva | jencharleson.com

ery

Functional Po ery including Garlic Graters, Keepers & Roasters @jayne.raphael | RaphaelPo ery.com

Shear

Unique Beach Treasure Art @shearstones | shearstonesri.com

Art For Your Floor by Suzanne Housley Noonan SuzanneHousleyNoonan.com

Unique Handcra ed Wire-Wrapped Jewelry @rushbrookstudio | RushBrookStudio.etsy.com

Violet Drury Designs

Original Raphael Po

Charleson

Floorcloths

Rush Brook Studio

Stones

In This Issue

The Bay Magazine April 2023

34

Meet the Makers

East Bay specialty shops stocked with fresh ingredients to create authentic Italian fare

The Buzz

9 Spring brings a new communityfocused farm to Warren

12 VOICES OF THE BAY: A woodworker’s passion for restoration

14 THE PUBLIC’S RADIO: Newport says goodbye to iconic Thames Street diner

16 CALENDAR: This month’s must-do’s

18 RHODY GEM: Tinctures and treasures along Warren’s waterfront

20 FEATURE: From edibles to entrepreneurship, RI’s cannabis industry hits a high note

Life & Style

25 HOME: Staging pros share how they styled a Portsmouth abode

30 INFLUENCER: Meet TPR’s Newport bureau reporter

32

Food & Drink

41

42 EXPERIENCE: A Newport

44

46

Pic of the Bay 48

A stunning

ON THE COVER: The art of making fresh pasta.

Barrington author awarded coveted picture book medal

Sweet bread and spring pies in Riverside

foodie tour travels to PVD

IN THE KITCHEN: The owner behind eclectic eateries in the East Bay

FOOD NEWS: Warren burger joint moves, new PVD eatery & South County’s best wraps

image from a local lens

Photo by Marcin Jucha - stock.adobe.com.

Photography by and courtesy of Salt + Pine

Photo by Allison Barrett, courtesy of Mozz

Photo by @silentjosh37

Publishers

Barry Fain

Richard Fleischer

John Howell

Matt Hayes

Editor in Chief

Elyse Major

Editor Ken Abrams

Advertising

Design Director

Layheang Meas

Senior Designer

Taylor Gilbert

Account Managers

Shelley Cavoli

General Manager & Creative Director Nick DelGiudice

Managing Editor Abbie Lahmers

Senior Editorial Designer Abigail Brown

Louann DiMuccio-Darwich

Ann Gallagher

Kristine Mangan Olf

Lisa Watson

Interested in advertising?

Email Marketing@ProvidenceOnline.com

Contributing Photographers

Allison Barrett

Elizabeth Gibbs

Marcin Jucha - stock.adobe.com

Gina Mastrostefano

Kendall Pavan St. Laurent

Kayla Mandeville

Contributing Writers

Callie Bisset

Cheryl Hatch

Gina Mastrostefano

Interns

Nina Murphy

Emily Olson

Maggie Mulvena Pearson

Shay Costa Abby Leibowitz

Paul T. Warner Photography Looking for

internship? Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com

The Buzz

Voices of the Bay Buzz on the Bay Calendar Rhody Gem Feature

Farming for Community

A couple’s journey to owning and growing on their own piece of land in Warren

“Since day one of starting my own farm in 2013, I’ve always dreamed of being able to step outside my back door and go to work, walking out to my nursery in pajamas to check on the plants,” says Camille Abdel-Nabi, who spent a decade commuting two hours each day to Exeter to tend rented land at Little River Farm. Now, with Long Lane Farm, she and wife Devin can trade the hours spent on the road for quality work time on their very own plot in Warren.

“When you’re taking care of sensitive plants, commuting is not ideal and adds a lot of stress and work onto an already stressful and hard job,” Camille continues. She fell in love with a piece of property in Warren a few years ago – a rare find with good soil, beautiful farmhouse, and short drive away from downtown. “My wife and I always thought we would end up in the middle of the woods far away from people, living in an old farmhouse. Instead, we get to live and work in an up-and-coming town like Warren surrounded by friendly and supportive neighbors.”

Photo by Paul T Warner Photography

Devin and Camille Abdel-Nabi are now the proud owners of Long Lane Farm in Warren

The Buzz ON THE BAY

By Abbie Lahmers

But the journey to ownership is a rocky one for burgeoning farmers, who often aren’t approved for bank loans. Without the funds to provide large down payments on land, it’s di cult to compete with buyers who can. Coupled with a housing market seeing properties snatched up fast for above asking price in 2020, Camille was left to appeal to the owners of 39 Long Lane on a personal level. “We wrote a heartfelt letter asking them to give us a couple more days to secure funding so that we could keep the land as a farm and continue their legacy,” she explains. “It worked and with the help of our family, we were able to get the farm.”

This spring will see the launch of Long Lane’s store, CSA – or community supported agriculture in which consumers purchase shares early for produce pick-ups all season – and plant sale. “We want our farm to be a welcoming place that brings joy to the community,” says Camille who envisions stocking local goods in the store and teaching gardening courses. “I also want to be able to raise a family here and involve our kids in the everyday magic of farming.”

The pair arrived at farming careers through unconventional paths, Camille departing an office job fresh out of college to try her hand at working the land. After planting roots, so to speak, apprenticing at an organic vegetable farm in Wakefield, she opened Little River Farm with a business partner. “We didn’t have much knowledge or experience, but we had the passion to grow food,” she says. “There were a lot of tough moments in those first years learning through trial and error. There still are tough moments, and farming takes a large toll on your body and mind, but I know I couldn’t be happy doing anything else.”

With a background in public health education, Devin started working on the farm part time to transition out of her medical administration job, and now she’s all in as co-owner of Long Lane Farm, where she’s also the resident beekeeper.

Armed with a Local Agriculture and Seafood Act grant for tools and supplies, the pair looks forward to starting their organic vegetable growing operation from scratch this season. “It would have been a tragedy to

SPRING PLANT SALE

Visit Long Lane Farm from Mother’s Day weekend through June 3 to shop perennial herbs, flowers, and vegetable plants. For newbies and green thumbs alike, their special gardening club membership includes pre-made garden kits, early access to the plant sale, courses with farmers, and discounts. For regular vegetable purchases throughout the season, visit online to order for delivery, or visit the farmstand every day stocked with their own veggies, plus meat, eggs, and other products from local producers. LongLaneFarmRI.com

lose this beautiful piece of farmland for the sake of more houses,” says Camille, explaining that if not for the support of their family in securing Long Lane, it likely would have been developed. “Above all, we want to be good stewards of the land and to produce as much healthy and organic food as possible.”

Photo by Paul T Warner Photography

Camille envisions Long Lane Farm nourishing the community with fresh produce and workshops

The Buzz VOICES OF THE BAY

Second Chances

By Nina Murphy

A Warren woodworker’s career change gives new life to old furniture

Dave Metthe of M&M Furniture Restoration has been working with wood for the past 25 years, 10 of which at 183 Water Street. Despite no sign out front and no advertising, Metthe’s attention to detail and reputation for fair pricing are well known by those who appreciate quality restoration craftsmanship of “old” furniture. From painting furniture to turning pianos into bars, Metthe has done it all, always keeping up on the latest trends. After graduating from Warren High School, Metthe attended Roger Williams University at night for business management. By day, he worked for now-closed Caldor department stores doing everything from remodeling to management. The work burnt him out. A woodworking show reignited a passion for building fostered when he was young, and the rest is history. Metthe credits his wife Laurie who had her then-busy secretarial business to support them during his career change. The popularity of older furniture has Metthe working seven days a week sometimes – his customers know that the wait is well worth it.

