Food, Glorious Food

This week has been filled with delightful delicacies that have filled my belly and warmed my soul.  I've been wanting to try a Hot Weenie since I landed here in Rhode Island and I was finally able to make it happen on Monday.  What's a Hot Weenie?  I know my mind initially had dirty thoughts about my spouse when I first heard of it, but it turns out it's just Little Rhodie's version of a chili dog.  Its dirt cheap fare that you can find quite easily, and if you ask for it "all the way," it means a veal weenie with meat sauce, mustard, onions, celery salt, and a side of vinegar.  The verdict?  Tasty!

I then tried Del's which is a frozen lemonade that you can also find EVERYWHERE in Rhode Island once the weather warms up.  I chose the cherry flavor and here I am trying it. 

The verdict?  Eh...  Just ok.  I kind of felt like I was raped since it was $2.40 for a 12 ounce cup that is a slightly thicker consistency than a Slurpee, but considerably more expensive, for a helluva lot less.  I can see why it would be really popular given the large number of beaches around here and the paucity of 7-11s.  Del's has your number Rhode Islanders, but since I'm a transplant and a tightwad, I can't see myself ordering this treat very often.

Another wonderful discovery I made this week?  Bagel shops.  I used to always have fresh bagels on hand when we lived in Salt Lake, but Idaho Falls doesn't have a bagel shop.  My kids always beg for them from the grocery store, but it just isn't the same, trust me on this one.  Here I am munching an everything bagel with house made veggie cream cheese.  DELICOUS:

Best treat of all this week?  Mussels.  Fresh mussels right from Cape Cod Mass!

I brought these babies home with some white wine and had myself a feast that I will repeat on Sunday with the second pound I bought.  Thank goodness I prepared them properly because these mussels were so fresh, they tasted like the ocean and were like little pillows of butter on the half shell.  I also used a half of another bagel I had purchased earlier to mop up some of my butter and wine sauce.  DIVINE!  I definitely couldn't find those buggers in Idaho Falls as fresh as I did today, if I could find them at all, which most of the time, I couldn't.

It's only been about 2.5 weeks since I arrived,  but I am loving you more and more every day Rhode Island.  Keep the food experiences coming and I'll be your loyal fan for a lifetime.