Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--A Polish Version of Advocaat, An Egg Liqueur

      I first heard about advocaat while watching a classic horror movie.  (It's actually the answer to a question in one of my horror movie trivia quizzes, so I'll include it below, with an asterisk, in case anyone doesn't want it ruined.)  Meanwhile, a couple of months ago, I happened upon a bottle of it randomly.  Clearly I had to try it.  It was a product of Poland, and was made by Bak's.

     If you're like me, when you read "egg liqueur," you probably thought of eggnog, the Christmas treat, available as a non-alcoholic beverage, or as an alcoholic one, usually from the addition of rum.  And, from what I understand, the two drinks are very similar.  But we're getting ahead of ourselves--let's look at the history of advocaat.  Which is difficult, as the drink's origins are shrouded in mystery.  Some believe it's based on, of all things, an avocado-based liquor created by Brazilians.  Supposedly, when the Dutch started exploring and colonizing places in South America, they encountered the drink, and liked it.  However, they weren't able to make it back in Europe, as avocado plants didn't travel well, or flourish in the Dutch homeland's cooler climate.  Therefore, the Dutch substituted egg yolks for the avocados, and made a new version, but kept the Dutch approximation of the name, rendered "advocaat."  As support for this, the Dutch certainly were in Brazil in the 17th century, and certainly encountered avocados by the 1650's or so, and by the 1620's rum was being distilled in Brazil.  However, there's more.  Advocaat is also the Dutch word for "lawyer."  Another theory is that the egg-based drink was one that lawyers served while enjoying small social gatherings.  Since it became associated with these gatherings, the drink was then named after lawyers.  More definitively, a Dutch man, Johannes Gerardus Cooymans started making advocaat in the 1820's, and the distillery he founded in 1828 is still in business.  But whether Cooymans made a version of a pre-existing Dutch drink, or invented it on his own, is unknown.  Anyway, modern advocaat is usually made using egg yolks, sugar, and brandy.  Other common additives include other aromatic spirits, honey, vanilla, cream, and condensed milk.  Verpoorten, DeKuyper, Darna Ovo Liker, and Bols (see my post on a pumpkin-flavored liquor on October 23, 2021 for more information on this distillery) are some of the most popular Dutch makers of advocaat.  But, plenty of other countries make boozes flavored with eggs.  The Mexican kind is called rompope, the Colombian version is sabajon, the Puerto Rican one coquito, the German kind eirepunsch, and the Polish variant ajerkoniak, to name just a few examples.  Additionally, "pure" advocaat is also enjoyed in Belgium, Germany, and Austria, among other places.  It's sometimes consumed as an aperitif, a digestif, or as a topping for desserts, being poured onto waffles, pancakes, pastries, and ice cream.  Some people even make it a dessert itself, by adding whipped cream and powdered cocoa to a glass of it.  Strength-wise it tends to be 14-20% alcohol, or 28-40 proof.

     As for the manufacturer of the advocaat I tried, I could find next to nothing.  Bak's also makes vodka, neutral grain spirits, cherry cordials, a honey liqueur, and plum and blackberry-flavored brandies.  But that's about it--I'm not even sure if Bak's is a brand of a larger distillery, or the name of the distillery itself.  Similarly, the American importer of my drink, Adamba Imports International, Inc., out of Brooklyn, NY, is also mostly a blank.  All I know is that Adamba evidently specializes in importing Polish goods, markets over 1000 products, and started in 1978.  Also, I couldn't discover if the advocaat I tried was the "real" kind, or if it was the Polish ajerkoniak version.  The ingredients on my bottle were egg yolks, vanilla, and a "fine spirit," which could refer to vodka, or brandy.  Since Bak's definitely makes both of these liquors, it could be either.  As usual, I'll try to be a completist and try a Dutch brand of advocaat when I can, and compare and contrast it.  Finally, I'm intrigued by the idea of making booze out of avocados--I'd happily sample this, if it's still made anywhere.  Finally finally, I wonder if any Dutch lawyers were pissed that the other drinks they commonly enjoyed at social gatherings were ignored, in favor of the egg-based "advocaat" as we know it today.  I kind of want to think so, for schadenfreude reasons.