BUILDING BLOCKS: When I was a kid I would go over and see my uncle, a carpenter, and ask him, “got any extra wood?” so I could build little things. While I was at Caldor, I went to a woodworking show in Springfield and learned about the Worcester Center for Crafts. I originally attended to make furniture but then I got friendly with the guy running the restoration department and things flourished from there. I can still make furniture.

CASH COW: When I started doing this work, a lot of people said you can’t make money doing it. But I always tried to diversify; I have expertise in veneer, I can make furniture, or I could have gone the gift and production business route. I have tons of my own furniture here in the shop I could work on and sell if I had more time. There are lots of ways to make an income. Restoration is a cash cow, especially in a down economy.

CHERISHED TREASURES: People have heirlooms; some are really nice and some are a little questionable. I will treat people’s furniture basically like it’s mine. And I will tell them straight out if I don’t think it’s correct [going to look good] or worth it. The oldest piece I have in the shop is a customer’s chair from the 1600s.

THE REAL DEAL: To me, it’s almost better to go out and buy a piece of old furniture. It doesn’t have to be an antique, per se, but older furniture is built so much better than any kind of furniture being made today. You can spend a ton of money on new furniture and it has particle board, staples, no joinery, just butt joints; it’s not something that’s going to last.

OLD IS NEW: The current trend is that everyone wants things painted. They want to get away from the “old grandma”-looking types of furniture and add mirrors, or turn Victrolas and pianos into bars. The shabby chic style is still popular, so the more beat up it is the better.

TABLE TRIUMPH: Right before COVID, I got a job from Brown University to refinish 70 dining tables, which were all Eastern Butcher Block tables. They varied in size from eight to 10 feet long, made of solid oak. I would pick up four tables at a time. It took me months, but it got me through COVID. Someone gave Brown my name, but to this day I don’t know who it was.

Photo courtesy of Dave Metthe

Dave Metthe at work in his furniture restoration studio

The Buzz ON THE BAY

Newport Says Goodbye to Iconic Thames Street Diner

Gary Hooks and his family owned and ran Gary’s Handy Lunch for more than 55 years

By Cheryl Hatch

On a recent weekday, Joel Richards began his morning like most workdays over the past 30plus years. He walked into Gary’s Handy Lunch on lower Thames Street in Newport minutes before its 5 am opening. He put on a pot of co ee and spread potatoes out over the grill to make home fries. “I’m the chief cook and bottle washer,” he said, laughing. His sister Leanne Hamilton entered a few minutes later. Richards and Hamilton have been working at the diner owned by their father, Gary Hooks, since they were teens, along with their sister, Tina DuBreuil, brother, David Hooks, sister, Jonelle Draper, and extended family members.

“Every single one of us, all my nieces and nephews. All of our kids, just everyone has worked here,” Hamilton said. “We’ve had people that I’ve worked with over the years that stayed a little time and then some have stayed a long, long time.”

Gary’s Handy Lunch served its last customers and closed its doors at 465 Thames Street for good on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, after more than 55 years in business. The Handy, as locals call it, had been a beloved eatery, where customers could get good food at a good price. And perhaps, most important, many said they felt like family.

Gary Hooks, 81, bought the place, on a handshake, when he was 26. “I just come in one day and said to the wife, why don’t your husband sell me this?” Hooks said. “And she said, ‘Gary, why don’t you go talk to him. He does want to sell it.’ So I talked to him, and I bought it the next day. On a handshake.” At the time, Hooks had no experience running a restaurant and had spent his early adult life in the United States Marine Corps. “My Dad was a Marine,” Hamilton said. “My mom didn’t like him not being around. So she told him it was either the Marines or her. And he picked her, of course.”

Hooks had a friend who was a lieutenant commander in the Navy, who convinced Hooks to come to Newport, rather than return to Pennsylvania, where Hooks was born. He got a job at Vernon Court Junior College. He bought the restaurant, The Handy Lunch,

when he was still working at the college. At first he let others run the diner while he continued to work at the college and learn the restaurant trade. He and his wife, Mary, started with 12 stools and five tables. They eventually expanded to seat about 75 people.

The diner was known for its classic, blackand-white square floor tiles and plenty of red accents, including red vinyl-covered bar stools and Coca-Cola neon signs and refrigerators. A jukebox with a hand-written “closed” sign was tucked behind the door at the entrance.

“I have a lot of regulars, which I really appreciate. And I depend on them,” Hooks said. “Anything that comes in the summer is all extra.”

In the weeks after Gary Hooks announced his decision to close, plenty of faithful and first-time customers packed the diner. It had always been crowded on the weekends and during the summer. This winter, people came to have one last meal and say farewell to the family. “You were slammed yesterday, huh?” one customer said.

The place was also full of photos and shared memories. “I used to come down for regattas – this goes back 30 or more years – and have breakfast here at Gary’s Handy Lunch,” said Paul Koch, of East Greenwich. “I’d come here almost every morning for breakfast. I did that

every summer, for 25 years at least.” Koch said when he learned Gary’s was closing, he and his friend and fellow sailor, Larry Higgins, came down for one last meal. “I walked in the door and sat down and the first thing she said to me was ‘shall I bring you your co ee milk,’” Koch said. “This place is an institution. It’s going to be missed by everybody.”

Debi and Bill Moriarty, of Newport, joined their friends, Ed and Mary Ferreira, of Portsmouth, in a booth for lunch. Debi and Mary had tuna melts. Bill had a BLT on white bread. Ed had a cheeseburger, his favorite. “We’ve been coming since Tina was 14,” Debi said. “It’s like family. We know all of the waitresses and we know Gary and Joel.” Debi and Mary would come together at least once a week for lunch when they worked at a Newport dental o ce. They hadn’t seen each other as often since Mary retired, so it was a special gathering for the long-time friends.

Debi and Bill Moriarty had a tradition of coming every Sunday after church. “Oh I remember bringing our kids, and then we had grandkids and they all came,” Debi said. “Sometimes we’d have to put two or three tables together if we were all here at once.”

Bruce and Mimi Bartlett, of Newport, grabbed a booth by the front window. Bruce

Photos by Cheryl Hatch

remembered they would come down for “the best fish and chips” on Friday nights. They’d stop by the Handy before home basketball games when their son played. Mimi remembered walking down for a cup of coffee with her friend every morning for four years while their kids were in high school.

“This is a cross-section of Newport,” Mimi said. “You see people, you know, from all walks of life at Gary’s. Some of the Bellevue crowd is here and construction workers. It’s just a nice mix. It’s what Newport used to be and should be. It’s special. I don’t know what they’ll do to replace it.”

