I am always delighted by the food I consume when i visit my Pals down in Providence, whether it be something we whip up in the kitchen or a tasty dish at one of the many appetizing restaurants.  I knew I was in for a treat on my most recent visit because within 15 minutes of being picked up at the station, we arrived at the Pawtucket Winter Farmers Market to stock up on local treats.

The market opens at 11am and by 11:30 the old warehouse space was packed shoulder to shoulder with eager shoppers waiting to fill their reusable bags with the farmer’s bounty.  I would expect nothing less from Bostonites if we were fortunate enough to have a single place to get native veggies, cheeses, meats, seafood, etc. throughout the winter months.  It definitely made me a tad jealous but all the free samples made me get over my farmers market envy quite fast.  Our purchases dabbled on the random side but treated us well for the rest of the visit: 2 dozen littleneck clams, container of pea shoots, jar of pickles, apples, baguette, Atwell’s Gold, and my souvenir to bring back to JP- a jug of apple cider vinegar.

Once we stepped outside the market, the most glorious vehicle was awaiting us, the Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile.  This hot dog/sausage/other fine meat chariot is a branch of the East Side Restaurant Chez-Pascal.  Although the chorizo was tempting, I could not stray from the classic dog with kraut, mustard and onions.  I got to snag a bite of my friend’s cubano that was a special of the day and heard positive murmurings about the meatloaf sandwich.  I must say that it was my most memorable (sober) hot dog consumption to date.

After some outdoor exploring with some jarred up drinks made with Michele’s earl grey tea infused vodka (check their website for the cocktail recipe), we decided to head back to their apartment to relax and enjoy some of Luke’s tasty kitchen creations.  We munched on a hodgepodge of cheese, crackers, apples and pea shoots while Luke whipped up a savory bruschetta with blue cheese, prosciutto, apple chutney and chopped nuts.  He let me in on a great budget tip of buying the prosciutto ends from the deli- you get them at such a great price it doesn’t matter if they aren’t sliced perfectly thin.

Next on the menu was littleneck clams and chorizo in a white wine broth.  I got a rare treat of taking a break from the kitchen so I didn’t scope out the whole recipe but it did contain onions, red pepper, chopped tomatoes, and well paired seasonings.  The broth was so delicious I wanted a whole baguette to myself to soak it all up.  The night ended with some intense foosball matches at their neighborhood watering hole, Captain Seaweeds.

I’m going to leave my amazing breakfast experience for another day since this post has become quite lengthy.  Even if you don’t have pals down in Providence, its still worth a 45 minute drive or hour long commuter rail ride to scope out some different restaurants and night life.  Here are some recommendations: Julians, Red Fez, Rue de L’Espoir, Local 121, New Rivers, Apsara Palace, Liberty Elm Diner, and a stroll around the Italian restaurants on Federal Hill.