clamcakes in Rhode Island

Asked about their favorite menu items: Laura Foy, left, "Our apple pie a'la mode or clamcakes dunked in ketchup." Elsie Foy, middle, "Our lobster sandwich on our homemade white bread." And Amy Foy, right, "Our homemade cinnamon raisin bread." photo by Agapao Productions

Aunt Carrie's restaurant has served seafood since 1920 - so named because six children, and many nieces and nephews kept calling out Carrie Cooper's name. Now in the fourth generation, Amy and Laura, work along side their mother Elsie Foy.

Located down the road from Point Judith Lighthouse, Aunt Carrie's is described as the birthplace of the clamcake. Although the building may have grown, its counter area and front dining room are the original structure.

As the owner of the restaurant, Elsie Foy puts in countless numbers of hours seven days a week. Whether it's office work, cooking behind hot fryolaters, being a surrogate mother to her young staff, or washing dishes late at night after everyone has gone home, she does it all. "She truly is the backbone of the restaurant," Amy Foy says.

Smiles abound as its reputation is formerly recognized. The America's Classics award this year is presented to Aunt Carrie's from The James Beard Foundation. They present a bronze medallion and certificate to regional restaurants that offer good, down-home food and unmatched hospitality for generations.

"I think what keeps people coming back year after year to Aunt Carrie's is the nostalgia we offer them . . . I think my grandparents and greatgrandparents would be very proud of my mother for everything she has accomplished over the years and maintaining the same values and ideals they had when starting the business. That is something we hope to pass down to future generations," Amy Foy says.

The people that encompass the history of Aunt Carrie's include: Carrie and Ulysses Cooper, Gertrude and William Foy, Bill Foy and other relatives. To see photos, visit http://www.auntcarriesri.com. But to taste the food, visit 1240 Ocean Road in Narragansett.

- Lisa Piscatelli, She Shines