The family members had their share of memories. Richards remembered St. Patrick’s Day parades. Hamilton had fond childhood memories. “When I was little, my mom had to work,” she said. “She would depend on the customers to bring me to school and pick me up. So it was mostly fishermen. They would pick me up and take me.” They would always make a detour to the candy store or the convenience store that sold ice cream for little Leanne. “I had a really good family life,” Hamilton said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better mother or father at all. I’m very, very blessed.”

The extended Hooks family members all

admit it will be bittersweet once the doors close for the final time. “It’s not a happy time,” Gary Hooks said. “But time takes a toll on you. That’s why I decided the time was now.” Richards had been coming to work since he walked to Gary’s Handy Lunch after class from Thompson Middle School and his dream was to be a cook. “What I’m going to miss the most is to see my family every day,” Richards said. “I mean, to work with your family every day is, was, amazing.”

Hamilton runs her own diner, Chelsea’s, named after her daughter, in Middletown. She continued to work one day a week at the Handy because she loved it. “It’s absolutely more than a building. It’s my life,” Hamilton said. “It was my life for a long time. So it’s going to be bittersweet once we close those doors. It’s going to be a long time before I can go that far down Thames Street.”

On February 12, customers lined the walls as they waited for a table, a booth or a stool at the counter. There were tears, sni es, laughter, lots of hugs. Most conversations ended with “thank you,” “thanks,” “bye,” “good-bye.”

Tina DuBreuil wiped away tears as she whispered to another waitress, Melanie Hill, that there were just 15 more minutes until closing. As it neared 1 pm, customers continued to flow into the diner until an air horn gave two short blasts, marking the end of service at Gary’s Handy Lunch.

When the last customers left and the door was locked, family members and friends kept coming. They gathered around the counter and in the booths.

Hooks moved from behind the counter to join his friends and family. Richards started cleaning the grill. Hamilton filled the napkin dispensers. DuBreuil was busy behind the counter. Great granddaughter Avery helped her mom, Chelsea, clean and wipe down the tables. Just like every day. Except this was the last day.

This article was originally posted on February 17, 2023. Cheryl Hatch can be reached at CHatch@ThePubicsRadio.org

Final lunch rush

Buzz

By Ken Abrams

THE MUST LIST

Newport will be in full bloom for Da odil Days

April 22-23:

Meet the alpacas named for RI cities and towns on Earth Day at Hope Alpaca Farm before they get sheared – and shop the farm store for warm wear including socks, hats, and gloves. Little Compton, HopeAlpacaFarm.com

April 22:

Celebrate Earth Day at the Norman Bird Sanctuary with nature crafts, guided discovery hikes, and a concert from two-time Grammy Award-winning Rhode Island children’s performer Bill Harley. Middletown, NormanBirdSanctuary.org

April 23:

April is all about creative writing at Linden Place. Join What Cheer Writers Club for a community write-in, bringing together all levels of wordsmiths to work on individual projects in an encouraging community setting (co ee included!). Bristol, LindenPlace.org

April 28:

Support veterans and Gold Star families at a special night of Celtic music and dance at the Casino Theatre with Mary Pierce, Patrick Mangan, Elias Cardoso, Lindsay Cohn, and dancers from the Clann Lir Academy. Newport, Eventbrite.com

Through April:

There’s never a better time to stroll Newport than Da odil Days, featuring over a million blooms popping from the ground and decorating store windows, plus parades, bike rides, Restaurant Week, and more. NewportInBloom.org

April 1:

Grab a basket and bring the kids to the Audubon Society’s Camouflaged Easter Egg Hunt, an opportunity to learn about natural habitats by searching for hidden eggs – find the golden one to win prizes! Bristol, ASRI.org

April 6:

The Blooming Bulbs Workshop from Quintessential Gardens aims to teach about planting, growing, and arranging locally grown spring ephemerals – plus cocktails and snacks. Bristol, MountHopeFarm.org

April 7:

It’s gonna get loud when The Memphis Morticians, who play a brand of rock and roll described as “trash-a-billy garage rock,” headline the Galactic. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya’! Warren, GalacticTheatre.com

April 29:

The Newport Beer Festival returns to Fort Adams State Park with samples from over 50 local and regional brewers, along with food from area favorites Mission Burger, Pour Judgement, and Yagi Noodles. RIBrewersGuild.org

April 29:

Spend an afternoon exploring basic yoga poses and dance with Sarah and Kevin Bell at the Four Corners Arts Center for Sounds of Harmony, a unique, upbeat music experience and gong meditation. Tiverton, FourCornersArts.org

Photo courtesy of Dar Williams

The Buzz

By Elyse Major

Nature’s Apothecary Organic Skincare & Gifts

We’re on the hunt for Rhody Gems! Every neighborhood has that secret, hidden, cool and unusual, or hole-in-the-wall spot that locals love. Email or tag us on social media using #RhodyGem to suggest yours, and we might just feature it!

What it is:

A shop selling tinctures and remedies, unique gifts and crystals, and bath and body products.

Where to find it:

Find Nature’s Apothecary along Warren’s ever-emerging Water Street. Look for the Insta-worthy storefront painted a deep pine green with gold flourishes.

What makes it a Rhody Gem?

The minute you walk through the door of this lovingly renovated Warren treasure, you are immersed in a magical experience by design. “We believe that health is essential for true beauty to shine and our intention is to create lasting beauty and health in the world. Everything at Nature’s Apothecary reflects this philosophy,” says Deidre Julian, proprietor and herbalist. The extensive supplement and vitamin selections are based on her 22 years of experience in the healing arts. “Each and every product is carefully and purposefully procured for quality ingredients and e ectiveness, laying the foundation for true inner beauty,” explains Julian. For outer beauty, shelves are lined with handmade, small-batch bath and body shower steamers, essential oils, and skincare products, “which will keep you positively glowing and radiant,” Julian says. “The ever-changing collection of unique crystals, organic cleaning products, and candles will add to the vibration of your personal space, helping you keep your own energy balanced and elevated.”

Nature’s Apothecary

18 Water Street, Warren NaturesApothecaryRI.com

Photo courtesy of Nature’s Apothecary

The Buzz ON THE BAY

By Emily Olson

Turning a New Leaf

Rhode Island’s budding recreational cannabis industry and how dispensaries are setting themselves apart

With Rhode Island cannabis laws now allowing recreational sale and use as of December 2022, purchasing marijuana today is as easy as grabbing a bottle of wine in a liquor store – but the landscape was much different a generation ago.

“A stigma was born when cannabis was prohibited in 1937 and matured through the war on drugs,” says Katherine Fotiades, who, with partner Mark Phillips, owns Skydog Farm, a community gathering spot in North Scituate that devotes a corner of its land to medical marijuana cultivation. “People who lived under the stigma still have a lot of fear associated with cannabis even though the laws are changing.

“And when I think about how many people – particularly Black men – went to jail because of a joint,” Fotiades continues, lamenting the racial injustices the stigma has also historically borne.

Blake Costa is the COO of Sweetspot, a recreational and medical dispensary in Exeter, and every day he meets people peripherally damaged by the war on drugs. “Our average customer is 41 years old,” says Costa. “They want to explore cannabis, but grew up in a world that stigmatized it.”

Costa finds that those customers crave one-on-one education. “A lot of dispensaries are like deli counters,” he says. “You’re a number.” But Costa went a different route, catering as much to customers who want expert, individual guidance as to those who want to get in and get out.