Bak's advocaat (egg liqueur).  The color was just what I thought it would be--yellow, like most egg-based products.  I couldn't pick up on an odor to speak of.  I followed the directions and chilled it in my fridge before drinking it.  As usual, with my lack of a stocked bar and mixers, I just had mine straight, as a shot.  The texture was quite thick for a beverage, rather like a milkshake.  The taste was basically like eggnog.  Sorry to be so predictable, but that's what it seemed like to me.  Since I'm a fan of eggnog, I liked this one too.  The alcohol burn was pretty intense, though--I tasted the egg-y flavor, and then the booze really kicked in at the end.  (Also, this Bak's one was a bit more potent than most advocaats, being 24% alcohol, or 48 proof.)  Overall then, I would recommend this to anyone who likes the adult, alcohol-infused version of eggnog.  Maybe buy it and eggnog and see which one you prefer.  I will say it's very rich, not surprisingly--too much in one night is probably a bad idea, or having it every day isn't wise, especially if your cholesterol is too high.  But as an occasional, change-of-pace liquor I think this is a fine choice.

*(SPOILERS AHEAD)  It was mentioned in "The Shining" (1980).

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--More Vegan Pseudo-Meat Dishes

      It's been about 5 months since I did a vegetarian/vegan food type, so let's return to it.  (Readers may recall that my last one was about a snack brand literally called "Hippeas," on February 5, 2022.)  Today's subject will be two fake meat-filled pot pies from the Alpha line--their Beefy Chedd'r, and their Buffalo Chik'n.  (The apostrophes are how Alpha renders their names, evidently to further signify that they don't use real cheddar cheese, beef, or chicken.)

     The official Alpha websites are mostly lists of their products, recipes, where to buy them, etc.  There are some unusual features, though.  In their overview about their wares, they acknowledge that some of their customers might not be full vegans or vegetarians, and may even eat meat on nights they aren't enjoying Alpha foods.  They also have a video advertisement (SPOILERS for it, if you care) that mocks some huge fast food restaurants, as blurred stand ins for KFC's Colonel Sanders, Wendy's Wendy, and McDonald's Ronald McDonald claim that eating Alpha foods turned them into vegans.  Alpha also provides information about what substances it doesn't use in its products--meat and dairy (obviously), antibiotics, GMO's, trans-fats, cholesterol, and palm oil.  (I was interested to see that some of their dishes do use tree nuts, and gluten, which is a bit atypical for vegan and vegetarian products.)  The websites don't, however, contain any info about the company's history, so I had to get that from other online sources, which I hope are accurate.  According to these, Alpha was founded by Cole Orobetz and Loren Wallis in 2015.  Orobetz is an accountant, and serves as Alpha's President and CFO.  He's based out of the Canadian city of Calgary, in Alberta.  Wallis was formerly the CEO of a dairy-free beverage company called Good Karma Foods, and is currently Alpha's CEO.  He, in turn, is based out of the Los Angeles, California area.  Another Alpha bigwig is Rob Leclerc, listed as an investor and founding partner, based out of San Francisco, California.  Despite Orobetz being based out of Canada, Alpha's headquarters are indicated as being in Glendale, California, which is near Los Angeles.  Moving on, other Alpha products, all of which are vegan, include burritos, breakfast sandwiches, strips and a crumble, patties, meatballs, mach cheze (again, their spelling), bowls, tamales, and chik'n nuggets.  Oddly, I didn't see the pot pies I tried on their lists--maybe they're new?

Alpha beefy chedd'r pot pie:  This was a disc shape, about 3.5 inches (about 9 cm.) in diameter, and about 1.25 inches (about 3 cm.) thick.  It was white, with an uneven, pebbly-like surface.  Its taste was peculiar.  The sauce was rather like a brown gravy.  It wasn't a great imitation of beef, or cheese.  Not terrible, but not great, either.  However, then I tried it with ketchup.  Which helped enormously.  It really helped the illusion of being meat, and cheese.  Still not awesome or anything, but solid.  So, if you're a vegan or vegetarian I would recommend this one, as long as you put ketchup on it.  And if you're an omnivore it still might be a decent, slightly healthier change-of-pace option.

Alpha Buffalo chik'n pot pie:  This one looked identical to the beefy chedd'r one in size, shape, and color, except that a little of the orange Buffalo sauce had emerged and was on the exterior.  This pot pie was fairly disappointing.  Mostly because the "Buffalo sauce" was not like the typical kind--this one was very bland.  The chicken substitute was okay, I suppose--the texture was decent, but because the sauce was boring the overall effect was "blah" as well.  It wasn't awful, or inedible--it just wasn't memorable, or worth it.  Maybe vegans will like this, but I can't imagine an omnivore seeking this out when good, real Buffalo chicken is an option for them.

