Author Topic: Clam Question (Read 11359 times)

lucian · « **on:** February 05, 2019, 05:38:50 PM »

If yesterday I had no peck, and today I have one peck,
Does that make me a peck a head ?

Guard the clams Jessie!

Gotta like 60 degrees in February

giusto · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2019, 05:46:07 PM »

"my pappy said son when you dead you ain't nothing but a dead peck-a-head" John Prine

mmmm fruita di mare bouna mangiata

JJ · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2019, 06:09:36 PM »

CLAM BAKE!!!

Tom · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2019, 06:39:15 PM »

Yuummmm. I got the Old Bay seasonings.

Turin · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2019, 07:17:56 PM »

Piss Clams (Longnecks ) are my favorite.

pebra · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2019, 10:06:05 AM »

I'm curious -
What's the difference between clams and mussels? Or are they (about) the same?
How can you tell if the clams are safe (or unsafe) for eating?
How do you normally cook them?

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #6 on:** February 06, 2019, 10:53:56 AM »

Definitely a peck ahead.

lucian · « **Reply #7 on:** February 06, 2019, 11:39:34 AM »

They are both mollusks but have some differences. Muscles grow in both fresh and salt water, clams in salt water as far as I know. muscles have a smooth blueish color shell and clams are generally lighter white to tan or grey in color and have more defined ridges or growth rings. Muscles attach themselves to whatever surface they grow on with strong thread like structures and this is what makes them well suited for farming raising as they can be grown on ropes run vertically from the sea bottom to floating rafts. A typical muscle raft will have hundreds or ropes lined top to bottom with growing muscles. It has become big business here in Maine and elsewhere.
Also ,clams have a more developed digestive track than muscles with a stomach and other organs. Some clams, like cherry stones, simply grow on top of the sea floor, mostly in shallow coastal waters and others, like these soft shell clams, grow beneath the sand or mud and make use of their long neck to extend above the bottom surface to filter feed . As the grow they bury themselves deeper and their neck become longer. The soft shell clam is by far my favorite and are the type most often used here in New England for fried clams. They are also commonly steamed and served with broth to rinse in, and melted butter to dip in . Muscles on the other hand are typically steamed and incorporated into a dish such as pasta sauce or stews.

Without water quality testing it is impossible to know weather or not either is ok to consume. Here in Maine, the department of marine resources is charged with that tasks and the coastal harvesting areas are tested constantly. If there is any spike in coli form counts, or red tide algae, the areas are closed and posted until water quality meets set standards. Diggers like myself have to be licence and are frequently visited while harvesting clams by state and local wardens. Harvesting without a licence or in a closed area is severely punished for the most part.
It is fairly accepted local knowledge that Mainers, that grew up eating local shellfish have some immunity to tainted clams . As kids growing, up in an age before sewer treatment plants, many of us ate the clams and muscles. The joke was always about how fast they grew near the end of the big pipes that used to run coastal sewers out to the sea.
Bottom line is someone who has never eaten shell fish is far more likely to get extremely sick consuming a tainted clam or muscle than someone who grew up on them.
Never ever eat shellfish unless you know they are safe, nothing can make you sicker. If cooking (steaming)clams or muscles the shells should open as they cook. If they do not, discard them immediately . Trust your nose. If they don't smell like the sea and smell like ass, ditch em!
FYI, these soft shell clams are soon to be shucked raw , egg washed, saltine cracker crumb coated, and deep fried in canola oil. Life is good!

lucian · « **Reply #8 on:** February 06, 2019, 11:41:16 AM »

Quote from: Chuck in Indiana on February 06, 2019, 10:53:56 AM

Definitely a peck ahead.

Thanks Chuck, 'bout time someone took the bait.

bodine99 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 06, 2019, 11:46:34 AM »

Quote from: lucian on February 05, 2019, 05:38:50 PM

If yesterday I had no peck, and today I have one peck,
Does that make me a peck a head ?

Guard the clams Jessie!

Gotta like 60 degrees in February

60 not for long you are heading you way with snow & cold

pebra · « **Reply #10 on:** February 06, 2019, 12:11:45 PM »

Thanks, Lucian, that made things clearer.

Up around here (northern Europe) mainly "blue mussels" are picked and eaten (like you would with e.g. mushrooms and wild berries), and then always with due precautions including assessing the place they grow and mainly observing algae warnings for the area.
I suppose also venus clam varieties and razor clams could be found around here. Then there are scallops, but then I believe they live on deeper waters; they're popular with divers.
I see all these in the shops at times (mussels always), so fishing / cultivating them must be commercially viable.

I recall we had a food poisoning thread recently……..