Sweetspot’s vibe is that of an upscale apothecary – minimalist and clean, and not a bit intimidating. Shades of soothing green are accented by brightly lit display cases and blond wood shelving filled with display packages. The walls are printed with educational information about the types of products for sale and their e ects, and easy-toread symbols denoting product strength.

Magnus Thorsson, who developed the cannabis entrepreneurship program at Johnson & Wales University, says an entrepreneur like Costa is on the right track. “Recreational legalization in Rhode Island is so new,” says Thorsson, “and competition is going to tighten.”

Photos courtesy of Skydog Farm

Thorsson says that competing on price is a race to the bottom that forces dispensaries to sell product at cost, a phenomenon seen in states that legalized recreational marijuana years ago. “I teach my students to compete on service and experience,” he says. “When you provide education to customers, they’re going to return for reasons other than price.”

Sweetspot customers have access to about 60 di erent products, curated largely by demand. “I like to diversify our products and let customers decide what we keep in stock,” says Costa, gesturing to Sweetspot’s merchandise wall that displays information about their consumption options: flower, distillate, edible, topical, and tincture.

As recreational consumer demand rises, both Costa and Fotiades stress the importance of policies that protect the patient channel. “If we carry the same product for medical patients and recreational customers, and we run out of the product allocated to recreational users, we can’t give them the product reserved for patients,” Costa says.

“It can take a lot of trial and error for a patient to find a strain that works for them, and we have a responsibility to make sure that they have what they need,” says Fotiades, who for years has been a caregiver for medical patients and cherishes the

close relationships forged between grower and patient. However, the direct-to-consumer relationship is not allowed by laws governing recreational use. The next best thing? “Know your dispensary,” Fotiades recommends. “Ask about their inventory. Ask them how their growers operate” – exactly the kinds of questions that a dispensary like Sweetspot welcomes.

But beyond knowing your dispensary, Fotiades recommends consumers get to know the plant. “People who consume marijuana should at least try to grow it. But if you can’t grow it, visit it and get to know that plant when it’s alive. You’ll approach your use of it differently,” she says. “I consider people who grow cannabis because they’ve learned to appreciate the plant herbalists and masters of their craft.”

This spring, Fotiades and Phillips are launching a series of programming called Conscious Cannabis, which will be held in their botanical oasis, an enchanting greenhouse flooded with sunlight, soothing

music, and heady fragrance. “Without proper knowledge, anything can be misused,” Fotiades says. “We teach people how to use the plant in a conscious, respectful way.”

The Conscious Cannabis programming at Skydog Farm will include free community discussions, medicine making, and growing workshops, along with a six-month intensive that invites participants to witness the plant’s entire growing cycle. “We also plan to host BYO elevate-and-create events,” says Fotiades.

Skydog Farm o ers consultations for home growers and for people navigating the medical application process. During COVID, they launched a grow-your-own-at-home program. “Mark will come to your home and make site and greenhouse recommendations; then he’ll teach you how to up-pot and feed the plants. Mid-season, he’ll make new feeding recommendations as the plants mature. And he’ll teach you how to harvest, dry, and store the flower when the season ends.”

The winter skeleton of an accidental cannabis plant rises from the center of Fotiades’

Sweetspot Medical and Recreational Dispensary, Exeter

Katherine Fotiades of Skydog Farm

The Buzz ON THE BAY

By Emily Olson

CANNABIS COLLOQUIAL

While dispensaries like Sweetspot and others are happy to talk you through the terms, here’s a cheat sheet of the types of cannabis consumption available and other vocabulary you might hear.

FLOWER: The “flower” of the plant is the traditional form of consumption, which is ground and smoked.

DISTILLATE: A pure, distilled extract known for its potency that’s often consumed via a vaporizer.

EDIBLE: In the form of gummies, teas, and more. “Low and slow is the way to go with edibles,” cautions Sweetspot’s Blake Costa.

TOPICAL: These come in the form of lotions or salves and are commonly used by arthritis su erers.

TINCTURE: “A new generation of users aren’t interested in smoking, but they don’t want to wait for an edible’s e ects,” says Costa. “A tincture acts faster. It also won’t upset the stomach of, for example, a cancer patient.”

STRAINS: A term that refers to the di erent types of cannabis you’ll find that yield di erent e ects, whether relaxing or energizing, including indica, sativa, and hybrids.

CANNABINOIDS: You’ve likely heard THC and CBD used when talking about cannabis – the former is the cannabinoid, or group of compounds, that produce the psychoactive e ects, whereas CBD, when extracted from the plant and used on its own, doesn’t produce a high.

TERPENES: The chemical compound found in cannabis responsible for the aromas and flavors of di erent strains.

From flower to distillate, Sweetspot carries a range of cannabis products

medicinal herb garden, situated in plain sight, next to the road. Cannabis plants are bred not to have seeds, yet improbably, last spring a seed found its way to the carefully tended, fertile soil and sprouted. “She popped up out in the open,” Fotiades says of the plant. “She wants to be seen.” And Fotiades took its growth as a sign that it was time for her to openly embrace her role as an activist and educator.

In Buddhist tradition, bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who delay their entry into paradise in order to show others the way. And Fotiades sees parallels between that teaching and her own life. She believes, like the bodhisattva, her role is to educate and guide others on their path. “I help people climb the wall and show them the possibilities on the other side,” she says.

Sweetspot aims to create a comfortable, boutique atmosphere

Photos courtesy of Sweetspot

PROVIDENCE MONTHLY PRESENTS

Life & Style Home Influencer Profile

Making Arrangements

Pro-advice for staging spaces – whether you plan to sell or stay

Four years ago Kristen Brown and Amy Keeley founded Salt + Pine, a boutique home staging company. Drawing on an amassed inventory of furnishings and accents reflective of their style, which they describe as transitional with a modern coastal flair, they outfit empty houses so that prospective buyers can envision what daily living would be like. Brown explains, “Staging shows buyers the amount and the scale of furniture that truly fits in rooms; it also sells a lifestyle.” We asked the duo, named Top Ten Professional Home Staging Team of the Year by Vacant Staging North America, 2022 – and Keeley named Professional Stager of the Year by Occupied Staging, 2022 – to explain some of the things they recently did to a house in Portsmouth.

Photography by Salt + Pine

Leather cubes add seating and texture

Life & Style HOME

By Elyse Major

Legged tables lend surface space at a light footprint

LIVING ROOM

A large neutral rug with cream, browns, and tan anchors the living room area in the open-concept floor plan, while the light gray sofa connects with the kitchen backsplash. Leather cubes bring texture and warmth without obstructing the prized view. The light wood co ee and dining tables provide contrast to the black console table behind the couch, and wood and black side tables round out the room. Co ee table accents are kept low to direct the gaze straight through to outside or to the fireplace.

A coastal landscape draws the eye up the fireplace towards the vaulted ceiling. A camel and cream plaid blanket on the arm of the chair brings in a nice print while creating a cozy spot by the fireplace. Layering pillows in cream and tan create a finished at-home feel.

DINING ROOM

Mixing and matching dining chairs brings a curated look. Rattan chairs add a coastal nod without overwhelming the space. The black frames of the fern prints tie in with the black accents throughout the space. A subtle stripe of green echoes the bedroom rug and adds visual interest.