     Overall, then, I liked one of these, and didn't really like the other one.  But, I do remember how some of the fake meat dishes I tried years ago were markedly bad, or even worse.  (For example, my September 14, 2014 post about meat substitutes was a collection of mediocre-at-best ones, and several pretty horrible selections.)  Apparently vegan chefs are getting better at their craft, especially when it comes to replicating dairy and meat.  Or else, I've tried so much of it than I'm developing a bit of a taste for it!  

     Also, this post came out on Friday instead of the usual Saturday due to a social commitment.  The next post, and subsequent ones, will return to the usual Saturday dates, so on July 30th, and so on.

 

Exotic/Disgusting Foods and Beverages Forum--Some More Australian Licorices

      I've been doing several weird culinary sequels lately, and here's one more.  While in the candy aisle recently I noticed some more new-to-me flavors of licorice.  From the Australian Darrell Lea company.  Which I covered back on January 20, 2017.  Anyway, I obviously bought 'em, and gave them a try.  This time is was the sugar-free strawberry kind, and the mango ones.

     I'll try to limit the repetition here, since I did go into some aspects of the Darrell Lea company in my previous post, as well as about the history of licorice itself, and its health detriments.  With that in mind, our story starts with Harry Levy, an English-born man who moved to Australia as a lad.  Levy started making and selling confections, or, chocolates and candies, in the Sydney area in 1917.  By 1927 he founded a company to do this.  Online sources say the bureaucrat in charge of registering the company name convinced Harry Levy to call his business Darrell Lea instead of Levy Brothers.  At some point during this time Harry Levy (legally?) changed his name to Lea.  Since we all know about the significant history of anti-Semitism, it appears that Harry Levy chose a less Jewish-sounding surname, and company title, so bigots didn't refuse to buy his products.  But, there's something else kind of weird about the company name.  Darrell Lea was Harry's youngest child, the fifth one in fact.  Were the older four children a little offended that their dad named it after their youngest brother, and not for one of them?  Moving on, the Darrell Lea company flourished.  One of its flagship brands was called "Rocklea Road," their version of the Rocky Road chocolate, nut, and marshmallow combo chocolate flavor.  Still, the company was going through hard financial times in the 21st century.  In 2012 it was reportedly hemorrhaging money, so the family manager (the actual person Darrell Lea) stepped down.  (I'm not sure if this was the original Darrell Lea, or perhaps that man's son or grandson of the same name.)  The business was sold to the Quinn family-owned VIP Petfoods company, and they were able to get the company back into the black, largely by closing down stores, laying off employees, and eliminating about 500 of the company's 800 products.  In 2018 the Quinns sold Darrell Lea to Quadrant Private Equity for $200,000,000 (I assume this in in Australian dollars).  Currently, Darrell Lea's biggest sellers are their chocolate balls, blocks, and bullets, and their various kinds of licorice.  They even combine these two specialties, as they make a chocolate licorice.   Their licorice was first made in 1957. They made a mistake during the manufacturing process, so Darrell Lea gave it away for free just to get rid of the bad batch.  However, the folks who got these free samples really liked it, so Darrell Lea started making it that way deliberately, and of course then charging money for it.  Darrell Lea also has become more eco and labor friendly over the years.  In 2018 the company began buying sustainably sourced cocoa, and in 2020 they stopped using palm oil.  Aside from homes for intellectually disabled people, and youth homes, a current charitable campaign of Darrell Lea's involves saving the bilby, which is a type of bandicoot.  (Yes, like from the old video game.)  You can see video of one, even encountering a Darrell Lea chocolate bilby, on the official website, if you're so inclined.  (And you should be--they're oddly endearing.)

Darrell Lea sugar-free strawberry licorice:  These were red tube shapes, about 5 cm. by 1 cm. (or about 2 inches by .5 inches).  The tubes were smooth, too, and not ribbed, like American licorice often is.  They were chewy, and had a pleasant, strawberry flavor.  And I didn't notice their sweetness being off, or disappointing, despite being made with sucralose as the sugar substitute.  Overall I thought the sugar-free ones were about as good as I remember the regular ones being, although, admittedly, it was over 5 years ago.  All in all I would rate these as being more than solid licorice, and better than one of the U.S. licorice kings, Twizzlers.

