Stonington and Local Food

Stonington's Opera House Arts

Downtown Stonington is an active fishing and lobstering villiage. The terrain is very hilly, which results in some stellar views of the pier (and challenges for a new stick-shift driver).

It is a small town with maybe four restaurants and two Bed and Breakfast Inns on the waterfront. There is one local grocery store. 

As one of the locals said, "Stonington is the only city where you can walk across downtown in one breath."

Its very charming here. The population doubles in the summer, and yet, its still not busy. Yesterday I saw some "traffic" which was just four cars on the same road. 

I've been slowly sampling the local faire, starting with this fine lobster. It was a seasonal soft-shell and the meat was sweeter than the average lobster. Live lobsters are $4/each, and I've been slowly building my courage to cook one. Boiling a living creature makes me squeamish; I feel like PETA is going to come and take away my "faux-vegetarian" card.

Mussels were $2/pound at the grocery store and I picked some up on a whim. They were so easy to cook and absolutely delicious - I'm never paying $15 for them in a restaurant again! My meal cost me under $5, cooked at home.

I executed these mussels in boiling water while they were still living. Somehow preparing a bivalve doesn't seem as daunting as cooking something with eyeballs.

I tried the local fried haddock sandwich last night, and next on my list is a lobster roll.