Happy as a Clam

A clam is a mollusk, one of the two main classifications of shellfish, (the other being crustacean). Mollusks are invertebrates, (animals without a backbone), with soft bodies covered by a shell.

To further classify, they are bivalves, which means they have two shells hinged together by a muscle. OK, enough zoology. Clams are simply good to eat and nutritious. Three ounces of clam meat has less than one gram of fat while being high in protein, calcium and iron.

People are generally advised from eating raw clams. Raw clams can contain bacteria, (the most notorious being vibrio), or pollutants from the water that are destroyed during cooking.

Bacterial infection from raw clams is not commonplace but individuals with compromised immune systems should be leery. As for me, break out the cocktail sauce, Tabasco, and lemon. The cost is the only limiting factor in my indulgence.

One thing is definite: never eat or cook a dead clam. A clam that is already dead prior to cooking is more likely to be infected with bacteria. Before cooking, throw away any that have slightly opened and will not close when you tap on them.

After cooking discard any that didn't open. Shellfish deteriorate rapidly and consuming or cooking one that is already dead is asking for trouble.

Store your clams in the fridge, but not in water or an airtight bag. It is best to consume them the same day you purchased them. Rinse clams well with a small scrub brush before cooking them to eliminate the grit. And never overcook clams or they'll get rubbery. The moment they open they're done.

The three most common hard shell clams on the East Coast, listed in increasing size are littlenecks, cherrystone, and chowder clams. Littlenecks are ideal for clams on the half shell.

I prefer cherrystones for baked stuffed clams and clams casino. The chowder clams are best chopped for use in soups and sauce. The most common East Coast soft shell clam is the steamer clam, eponymously named for steamers.

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