KITCHEN

Leather barstools bring warmth and a nice contrast to the blue kitchen island.

Photography by Salt + Pine

Leafy plants bring life to any space

Life & Style HOME

By Elyse Major

Use textures to keep neutral spaces interesting

Photography by Salt + Pine

BEDROOM

White bedding appears luxe and is the perfect foil for layers of neutral textiles, like a chunky knit throw to layer, adding warmth and texture on chilly spring nights. The throw pillows also bring warmer hues to the space with deeper browns and creams. The gold stand mirror brings elegance while the mirror reflects light and movement, making the already large room feel even more spacious. The media consoles serving as nightstands bring some contrast and an unexpected element with the black metal and glass doors.

GET RHODY STYLE

Ideas and resources for making the most of living in the Ocean State.

CLASSIC NEW ENGLAND

Salt + Pine style favors bright spaces with neutral color bases, along with elements such as wood, white, nature-inspired decor, layered textiles in di erent materials and subtle patterns, and splashes of deep green or blues. “Also think about scents that are coastal inspired, one that has notes of salt or pine!” says Brown.

LOCAL PALETTE

“Rhode Island can be very coastal, very city, or very rural/wooded. We like to incorporate natural colors and then layer in some green or blue depending on where in the state we are,” says Brown. “Natural wood bowls or coastal landscape paintings definitely give the vibe of being near the water.”

WOMEN-OWNED

Based in West Greenwich and serving the tri-state area, Brown and Keeley o er three types of staging at various price points. Learn more about Rhode Island’s award-winning home staging company at SaltAndPineHome.com

Want your home featured in The Bay?

Email Elyse@ProvidenceOnline.com to learn more

Life & Style INFLUENCER

By Elyse Major

Meet Cheryl Hatch

Whether

You’ve enjoyed a career as an international journalist. How does that differ (or not) from telling local stories?

In Africa, the Middle East, or on Aquidneck Island, I have the same principles and practices that guide my approach to reporting and telling local stories. I am over the moon to be the Newport Bureau Reporter for The Public’s Radio. I have joined a group of big-hearted, talented, dedicated sta and journalists. We’re on a mission. I’m happy and honored to be a part of it.

Have you always lived in Rhode Island?

I did not grow up here but both sides of my family go back generations on this island. My mother and father grew up about one and a half miles from each other and went to URI. My dad was a career Army o cer, so we moved 20-plus times before I graduated high school; we often came home for Christmas and summer vacations. My father taught me to body surf at Sachuest Beach and to drive in the parking lot! I moved here four and a half years ago with the intention to make this my home.

What are your favorite small businesses to eat, shop, and visit across the East Bay?

I love to break bread with people, so this is a question after my own heart. In Newport: Bar ‘Cino, the Black Pearl, and Hummingbird Cafe (the jerk chicken with plantains is my fave). Over in Middletown: Anthony’s for seafood, Bangkok City, Chelsea’s, and Island Books; Le Bec Sucré and Le Bec Salé are my new favorite additions. The Boathouse in Tiverton is a perennial favorite, Beehive Cafe in Bristol, and if I leave the island, I like BEECH in Jamestown for lunch and dinner.

When you’re not working on a story, where can we find you?

By, in, or on the ocean. Body surfing at Second Beach. Walking Sachuest Point. Swimming with friends in Potter Cove in Jamestown. For years, even before I lived here, I’ve joined my friend Elizabeth Gibbs on her monthly beach clean-up at Sachuest Point for Clean Ocean Access. Also find me at the post o ce. I still write letters and postcards and send them to my friends and family all over the world. Or at home: I am gently caring for the house where my mom grew up. And I love to bake, so when I’m not in the yard working or reading a book, I’d be in the kitchen baking pies and cookies. Read Hatch’s article about the closing of Gary’s Handy Lunch on page 14.

Photo by Elizabeth Gibbs, courtesy of Cheryl Hatch

Afghanistan or Aquidneck Island, The Public’s Radio’s Newport Bureau reporter loves telling stories

Cheryl Hatch at Sachuest Point

Linden Place’s Derby Day Party will run neck and neck with the celebrations at Churchill Downs! This annual favorite now offers two ways for people to celebrate “the most exciting two minutes in sports.” Attend the full event, which includes watching the Derby on the big screen, dinner and a live auction, or join the festivities at Derby Night, the after party immediately following with a live band under the big tent.

This event sells out every year so grab your tickets early!

By Callie Bisset

A Knight’s Tale

A chat with Barrington’s own Caldecott Honor winner Christopher Denise on how his award-winning hero was hatched

For children’s book illustrator Christopher Denise, a family dinner just might turn into another award-winning title. His latest book, Knight Owl , a New York Times bestseller, recently won an American Library Association Caldecott Honor, and the initial concept began at a family pizza night.

Denise, a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) graduate, works from his home studio in Barrington. Born in Massachusetts but raised in Ireland, Denise always had a passion for art. He explains, “I was that kid who was always drawing. But the idea of being an artist or an illustrator never occurred to me. I didn’t even know what an illustrator was.” He briefly studied art history and archaeology before transferring to RISD and finding his creative direction.

Denise has an acclaimed career in children’s illustration, but Knight Owl is the first book he wrote as well as illustrated. “Over the years, I’ve been so lucky to work with and learn from amazing authors like Brian Jacques, Jane Yolen, wife Anika Denise, Phyllis Root, and Rosemary Wells. My first editor told me that when I was ready, I should start writing my own books. I guess I was finally ready,” says Denise.

Knight Owl features an unlikely hero who saves the day with his nocturnal strength and pizza. Denise recites how a chat over a pie inspired the story: “I was trying, unsuccessfully, to get a story together about an owl that stays up all night… a night owl. Then our daughter Isabel asked the magic question: ‘What if?’ She asked, ‘What if the owl was a knight?’ I immediately started sketching on my iPad. With that one question, I knew the character and a good part of the story.”

The book is filled with word play and enchanting digital illustrations. Denise works almost exclusively digitally and draws upon artistic influences such as N.C. Wyeth, Johannes Vermeer, and Hiroshi Yoshida; his technique lends itself to the moody images that immerse viewers into this storybook realm.

Within this world, little Owl dreams of being a proper knight and battling dragons. After completing knight school, he is

assigned to the night shift and succeeds as the only knight to stay awake. The illustrations of the glowy castle scenes, fierce dragons, and wide-eyed owl enchant readers.

“Many kids and adults have written to me about appreciating Knight Owl ’s themes of bravery and friendship. I think those are universal themes any age reader can relate to, and I’m glad they see a bit of themselves in Owl’s story,” says Denise.

Through his distinguished career, Knight Owl is Denise’s first Caldecott Honor. “With Knight Owl , I knew I had created a really solid piece of work but never expected anything that happened after we published. The Caldecott Honor is just amazing and I am so grateful. I have no idea what it means yet… it’s still sinking in,” he shares.

The American Library Association (ALA) announced the winners of the 2023 Youth Media Awards at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience conference in January. The awards are selected by judging committees composed of librarians and other children’s experts, and per ALA, “encourage original and creative work.”