Tom · « **Reply #11 on:** February 06, 2019, 12:15:25 PM »

Clams are bivalves. Both sides of the shell are identical. Check out the read on the large Geoduck clam. Available in the Pacific NW and Pacific Canada. Japanese like in sushi. Mussels are the same but no the same. Lucian nailed it with the salt/fresh water difference. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoduck

Check out the read on the largest clam in the world. Samoan giant clam. I've only seen shells https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_clam

Perazzimx14 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 06, 2019, 02:23:11 PM »

Mussels are more tender and have a slight fish taste to them compared to clams. The easy way to tell clams apart from mussels in my are is look at the price tag on the 2lb bag. Mussles are about $6 and clams are 2 or 3 times that.

They are both delicious!

JJ · « **Reply #13 on:** February 06, 2019, 02:31:55 PM »

Quote from: Tom on February 05, 2019, 06:39:15 PM

Yuummmm. I got the Old Bay seasonings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWpGUHby8e8

Perazzimx14 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 06, 2019, 02:35:41 PM »

Quote from: JJ on February 06, 2019, 02:31:55 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWpGUHby8e8

Geoduck clams pronounced gooeyduck:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eL0GAW-c80

Sasquatch Jim · « **Reply #15 on:** February 07, 2019, 09:43:13 AM »

Awe clam up.

chuck peterson · « **Reply #16 on:** February 07, 2019, 09:51:45 AM »

Don’t tell anyone about my secret spot...NW of Stonington Penobscot Bay Acadia Nat Park....nobody goes there.....yet......

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #17 on:** February 07, 2019, 06:12:06 PM »

I won't tell..

Rich A · « **Reply #18 on:** February 07, 2019, 06:31:16 PM »

Most if not all clams have two similarly size adductor muscles (the muscles that close the shells). Oysters, mussels and scallops have one adductor muscle that is much larger than the other.

Rich

Tom · « **Reply #19 on:** February 07, 2019, 06:42:28 PM »

And.....no beards.

lucian · « **Reply #20 on:** February 07, 2019, 08:18:55 PM »

Thought I would share the shucking process , First an overnight soak in clean sea water the clams will extend their necks and loose the sand that they pulled in when they retracted during harvesting.

next, the basic set up,
a suitable sharp, stout knife
a pail of clean sea water for rinsing
a container for the shucked clams and
a waste bucket for the shells and discarded parts

First, run the knife around the underside of the top shell parting the rim meat and then plunge in a little deeper and lever the knife to cut the muscle that closes the shell
Remove top shell

Repeat the procedure beneath the meat to remove the bottom shell

Now make a light slice along the neck to facilitate removing the dark membrane covering the neck, this gets discarded by peeling it off

Lastly, snip off the very tip of the neck, the tip black section as it will get very leathery when fried, discard this piece

And if any sand remains a quick rinse in the sea water and your done

I'll do the frying set up tomorrow night,

Tom · « **Reply #21 on:** February 07, 2019, 08:24:28 PM »

JJ · « **Reply #22 on:** February 07, 2019, 08:42:29 PM »

CLAM BAKE!!! (Part Deux...)...pass the Chardonnay please!!

lucian · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2019, 08:45:36 PM »

I didn't know Arizona had lobsters and little necks! Dang

Rich A · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2019, 08:46:18 PM »

Quote from: lucian on February 07, 2019, 08:18:55 PM

Thought I would share the shucking process , First an overnight soak in clean sea water the clams will extend their necks and loose the sand that they pulled in when they retracted during harvesting.

Or just steam them in the shell and leave the bellies on.

Rich

lucian · « **Reply #25 on:** February 07, 2019, 09:03:09 PM »

Always leave the bellies, that's where all the flavor is. Some people squeeze the bellies before frying to remove liquid which can create steam and pop and splatter hot oil everywhere. Probably a good idea if you fry inside. I don't for this and other reasons ,like fire danger or every fabric in your home smelling like fried food. Best done outdoors.
I should have also covered cooking steamers. Sorry. My intent was to cover how to do fried clams.
It's still a good practice to soak the clams overnight in seawater to purge the grit. Fresh water doesn't work as they will just clam up and not extend. Some say fresh water with cornmeal works but I've never found that to be the case ,with soft shell clams at least.

Rich A · « **Reply #26 on:** February 07, 2019, 10:06:02 PM »

If you ever visit Rhode Island, try the clear clam chowder--it's way better then the creamy or vegetable soup versions. And stuffies.

Rich

JJ · « **Reply #27 on:** February 08, 2019, 07:12:28 AM »

Quote from: lucian on February 07, 2019, 08:45:36 PM

I didn't know Arizona had lobsters and little necks! Dang

Of course they don't!!

Everything is FLOWN IN!!

lucian · « **Reply #28 on:** February 08, 2019, 09:54:17 AM »

What is a stuffie? I gotta know.

Steve Cas · « **Reply #29 on:** February 08, 2019, 01:10:13 PM »

Quote from: lucian on February 08, 2019, 09:54:17 AM

What is a stuffie? I gotta know.

Stuffie, it's what the folks in RI call a stuffed clam

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Author Topic: Clam Question (Read 11359 times)