Various and sundry

Posting pre-Memorial Day because I’ll be off Monday, kayaking in one of Maine’s many coves, getting as far away from the delete button as possible.

Check your Rhody cred
In the May 18th edition of Time magazine, Joel Stein writes about new books that celebrate America’s culinary heritage. While his article doesn’t mention the Ocean State, the piece is illustrated by a map of America highlighting such regional eats as fried beaver tail (Montana), peanut soup (Virginia), lamb fries (Nebraska), hot guts (Texas), sopaipilla (New Mexico) hoppel poppel (Wisconsin), cherry bounce (Arkansas) and shrimp pilau (eastern Florida). New England is represented graphically by whoopie pie (Maine) and what the magazine describes as “JONNY CAKES” (Rhode Island). But there’s nothing remotely jonny or cake about the picture, which shows about a dozen mud-colored flapjacks drenched in maple syrup and decorated with what appear to be blueberries or cherries. Um, no. As every Rhode Islander knows, true jonnycakes are made from Rhode Island white flint corn, scooped onto the griddle and are rarely accompanied by anything more than a little butter. So, please, no bicycle tire-sized stacks. No slathering in syrup. And no fruit toppings. They’re jonnycakes, something you’ll find at a grange hall or church May breakfast, not at a roadside IHOP, Denny’s or Waffle House.

Moonstone memories
Memorial Day Weekend is the beginning of beach season in Rhode Island, when natives, transplants and out-of-staters alike flock to their favorite sandy haven. Despite its crowds, the former Narragansett Pier (now Narragansett Town Beach) has been my paradise of choice for the past three decades, mostly because of its surf, sea wall and scenery. Lately though, I’ve been thinking about how an entire generation has grown up without knowing about Moonstone, the South Kingstown beach now federally protected for the piping plover and least tern. Back in the day, Moonstone was one of the most popular nude beaches in the Northeast, drawing regulars from New England and beyond to hang out sans couture on its pristine stretch of sand. Moonstone celebrated the subversive, counterculture, rebellious spirit of Rhode Island and, given its location in laid-back South County, it became a magnet for followers of a mellower lifestyle, interrupted by the occasional exhibitionist. Moonstone was aptly named as well, given the two activities most commonly associated with the beach. As I recall, most of the nudists preferred to be called naturists (nudists can be very particular about semantics, as long as they don’t have to wear them). But Moonstone had its own vibe. The beach was always clean. The clothing was always optional. People were friendly. Privacy was respected. And a Moonstone sunburn was unlike any other, because you’ve never really had sunburn until you’ve had sunburn everywhere.

What is your Rhode Island beach of choice, and why?