ATDTDA (12) "There's a Howard Johnson's! Wanna eat some clams?"** [328:31]

[Keith]

[328:31] "Who, me? I'm as happy as a Long Island steamer clam"

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SOFT CLAM
Mya arenaria

This clam goes by quite a few different names, including Manninose,  
piss-clam, long-neck clam, steamer, Ispwich clam, and belly clam. The  
soft-shell clam has shells that are very thin compared to those of a  
hard clam. The shells are so thin you can break them easily with your  
fingers. The shells are white and elongated. The entire clam does not  
fit inside the shell; the siphon or snout (or neck) hangs out. Soft- 
shell clams grow to 5 inches across, but are usually harvested before  
reaching this size. Two to 3 inches is more common. A minimum legal  
size exists (2") and may vary from state to state.

The soft-shell clam inhabits fine sand or sandy mud substrates from  
the intertidal zone to about 30 feet and 8-14 inches deep. On tidal  
flats, it is the clam that squirts at you. This clam is found from  
Labrador to North Carolina and in a number of scattered locations on  
the Pacific coast.

New Englanders are big on soft-shell clams. But they are also very  
popular in Maryland and New Jersey. They also seem to be catching on  
in Delaware.

Soft clams are sold live in the shell or shucked. A live clam will  
show movement; the snout (neck) will move if you touch it, and the  
shells will try to close if you pick up the clam. As mentioned, the  
shells break easily, so care must be taken when handling them. A  
broken shell does not always mean the clam is dead, but it does  
indicate that the animal has been stressed and its shelf life will be  
shorter. Still, if there is no movement, discard the clam.

CULINARY DESCRIPTION

This is a wonderful clam and can be consumed in a variety of ways.  
Scrub and rinse the clams before cooking them. They do tend to be  
gritty sometimes, so some people recommend purging the clams in cold  
saltwater for at least two hours. This allows the clams to pump out  
any sand. Live clams should sink to the bottom; if there are any  
floaters, discard them.

Since they are often called steamers, you can well imagine that soft-  
shell clams are best steamed. All you need to do is put about 1/2  
inch of water in a pan, bring it to a boil, add the clams, put the  
lid back on, and steam until they open -- approximately 5-10 minutes.  
To add flavor, you can add garlic and olive oil or white wine to  
develop the broth because when the clams open, they add flavor to the  
broth -- their liquor flows out and enhances the clam flavor. Next,  
you'll want to let the clams cool a little so you can handle them.  
Pour the broth into cups for each person and give each a separate  
dish of melted butter. To eat your first clam, pull it out of its  
shells by its neck, peel the skin off the neck, then hold the clam by  
the neck, dip it in the broth first, then the butter, and then pop it  
in you mouth -- Great! If you like spicy foods, try dipping the clams  
in crab seasoning after the butter. It is also popular to bread or  
batter these clams and fry them. But, if you try the above, you'll  
never want another fried clam again.
   http://www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/seafood/softclam.html

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** http://tinyurl.com/2ksr7m
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