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Q IS FOR QUAHOG A primer on clams

Text and recipes by Michael Moskwa

RHODE ISLANDER MAGAZINE 8/21/1994

IF THERE IS ONE FOODSTUFF FOR WHICH SOUTHERN New England is known, it is the quahog - the hard-shelled clam. A staple for centuries in the diet of the Indians, the bivalve is indigenous up and down the East Coast, but itreaches some of its most delectable forms in the waters off Cape Cod and Rhode Island.

Belonging to the Venus family (Veneridae), because of its beautiful shell - once used for wampum - the quahog falls into several categories. The littleneck is the smallest and sweetest of these clams, the best for serving raw on the half-shell. The larger cherrystone is wonderful for steaming and using in a pasta sauce. And the classic quahog, larger still, is the ingredient of choice for minced clams - in chowder, for example, or in a batter for fritters ( clam cakes), or combined with crumbs and seasonings for stuffed clams (Rhode Island's "stuffies"). The largest of these hard-shelled clams, the sea clam, weighing in at two or more pounds, is generally canned for the food-service industry, for use in sauces and soups. (The other family of clams eaten in New England are the soft-shelled steamers.)

Sad to say, New England's shellfishing industry has drastically declined, a result as much of pollution as of overharvesting. Today, many parts of Narragansett Bay are closed to shellfishing - if not permanently, then seasonally or after heavy rains, when an antiquated system allows raw sewage to flow into the Bay. Nevertheless, there is reason for guarded optimism. Thanks to stricter environmental regulations, it has recently been deemed safe to reopen some of the harvesting areas, and the growing practice of identifying the origin of shellfish increases the consumer's confidence.

When buying hard-shelled clams, be sure that they're tightly closed. Scrub away all sand and grit, and place them in several changes of cold salted water for a few hours, to purge them of sand. If you're serving them raw, they should be eaten as soon as they've been opened. Of those that you cook, you should discard any that do not open fully, indicating a lack of freshness. Note that if your recipe calls for minced clams, you needn't settle for the canned variety; your seafood counter sells them fresh.

Creamy chowder, fresh-garlic pasta, half-shells, fritters, stuffies . . . there are so many ways to offer your guests the New England quahog and make them as happy as a clam]

Q IS FOR QUAHOG A primer on clams Text and recipes by Michael Moskwa RHODE ISLANDER MAGAZINE 8/21/1994 IF THERE IS ONE FOODSTUFF FOR WHICH SOUTHERN New England is known, it is the quahog - the hard-shelled clam. A staple for centuries in the diet of the Indians, the bivalve is indigenous up and down the East Coast, but itreaches some of its most delectable forms in the waters off Cape Cod and Rhode Island. Belonging to the Venus family (Veneridae), because of its beautiful shell - once used for wampum - the quahog falls into several categories. The littleneck is the smallest and sweetest of these clams, the best for serving raw on the half-shell. The larger cherrystone is wonderful for steaming and using in a pasta sauce. And the classic quahog, larger still, is the ingredient of choice for minced clams - in chowder, for example, or in a batter for fritters ( clam cakes), or combined with crumbs and seasonings for stuffed clams (Rhode Island's "stuffies"). The largest of these hard-shelled clams, the sea clam, weighing in at two or more pounds, is generally canned for the food-service industry, for use in sauces and soups. (The other family of clams eaten in New England are the soft-shelled steamers.) Sad to say, New England's shellfishing industry has drastically declined, a result as much of pollution as of overharvesting. Today, many parts of Narragansett Bay are closed to shellfishing - if not permanently, then seasonally or after heavy rains, when an antiquated system allows raw sewage to flow into the Bay. Nevertheless, there is reason for guarded optimism. Thanks to stricter environmental regulations, it has recently been deemed safe to reopen some of the harvesting areas, and the growing practice of identifying the origin of shellfish increases the consumer's confidence. When buying hard-shelled clams, be sure that they're tightly closed. Scrub away all sand and grit, and place them in several changes of cold salted water for a few hours, to purge them of sand. If you're serving them raw, they should be eaten as soon as they've been opened. Of those that you cook, you should discard any that do not open fully, indicating a lack of freshness. Note that if your recipe calls for minced clams, you needn't settle for the canned variety; your seafood counter sells them fresh. Creamy chowder, fresh-garlic pasta, half-shells, fritters, stuffies . . . there are so many ways to offer your guests the New England quahog and make them as happy as a clam]