Darrell Lea mango licorice:  These were the same size, shape, and smoothness as the previous kind--the only difference was that these pieces were orange-yellow in color.  The texture was once again chewy, but smooth and firm.  The taste was sweet and fruity, and was recognizable as mango.  I think I liked these a bit more than the sugar-free strawberry ones--maybe the sugar makes a distinction.  So I enjoyed these, and would recommend them to folks who like licorice.  These two additional examples have strengthened my conviction that Darrell Lea makes very good licorice.  Now if I could just find some of their chocolates, to rate those.

 

  

The July/August Issue of InD'tale is Out!

 

https://issuu.com/indtalemagazine/docs/july_august_mag_2022?fr=sMDBjNTQ5MzMzNjI

     I'm happy to announce that the latest, special summer double issue of InD'tale is out, and available for everyone to read.  As you can see from the cover above, one of my articles, about famous books with different names, is featured within.  Also included are articles from Mark Rosendorf, Laramie Briscoe, Penny Reid, Julie L. York, Tamara Cribley, S.L. Carpenter, and Peggy Jaeger.  Along with many, many reviews of independent books, ebooks, and audio books.  I'd like to thank Publisher/Editor-in-Chief TJ Mackay, as well as Executive Editor Katy Nelsen.  So go ahead and click the link above, and start reading this free issue!  And get used to hearing about InD'tale, since I'll have further articles in it for the rest of the year.  If the link above doesn't work, you can also locate the issue by going to:   http://www.indtale.com                      Once there, just click on the magazine cover.

     Also, as a preview, next week's post will be about an edible from Down Under.

     

Extremely Difficult Trivia about "Jaws" (1975)

      I recently re-watched the classic "Jaws," and in doing so decided to do one of my deep trivia dives into it.  And, as luck would have it, the movie's events are set during the time around July 4th, so it matches up well with the day I'm posting this.  I hope I don't have to introduce this classic movie to anyone, since it's the film that started the "summer blockbuster" concept, and is easily one of the very best "nature run amok," creature features.  Anyway, it's the usual drill.  The questions being asked here are the height of trivia--unimportant, often background details, of interest only to obsessives such as myself.  And I'll ask the questions first, and then post the answers below, if you want to play along at home, as it were.  Many SPOILERS ahead, clearly, about this nearly 50 year old movie.

Questions:

1)   Who is the first character that we see bleeding?

2)   What radio station are the Brodys listening to in their opening scene?

3)   What number is this year's Amity regatta, held annually?

4)   What is the name of the young man who's the last person to see Christine Watkins (the first victim) alive?

5)   Where is this man attending college?

6)   What is the name of the Amity police station's receptionist/secretary?

7)   During the opening scenes, aside from parking and vehicle issues, what crime are the Amity residents complaining about to the police?

8)   What dates does Chief Brody put in the Christine Watkins's report?   

9)   Where in Amity were Christine Watkins's remains found?

10) Co-screenwriter Carl Gottlieb plays journalist Harry Meadows in the movie.  What is the name of the newspaper that he operates?

11)  When Brody goes to stop the boy scouts from earning their swimming merit badges, where are they?

12)  Who operates the small ferry that Brody uses to ride out into the ocean?

13)  According to Harry Meadows, how, technically, can the beaches be closed?

14)  What ocean creature does the Mayor say won't scare people if you yell its name, unlike a shark?

15)  Who is the old bathing cap-wearing swimmer that Brody taunts with a sarcastic remark about his hat?

16)  Right before Alex Kintner is killed, Sean Brody is on the beach, singing a song.  What song is it?

17)  A man is throwing a stick to his black dog at the same time, who notably disappears, presumably also a victim of the shark.  What is the dog's name?

18)  How much is the reward offered by Mrs. Kintner for killing the shark that slaughtered her son?

19)  According to the reward sign, on what day was Alex killed?

20)  At the town meeting, how much does Quint demand as payment for killing the shark?

21)  Brody, after doing research, questions whether sharks can possibly live 2000-3000 years.  Is this possible, according to experts?

22)  Two men are nearly killed by the shark while fishing off a dock using a chain, a roast, and a tire.  What are their names?

23)  What is the name of the Amity Harbor Master?  (It's written over the door to his office.)

24)  According to Hooper, what parts of Christine Watkins did the shark remove and eat?

25)   When Harry Meadows is discussing the story he'll run when the other shark is caught, who is the New York journalist that he says owes him a favor?

26)  What odds does Hooper give that the caught tiger shark was the shark that killed Christine and Alex?

27)  Hooper tells the Brodys his interest in sharks started when one attacked his boat when he was 12 years old.  What kind of shark was it?

