The majority of the staff at Aspire is Rhode Island born and raised. For some it may be a love-hate relationship, the tug of war between the good and bad aspects of our state (from Politics to Weather, The Beaches to Coffee Milk) however you may feel, it is undeniable that Rhode Island has a distinct and fiercely protected identity. We are the home to many great ideas and people, past and present, we are a creativity mecca, an area so caught up in food-love that we will never let go of our traditional fare.
ie. Cabinets (the original and true milk shake), johnny cakes, a true NY System Weiner (illegal in most other states…even New York, ironically), clam cakes, our innate obsession with seafood, Dels lemonade, Clams Casino…etc.etc.etc.
Maybe it is the fact that we are a small state, it forms tight knit bonds. Everyone “knows a guy” who can help you with whatever project you need assistance with. In that way, Rhode Island is crazy about Farmers Markets. It feeds directly into our desire to help out friends and friends-of-friends. We like to buy local and eat local. Many restaurants over the past few years have also vowed to purchase local whenever it is possible. We’re not going to claim this is unique to Rhode Island, all around the world people enjoy Farmers Markets, especially chefs. But we will say that we are proud to participate in this practice, and to call this state home.
http://www.farmfresh.org/food/farmersmarkets_details.php?market=29
Entry by Emily Beauchemin
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