What’s next? Denise is always at work on a new project and plans to produce more Knight Owl books. “Owl will have a few new adventures, and make a few new friends,” he shares. Denise also illustrated a forthcoming book Willow and Bunny by Anita Rowe Schulte to be released in 2023 or early 2024. For upcoming events and more visit ChristopherDenise.com

Photo courtesy of Christopher Denise

BY MAGGIE MULVENA PEARSON

Meet the MAKERS ABOUT TH E WRITER

When it comes to Italian cuisine, East Bay residents have a deep love and appreciation for authentic flavors and traditional recipes. The area is home to a vibrant community of makers and purveyors who share that same passion. From handmade fresh pasta and gelato to imported and domestic cheeses and cured meats, there’s no shortage of delicious Italian delicacies to be found. Whether you’re in the mood to whip up a hearty lasagna, enjoy a classic Italian maritozzi, or indulge in a beautiful charcuterie board, these local businesses are sure to please!

Maggie Mulvena Pearson is a passionate foodie and the founder of Feast & Fettle, an upscale local meal delivery service based in East Providence. With a background in recipe development, food writing and food styling, Mulvena Pearson has developed a unique perspective of the culinary world. She currently resides in Riverside with her husband and two young sons. Follow along at @maggie.pearson.food

Within a small footprint, specialty businesses have everything cooks need to create fresh and authentic Italian dishes

Photography by Kendall Pavan St. Laurent

PricaFreshFarinaPasta Co.

STEPPING INTO PRICA FARINA,

located on the corner of Market and Main in downtown Warren, feels like walking into the home of co-owners Priscila Moritz and David Strenio. With over 40 years of combined experience in the food and beverage industry, the couple opened the charming shop after being inspired by all the gourmet food and pasta shops they encountered while living in Brazil. According to Moritz, they originally considered opening a specialty cheese shop, but decided they wanted to offer more, so why not pasta? Strenio, the former head cheesemaker at Great Hill Dairy in nearby Marion, MA, handles the production of most of their products, including all the pasta, working alongside a talented baker who is their only employee. With her friendly disposition, Moritz manages the customer service side of the business, greeting patrons, helping with any questions they may have, and ensuring that they have a positive experience during their visit.

As far as the pasta goes, it’s made fresh daily and greets you in a glass case upon entering the shop – in 10 or more varieties – such as linguini, bucatini, tagliatelle, gnocchi, tortelloni, and ravioli, to name a few. They use flour imported from Italy to make the dough and a classic Italian method of extruding long and short shaped pastas through traditional bronze dies (perforated metal plates). Strenio also uses a ravioli machine to assist with sealing and cutting the fresh filled pasta.

The freshness of everything at Prica Farina is the most noticeable thing. Not only do they make all the pasta, but they also create other delicious Italian specialties in house: pizza dough, focaccia, and assorted baked goods like pistachio maritozzi – a lightly sweetened pistachio creamfilled masterpiece. Once a week they hand-pack a variety of creative gelato flavors, such as Turkish coffee, stracciatella, Biscoff, and lemon sorbet, truly maximizing their production space. These pints are available for purchase daily, but they sell out quickly.

Find fresh pasta selections posted daily online

WEDGE IS A DELIGHTFUL ADDITION

to the town of Warren. With no formal food background, owners Sasha Goldman and Chelsea Morrissey decided to take a risk and open a shop that carried all the things they wanted to buy but had trouble finding. The shop’s location on Water Street proved to be the perfect spot, and they opened its doors in late December 2022. The decor is modern and inviting, featuring stunning black and white tiled flooring and a beautiful glass case that displays their selection of artisanal cheeses as a main focal point. Goldman describes the shop “as a fun and inviting place where you will want to spend time discovering new things,” and this sentiment is certainly reflected in the store’s atmosphere and selection.

While Wedge has some staple cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano and clothbound cheddar, the owners also like to occasionally change up the variety they offer. Some special Italian-inspired domestic standouts they offer are Vivace, from Cato Corner Farm in Connecticut, which is a cross between Emmental and Italian Provolone; the Pesto Ricotta from Crooked Face Creamery in Maine is another notable option – a rich, creamy whole milk ricotta, layered with fresh pesto and pressed into a disk-like shape. Finally, the Marieke Truffle Gouda from Wisconsin is sweet and herbaceous, and speckled with black truffle flakes. In addition to cheeses, the shop carries New England charcuterie items, such as Vermont Salumi Bresaola and Capocollo, as well as North Scituate-based Martinelli Farm’s Wild Boar, Tartufo, and Porcini salami. The shop also stocks a beautifully curated selection of specialty food items such as chocolates, crackers, biscuits, olive oils, vinegars, preserves, and honey, many of which are locally made.

If DIY isn’t for you, Wedge also offers various custom charcuterie boards and their adorable Char-cuteerie Cups, making it the perfect spot to impress guests at your next event.

279 WATER STREET 401-252-4189

WEDGERI.COM

Wedge

Photos by Maggie Mulvena Pearson

AS YOU STEP INTO MOZZ NEWPORT,

the aroma of espresso and freshly baked bread, along with a friendly “Buongiorno!’’ from Luca Mignogna or his sta , will make you feel right at home. Located in Bellevue Gardens Shopping Center in the former home of Newport Creamery, husband and wife team Luca and Christina Mignogna opened Mozz in June 2022. Luca’s extensive background in cheesemaking started early as a young boy helping his grandfather make cheese in the Molise region of Southern Italy. After becoming more serious about cheesemaking, he studied at the University of Vermont’s Institute for Artisan Cheese, and then returned home to Molise to apprentice with a master cheesemaker, perfecting the art of making traditional Molisani cheeses, such as mozzarella. Reflecting on his past, Luca says “all of my happiest memories involve food.” He hopes to share this feeling of joy and happiness with his customers when they visit his shop.

Prior to opening Mozz Newport, Luca and Christina had a beloved cheesemaking facility, Wolf Meadow Farm in Amesbury, MA, but closed in late 2018 after learning that their lease would not be renewed. After taking a break and refocusing their e orts on a new Italian-inspired cheese concept in Newport, the couple decided to name their new venture Mozz. The name is derived from the word mozzare, meaning to cut, and serves as a metaphor for the concept of being unfinished.

Most mornings Luca starts his day with cheesemaking. In addition to his supple fresh mozzarella, he also makes scamorza, burrata, and stracciatella. However, Mozz doesn’t just specialize in formaggi or cheese, they also o er pane or bread, including their house-made focaccia and country bread as well as baked imported breads. They also o er a great selection of imported charcuterie, as well as domestic and imported cheeses from France, Italy, and Spain. The shop is fully stocked with imported and local provisions from small family-owned businesses, including dried pasta, olive oils, vinegars, honey, and preserves.

Luca shares his passion for the craft by organizing popular workshops, including an introduction to cheesemaking, a two-and-half-hour course transforming fresh local milk into primo sale or farmers cheese. A mozzarella workshop teaches history and stretching techniques. Additionally, there’s a pasta-making class, where you will learn how to make cavatelli by hand using only three or less simple ingredients. As Luca explains, “I want to pass on my knowledge and passion so it isn’t lost in the next generation.”