28)  Hooper was scheduled to begin an 18 month research trip on a boat, which he cancels to help Brody.  What was the name of this scientific vessel?

29)  Aside from the license plate, what other objects are found in the tiger shark's digestive tract?

30)  What time period is the Louisiana license plate from?

31)  According to Hooper, what is the shark's main feeding area, using Amity landmarks?

32)  What brand of fish finder does Hooper have on his boat?

33)  What real life shark attack does Hooper mention?

34)  What are the names of the boats that are patrolling the water off of the Amity beach, that Brody talks to over the radio?

35)  In addition to the main payment for killing it, Quint also demands a per day amount of money, plus an amount of alcohol.  What are these amounts?

36)  When interrogated by Quint, Hooper says his boating experience is what?

37)  What kind of knot does Quint demand Hooper tie, as a test?

38)  Quint sings a particular song at least 3 times during the movie.  What is it?

39)  According to Quint's rhyming song, how long did 103 year old Mary Lee keep her virginity?

40)  What does Brody use to cover up the rank odor of the chum (blood and guts) he's spreading?

41)  What odd non-food item did Quint see a shark eat once?

42)  What brand of beer do we see Quint drink?  (He then crushes the can, prompting a silly reaction from Hooper with his styrofoam cup.)

43)  How many barrels does Quint bring on the trip? (They're stacked neatly in the front of the Orca.)

44)  How much does Quint estimate that the shark weighs?

45)  True or False:  During their exhibition, Hooper has more scars from sea creatures than Quint does.

46)  According to Hooper, who broke his heart?

47)  In his scar discussion, Quint mentions a wife.  How many times, at least, has he been married?

48)  In Quint's Indianapolis account, what kind of shark does he say was the first to attack?

49)  What was the name of the ball-playing friend of Quint's from Cleveland, who Quint later realized had been bitten in half?

50)  What kind of plane spotted the Indianapolis survivors, leading to their rescue?

51)  How many men, including Quint, survived the Indianapolis sinking? 

52)  What is the Identification number of Quint's boat, the Orca?  (It's clearly printed on it, and shown.)

53)  After he goes down into the cage, how does Hooper plan to kill the shark?

54)  At the end, Brody explodes the shark by shooting the SCUBA tank in its mouth.  How many shots does this take?

55)  As the dying shark sinks, we hear a roaring sound in the background, which was also used in the climatic scene of director Steven Spielberg's "Duel."  What movie is this animal noise from?

56)  True or False:  We never see Hooper or Brody bleeding.

57)  How many barrels, total, does Quint put into the shark?

58)  How many people does the shark kill?

59)  What U.S. state is Amity located in?

Answers:

1)   Surprisingly it's not the first victim, Christine Watkins.  The attack on her is rough, as she's pulled around and down, but we don't see any blood.  It's actually Michael Brody, bleeding from a cut on his hand from the "dangerous" swing set.

2)   WISS.  Which is a real station, out of Wisconsin, so evidently used fictitiously here.

3)   It's the 50th, according to the sign.

4)   Cassidy.  His name is never spoken, but it's listed in the credits, and in the novel.

5)   Trinity, in Hartford, Connecticut.  (A real school.)

6)   Polly

7)   Damage to their fences from the young members of the local karate school.

8)   July 1st and July 2nd, 1974.  It's hard to read, but evidently the 1st is the time when the victim was last seen and attacked, and the 2nd when the body was found.  There are problems with this date, see the answer to Question #19.

9)   The South Beach shore.

10)  The Amity Gazette.

11)  Avril Bay.

12)  Charlie.

13)  Via a civic ordinance, or a resolution by a board of selectmen.

14)  A barracuda.

15)  Harry.

16)  "The Muffin Man."

17)  Pippet.

18)  $3000.00

19)  June 29th.  Which calls into question the July1/2 on Brody's report, which happened before Alex's death.  Presumably this is a continuity error by the filmmakers.  I would think Mrs. Kintner remembers the exact date her son died, and along with the events that happen, I think Christine Watkins really died on June 27th or 28th.

20)  $10,000.  (He says he'll find it for $3,000, but killing it will take extra.)

21)  No.  Obviously it's difficult to know exactly, but scientists think most sharks live about 30-40 years, and large great whites maybe 60.  One species, though, the Greenland shark, has the longest lifespan of any vertebrate on Earth.  Individuals have been found that reached 300-500 years!

22)  Charlie and Denherder.

