Shell game a member of the invertebrate - cooking and eating clams; includes recipes

Art Culinaire, Summer, 2003

SHELL GAME A MEMBER OF THE INVERTEBRATE class bivalvia, clams are also commonly referred to as mollusks. There are over 12,000 species of bivalves; about 500 live in fresh water with all others species residing in salt water. According to the dictionary definition, clams are "bivalves with equal-sized shells that are attached by two adductor muscles lying at opposite ends of their shells." Each has a powerful foot that extends from the shell; this appendage enables the clam to propel itself through the sand and assists it in burrowing into the sand at depths either just below the surface or as deep as two feet. Although normally found in shallow waters, some species of clams inhabit the Pacific Ocean at depths of more than 16,000 feet.

Early Americans enjoyed clams with the same passion as we do today, and polished clamshells served as currency (known as wampum) from the 1600's to the end of the seventeenth century. Although colonists used shells for trading with western Indians into the nineteenth century, their use as a medium of exchange eventually ended.

Depending on their variety, clams may be soft or hard-shelled. The edible portion normally consists of the muscles that open and close the shell, the siphon or neck (through which the bivalve takes in and purges water from its digestive system), and the foot. In general, the meat of the clam has the reputation of being sweet and chewy, although the flavor and degree of tenderness depend on its size and species.

For the most part, clams are caught in local waters. Easterners are privy to clams from the Atlantic while Westerners enjoy Pacific varieties. Although different varieties of clams abound, similar types of clams are harvested on both coasts. Dug from the sand at low tide or scooped from beds in deeper waters, many clam varieties are available all year round.

WESTERN SHORES

Common and widely available clam varieties from the Pacific Coast include geoducks, littlenecks, and Manila clams.

GEODUCKS (pronounced gooey-ducks) are large, soft-shelled clams. The shell size of this particular rectangular-shaped clam can be up to eight inches with its weight easily exceeding five pounds. The shells of a geoduck do not close completely due to a large siphon that extends from the shell up to three feet or more in length on a larger geoduck. Hunting for geoducks has become somewhat of a nighttime sport--practiced when there's a full moon and tides are at their lowest point. These clams make their presence known by squirting water into the air, and removing them from the sand sometimes involves the joint effort of two people - one pulling the siphon of the neck with the other actually digging the shell. The meat of this clam is often sliced into cutlets and fried while the siphon is often skinned and then ground in a food processor or chopper and used in chowders. Sushi can also be made from the siphon: it is blanched, peeled, and thinly sliced into this Asian-style delicacy.

LITTLENECK CLAMS, found on the Pacific Coast, actually belong to two different species. Native littleneck clams are found in waters from California to Alaska. Their Japanese counterparts--which at one point were introduced to western waters--can be found from California to British Columbia. The Japanese species of littlenecks has a slightly elongated shape with a purple adductor muscle scar. Native littlenecks have shells that are rounder and lack a purple scar. As they both have a tendency to be tough, they are best served in the same manner - - steamed with melted butter for dipping or added to a favorite pasta dish.

MANILA CLAMS are also referred to as Asari clams and are considered the most tender of western clams. The beauty of this clam is its versatility. Because it is small, tender, and sweet, it may be enjoyed on the half shell, steamed, or in brothy soups.

EASTERN SHORES

Favorites of the Atlantic include quahogs, littlenecks, cherrystones, and steamers.

OUAHOGS (pronounced ko-hogs) are the largest species of hard-shelled clam from the eastern region of the States. This particular variety of clam is typically sold according to size and can range from one and one-half inches to six inches across in length. Larger sized quahogs are also referred to as chowder clams as they can be tough and work best when cut up and added to chowders and stuffing. LITTLENECKS and CHERRYSTONES are not a distinct species; they're merely a smaller-sized quahog. Littleneck clams from the East Coast are the smallest quahogs sold and get their name from Little Neck Bay on Long Island, which was once the most popular source for the half-shell trade. Cherrystones are named after Cherrystone Creek in Virginia and can be enjoyed raw or steamed. They are also the perfect size for stuffing.

STEAMERS are soft-shelled clams that also have long siphons that protrude from their thin brittle shells. Typically about two inches in size, steamers are best served as their name suggests. When these types of clams are shucked, the meat can also be sauteed or deep-fried.