 A culinary tradition in Rhode Island is the "clam cake" (also known as a clam fritter outside of Rhode Island), a deep fried ball of buttery dough with chopped bits of clam inside.They are sold by the half-dozen or dozen in most seafood restaurants around the state, and the quintessential summer meal in Rhode Island is chowder and clam cakes.The quahog is a large local clam usually used in a chowder.