23)  Frank Silva.

24)  Her legs, her lower torso, including all of her major organs, and part of her right arm.

25)  Dave Axelrod.

26)  100:1.

27)  A baby thresher shark, about 4 and a half feet long.

28)  The Aurora.

29)  A fish head/upper body, an intact fish, and a metal can.

30)  1972-73.

31)  The area between Cape Scott and South Beach.

32)  It's a Lowrance.

33)  The 1916 series of attacks in, and off of New Jersey.

34)  The Gotcha, the Scutbucket, the Daisy, and Fascinatin' Rhythm.  Also Hooper's unnamed boat.

35)  $200 and a case of apricot brandy.

36)  He crewed 3 transpacs, which are competition yachts for the America's Cup trials.

37)  A sheepshank.  Oddly, Quint doesn't even look at it to check if it's right.  Also, some online sources say Hooper actually tied a trumpet knot, which if true is kind of a funny continuity error.

38)  "Spanish Ladies," an old British naval song.  Quint's version dates back to the 1790's or so.

39)  15 years.  Reportedly this is a respectable time, for that vicinity.

40)  A handkerchief soaked in Old Spice cologne.

41)  A rocking chair.

42)  Narragansett lager.  This brewery is still active, and quite proud of this moment.  You can even get replica cans from that era.

43)  5.

44)  3 tons.

45)  True.  Hooper has a scar on his arm from a moray eel, and one on his leg from a bull shark scrape.  Quint has a leg scar from a thresher shark.  Quint's other scars are human-inflicted.

46)  Mary Ellen Moffit.

47)  The story is about his 3rd wife, so at least 3.

48)  A tiger shark.

49)  Herbie Robinson.

50)  A Lockheed Ventura.  (This is a real life detail.)

51)  316.  Which again, is the real number of survivors.

52)  MS 15 LF.

53)  By injecting 20 cc's of strychnine nitrate into it.

54)  6 shots.

55)  The obscure dinosaur adventure flick, "The Land Unknown" (1957).  Also, if you haven't seen it, check out "Duel"--it's really good.

56)  False.  Brody gets a cut on his head while falling in the boat.  Quint even remarks about it.

57)  4.  Which causes me some irritation, because it seems to be a continuity error.  They shoot one into it the first day, the one with the lighting tracker on it.  Then the next day they put 3 more into it in quick succession.  But Quint remarks about there being 3 barrels in it, so what happened to the fourth?  Since we never see the one with the light again, I guess we're supposed to think it came undone, and out of the shark at some point before they put in the later 3.  Also, on the subject, the number of remaining barrels in the front of the boat changes constantly, and incorrectly, based on what's been used.  I know, I know, there are mistakes in every movie, but I'm obsessive.

58)  At least 4, and possibly 6.  Christine Watkins, Alex Kintner, Ben Gardner, and Quint are all obviously killed by it.  The lone boater in the bay loses his entire right leg, and might have bled to death, but we don't hear or see anything definitive.  Also, Ben Gardner had an employee/friend with him, who's disappeared.  Presumably he was also directly killed by the shark, or at least knocked into the water to drown.  But the movie never mentions him.

59)  It's not definite, but we can narrow it down to 3 strong possibilities.  We know it's in New England, given the Brody's joking about the stereotypical New England accent that the locals have, meaning it's Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, or Connecticut.  Other states are contrasted with Amity, such as New York, both the city and Long Island.  When the reward seekers are gathering, Kendrick notes plates from other states, naming Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey.  Vermont has no ocean coastline.  Therefore, it's either Maine, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts.  Other clues include Quint drinking a Massachusetts beer, and his boat id number starting with MS.  Plus the film was really shot on the Massachusetts island of  Martha's Vineyard.  So most likely Massachusetts, followed by Maine (since it has more coastline), and then New Hampshire.

     One final thought, which is probably a continuity error, or just to advance the plot.  But, Mayor Vaughn refuses to close the beaches even after the attack on Ben Gardner's boat, presumably because Hooper dropped the large great white shark tooth.  But what did that matter?  Wasn't there tons of other evidence pointing to a shark?  Ben Gardner's severed head is still on the towed-in boat, along with all the shark-inflicted damage on the boat, such as tooth marks.  Admittedly part of this is because of the added scene of Gardner's head as a jump scare, but even if Gardner, and his friend/first mate, were just missing, surely the damage to his boat would be enough for a reasonable, or even unreasonable person, to close the beaches for safety.