Luca Mignogna is inspired by artisinal products from childhood

Photos by Allison Barrett, courtesy of Mozz Newport

ShoListing

Other East Bay sources for goods sure to level up home cooking.

BARRINGTON BUTCHERY

Carries a curated selection of charcuterie items as well as house-rolled meatballs.

338 County Road, Barrington

BOTTEGA BOCCONI

Pick up prepared foods like sauces, soups, salads, lasagna, meatballs, and more at this Italian deli and market with two locations; catering also available.

36 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown

1965 East Main Road, Portsmouth

GROUNDSWELL TABLE + PROVISIONS

Find a selection of local and imported provisions, garnishes, cheese, and charcuterie pairings.

3879 Main Road, Tiverton

ITALIAN CORNER

An authentic Italian deli that carries a wide selection of imported cured meats and cheeses, as well as fresh pasta, bread, and prepared foods, all made in house.

10 Boyd Avenue, East Providence

NECTAR DE LA VIDA

In addition to an olive oil and balsamic tasting bar, marvel at organic, gluten-free, and vegan pantry options, coffee, chocolates, and more.

460 Main Street, Warren

The Cheese Whe V lage Market

LOCATED IN TIVERTON’S HISTORIC FOUR CORNERS DISTRICT,

The Cheese Wheel Village Market opened in the fall of 2018 by The Bothelo Family, but the location has been a specialty cheese shop for at least 15 years. They boast an impressive selection of over 200 cheeses sourced from all over the world, and have thus garnered a reputation for being a destination for cheese and charcuterie lovers. Find goudas, cheddars, blues, alpine styles, washed rinds, and pecorinos, along with an extensive variety of sheep and goat milk cheeses, and more. A few notable Italian-sourced cheeses are the Testun al Barolo from Piemonte, a blended cow and goat’s milk alpine cheese matured in grape pressings which add a fruity tang to the robust cheese. The Pecorino Siciliano from Sicily is another favorite among the cheesemongers – this piquant hard sheep’s milk cheese is perfect for grating over pasta. Finally, the Gorgonzola Piccante from Novara, Italy is a pasteurized cow’s milk blue that has an intense sharp flavor and crumbly texture that’s perfect paired with honey or crumbled over salads.

In addition to the cheeses, the shop is stocked with a host of charcuterie items, which they slice fresh upon order, including Jamon Iberico de Bellota and Prosciutto di Parma. They’re known for creating beautiful custom charcuterie boards in different shapes, sizes, and price points. But The Cheese Wheel is not just a cheese and meat shop; they also offer a large selection of house-made prepared foods and baked goods, such as meatballs in marinara, chicken parmigiano, and mushroom stroganoff, plus breads, pies, and scones (many of which are gluten-free) and local provisions including pickles, honey, crackers, vinegars, and preserves.

Whether you’re a local or a cheese enthusiast visiting Tiverton, The Cheese Wheel Village Market is a food lovers’ one-stop shop for its impressive selection of cheeses from around the world.

Photos by Maggie Mulvena Pearson

Food & Drink

Sweet Bread Season

A Riverside bakery stocks up on spring holiday pastries and pies

With Easter just around the corner, local bakeshop display cases are turning pastel-hued with festive treats, plus beloved sweet bread is back, a soft brioche delicacy with whole eggs nestled in the middle. Though it’s often a Portuguese tradition, Scialo’s County Bakery in Riverside and Seekonk crafts the Italian version. “We add an interesting twist by braiding this slightly sweet and flavorful bread and then we finish it o with a few hard boiled eggs,” explains baker and owner’s son Ethan Scialo.

The family-owned and -operated bakery has been around since 1974, so they’re no stranger to being a part of traditions big and small. “Our goal is to be a bakery customers can trust and rely on for any holiday, event, or just a simple breakfast. We do our best to ensure that every product is as fresh and delicious as possible when it is in our customers’ hands,” says Scialo.

For April, Scialo’s County Bakery will also continue zeppole season strong with their scratch-made family recipe of “traditional boiled cream filling” and flu y baked shell, with a cherry on top. Watch for their signature Ricotta Pie, too. “It’s very popular at Easter time,” Scialo explains. “Our Ricotta Pie comes plain, with rice, or with rice and pineapple. Tender sweet short dough crust leave customers wanting more.”

ScialosCountyBakery.com | By Abbie Lahmers

Photo courtesy of Scialos County Bakery

Food & Drink EXPERIENCE

By Maggie Pearson

Sip, Savor, and Learn

A local tour company lets you meet the foodie makers of Providence’s Valley Neighborhood and beyond

On a delightfully sunny Saturday, my husband Kyle and I arrived at the Farm Fresh RI Food Hub to meet up with Jack Griffin, our Rhode Island Red Food Tour guide for the afternoon. We congregated with a small group of eight other food enthusiasts for the recent tour focusing on Providence’s up-and-coming Valley Neighborhood. Beginning at the bustling indoor farmers market, the tour highlights many of the city’s newest and most creative makers. Griffin gave a short historical account of the 60,000-square-foot “purpose-designed” Farm Fresh building, which was once the site of a stone-cutting facility – best known

for cutting marble for the RI State House.

At the market, we made our way through the crowded corridors until we reached our first stop: the highly sought after BUNS Bakery table. A freshly baked cinnamon babka in hand, Griffin introduced us to the owner, Guy Hanuka. The Israeli-born baker, known for his incredible challah, babka, and rugelach, started BUNS out of his home amid the pandemic in 2020.

We followed Griffin over to one of the facility’s permanent tenants, New Harvest Coffee Roasters. In the custom-built coffee lab, we met with co-owner Rik Kleinfeldt who told us all about the business of coffee

and offered samples of their smooth Colombian single-origin Chiroso Honey variety, which pairs wonderfully with the sweet babka from BUNS.

Then we were o to our next stop, Rhed’s Hot Sauce. Chef-owners Deja and Karsten Hart took us through the ingredients and processes that make their products unique. Deja explained that she is especially “focused on creating layers of flavor and not just heat,” by fermenting their chili mash for at least two weeks, as well as incorporating lots of fresh local vegetables to create flavorful, well-balanced sauces. While we listened, we worked our way through sampling their

Photos courtesy of Rhode Island Red Food Tours

BUNS Bakery

award-winning hot sauces – ranging from classic to the tangy and umami-forward Deja Vu and zesty yellow Lemon Drop. We also got to try their salsas and BBQ sauces.

After a quick 15-minute shopping break to explore solo, Griffin led the group across the street to The Industrious Spirit Company’s (ISCO) tasting room patio to learn about the first distillery in Providence since prohibition. Located in a former industrial mill complex, ISCO produces sustainably sourced vodka, gins, and bourbons. After sipping small pours of their handcrafted spirits, it was back across the street for tacos. We sat down at Tallulah’s Taqueria while Griffin gave us the rundown of the popular multi-location joint which first opened in Fox Point before expanding to Jamestown and then here on Sims Avenue. The braised pork carnitas taco we sampled hit the spot.

