Providence

Kris and I did a road trip from Halifax to New York and we've been in food fabulous NY for 5 days now. There were some ups and downs in the road trip food department, of course. But on day 2 we had breakfast at an old fashioned ice cream and lime rickey joint at beautiful Old Orchard Beach in Maine. Egg, ham and american cheese on a bagel. Wonderful.

Later that day, we ended up in Providence, Rhode Island for a late lunchtime.


We felt our way through downtown to a gorgeous neighborhood on the hillside. We walked up the hill and Hallelujah, there was Geoff's. A quirky little take out sandwich joint in the midst of some very stately looking houses and around the corner from the Rhode Island School of Design.


These guys have the hugest sandwich menu I've ever seen on chalkboards on the walls and there's a barrel of half sour pickles for the taking in the middle of the place. I ordered a chicken salad sandwich with spinach and cranberry sauce and got into a discussion about the nature of sarsaparilla with the very friendly staff.


The sandwiches were humongous, in true American style, fresh and thoroughly satisfying, on thick soft rye bread, or whatever kind of bread you choose. (Note to self: remember to take pictures BEFORE eating half the plate.)


We were so lucky to have stumbled across this place. I have great travel food instincts! What can I say?

Oyster Heaven

Aurora, Emily and I went for a drive to get a peck (64) of fresh, succulent oysters for 24 bucks at the big blue oyster factory just down the road from Lucy Maud Montgomery's birth place.

Here I am shucking the first one by the side of the road. It was one of the best I've ever had.

Two days later, I think there are about 3 left.

http://www.peaqua.com/

Welcome to the Island

I'm on beautiful PEI now, where it rains every day and every night. Having a great time anyway. OMG! I just had the first glimpse of the sun in 4 days! Well, sort of.

I'm here staying in a house with two of my girlfriends, my sister and my mom. It takes forever to get out of the house. Four of us live for seafood, shellfish in particular. One friend, Misako, does not. I feel for her because there really is nothing to eat here but seafood. There is simply nowhere to get good bread, and no international food whatsoever. Poor Misako was forced last night to try her first oyster. The photos are hilarious. And the other night, she was subjected to the infamous PEI lobster supper!


The lobster supper is a PEI tradition. Hundreds of people crammed into a huge dining hall filling up on the 60 foot salad bar, all you can eat mussels, and the grand finale, a cold, overcooked, pre-cracked lobster cooked in very very salty water. It's something you have to do every 5 years or so, just for the experience and to remember that it's always better to do your own lobster. Luckily, my sister Aurora ordered the crab legs instead of the lobster, so when Misako discovered that alas she does not like lobster, and Aurora was unimpressed by the crab, they traded and everyone was happy. Then dessert, 4 kinds of pie, undetermined numbers of assorted squares, soft serve ice cream, and strawberry shortcake.


We girls shut down the place and were guided to the only way out, on the other side of the kitchiest gift shop imaginable, with a sweet islander lady at the counter to ring through Aurora's lobster harmonica and lobster keychain with her boyfriends name on it. We three in the back seat slept most of the way home.