The next stop was Providence Brewing Company. Their industrial tap room includes an impressive rotating selection of beer, as well as specialty frozen beer

While the PVD Valley Neighborhood Victuals Tour is now closed, go on your own foodie jaunt with Rhode Island Red Food Tours for their Newport Neighborhood and Downcity Providence tours, all of which sell out fast!

cocktails, like the one we sampled: the Raspberry Fritter Blood Orange Imperial Pastry Stout. We finished the tour on a sweet note with stops at Wright’s Creamery for a scoop of “cow-to-cone” ice cream and then Anchor To ee for their signature small-batch Almond Butter To ee.

If snacking away an afternoon isn’t tantalizing enough, the lure of discovering new favorite businesses and food makers is well worth taking a culinary adventure with RI Red Food Tour.

Rhode Island Red Food Tours

270 Bellevue Avenue, Newport 401-684-1110

RhodeIslandRedFoodTours.com

A sampling of Rhed’s hot sauce

By Gina Mastrostefano

Dive Bar Vibes Meet High-End Eats

The owner behind West Coast-inspired restaurants brings no-fuss Italian cuisine in newest venture

Before there was Diego’s on Bowen’s Wharf – and all the iterations to come over the years – there was punk band drummer Scott Kirmil. Hailing from Newton, CT, Kirmil dove into the restaurant industry when he moved to Boston, where he met his now wife Adrienne. The two of them stacked up over 12 years of experience working in restaurants before Adrienne’s real estate background led them to a property destined to become the first in a local franchise of eclectic contemporary dining.

“When Adrienne and I opened up the original Diego’s in 2009, we wanted a fun casual vibe with inspiration drawing

from some of our favorite West Coast and Mexican eateries,” says Kirmil. “Our backgrounds were everything from dive bars to high-end cocktail spots. We just wanted something fun that landed somewhere in between the two.”

Amidst Newport’s sea of fine dining and white linens, Diego’s fearlessly marches to the beat of its own drum with its punk rock motifs and Mexican-fusion menu. Since the Bowen’s Wharf eatery achieved success, they have continued to expand the franchise, and branch out to other styles of cuisine. For instance, also in the neighborhood is Wharf Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar,

which opened in 2018 with a fresh take on southern dining. Using locally sourced ingredients, the eatery brings the flavors of Louisiana and Nashville to the Ocean State.

Diego’s Cantina opened in 2019 just two blocks away from Easton’s beach and adjacent to Reject’s Beer Co., which is owned by Kirmil’s sister. The tandem businesses (and built-in-since-birth partnership) makes for seamless takeout orders via the brewery. Then in 2020, Diego’s made its debut across the bridge on a cozy corner lot in Providence’s Wayland Square. With the pandemic following just a few months after, Diego’s Eastside, like many restaurants, was limited

Photos by Gina Mastrostefano

Mexican-inspired eats from Diego’s

by COVID restrictions. Luckily, their charming wrap-around porch provided a safe option for outdoor dining, and the location has quickly found its footing in a post-pandemic world.

Inside the East Side iteration, it’s clear the energetic personality of the OG restaurant hasn’t faded – there’s a cluster of polaroids hanging in the foyer offering an ode to memories made over margaritas, along with a delightfully manic ambiance established through bright and punchy accents contrasted with black-and-white skull wallpaper. Popular menu items, like a variety of street tacos and Mezcal cocktails, remain the same, but each Diego’s diverges with its own specials, too, like the East Side’s Pork Taquitos.

And the Kirmils don’t plan to stop there. Coming soon from the restaurateur couple is a new destination on Long Wharf, where Celtica Newport used to be, called The Quencher. “We hope to create the perfect marriage between a dark bar and the cozy neighborhood eatery you crave weekly,” Kirmil explains, “with no-fuss Italian food made from scratch, late-night live music, family and local friendly, and an old school barroom vibe.”

With chef Joey Piotti at the helm, the new upscale dive will substitute the sugar skull decor of its predecessors for vintage Italian horror movie posters. Keep an ear to the ground for a celebratory block party happening mid-June to mark the opening of what’s soon to become one of Newport’s best kept secrets.

Diego’s Newport

11 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport 401-619-2640 • DiegosNewport.com

Diego’s Cantina

116 Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown 401-619-1717 • DiegosMiddletown.com

Wharf Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar

37 Bowen’s Wharf, Newport 401-619-5672 • WharfSouthernKitchen.com

Punk drummer-turnedrestaurateur Scott Kirmil

By Ken Abrams

Burger

Known for slinging some of the best burgers in Warren, Chomp is moving to a new location at 279 Water Street. Co-owner Tanner Larkin, who promises water views from every seat, envisions Chomp becoming part of an emerging bar crawl scene in the town. “We’re really excited to be able to move into the heart of Warren. There are so many awesome small businesses from one end of Water Street to the other. Between us and The Guild, it’s going to be a great strip.”

Chomp’s menu won’t be affected much by the move. “Right now our menu changes seasonally and we run weekend specials,” says Larkin. “We can kind of do whatever we want as long as it fits between two buns or some sort of sandwich concept.” Chomp offers an extensive selection of craft beers, including favorites from local brewers Buttonwoods and Proclamation. Larkin expects to offer more bar snacks and shared plates. “Sometimes people just want to come in for a beer and a snack, rather than having to sit down for a full tray of wings or a whole burger.” Warren, ChompRI.com

Passersby have long been speculating on the fate of the former Grange in Providence, which will soon be home to the second iteration of East Greenwich eatery The Patio on Main. “We’ve been thinking about expanding our brand and when we saw this opportunity in a historic urban neighborhood, we were eager to pursue it,” says Patio owner Jason Winpenny.

Known for outdoor dining in EG, Winpenny expects to open the new Patio on Broadway up to the surrounding neighborhood. “People enjoy dining al fresco more than ever before,” he says. “We are excited to be located in an area with natural surroundings, the perfect way to enjoy everything the city offers. We’re working to provide a unique ambiance with expanding windows to get an outdoor feel while dining inside and enjoying an innovative and exciting culinary experience.” Expect a similar menu at the Broadway location, with tasty salads, sandwiches, burgers, and bowls leading the way, plus craft beers and cocktails. Providence, ThePatioRI.com

joint on the move in Warren

An EG fave opens second location

“where The Grange used to be”

Photos courtesy of Chomp

Gansett Wraps, the popular fast-casual restaurant wrapping authentic Lebanese favorites such as falafel, hummus, and fattoush salad – along with a menu of American classic sandwiches and soups – will open a new spot in North Kingstown later this year, joining the locally owned chain that already has locations in Narragansett, Westerly, and Middletown. Owner Bahaa Mahmoud describes his menu as “fresh salads with a Mediterranean twist.”

“Gansett Wraps started as a family business using mom’s home-cooked recipes from Lebanon, taking a journey through different continents, starting with our first location in Narragansett,” adds Mahmoud. Everything is made from scratch, based on modern and traditional recipes. “We focus on keeping a family-friendly environment,” says Mahmoud. “We ensure that our service and food put a smile on our customers’ faces as we consider them extended family members.” And don’t worry, if kabobs, falafel, and gyros are not your style, Gansett Wraps offers traditional salad and sandwich fare including tuna, turkey, chicken and more. GansettWraps.com

Local chain of flavorful wraps expands beyond Gansett

Pic of the Bay

Signs of spring blooming in Newport

Awkward millennial sarcastically MacGyvering my way through marriage, motherhood & life with my camera in hand.

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