About Clams

A clam is, by definition, a bivalve mollusk. Unlike an oyster or a mussel, a clam survives by burying itself in dirt or sand, instead of attaching itself to a host, like a mussel, or propelling itself like a scallop. They are cooked and eaten raw all over the world, yet people are still frightened and mystified by these shellfish. It's time to take the mask off of these shelled creatures and prove that a clam is a tasty bivalve of which there is nothing to fear.

Types

There are hundreds of subspecies of clam, all of which fall into one of two major categories: hard shell or soft shell. These classifications are confusing, because to the consumer, both appear to have hard shells. The hard shell is also known domestically as a quahog clam, and are perfect for cooking in stews or chowders. They are also popular raw on the half shell. They are differentiated according to size; the smallest are referred to as little neck clams. The medium-sized hard-shell clams are referred to as cherrystone clams. The largest hard-shell clams are rarely eaten raw, and thus are named chowder clams. Soft-shell clams are also referred to as steamers. They are not as good when eaten raw, and contain a lot of sand, so they are tougher to clean. The traditional preparation for steamers is to steam them and serve them hot with drawn butter and lemon.

Geography

Clams are saltwater shellfish, so they can only be found on the coasts of shellfish-bearing bodies of saltwater. The most plentiful abode for clams in North America is the American Northeast. The industry has made New England famous for clams, chowders and clambakes. Another area in the U.S. that is clam-heavy is the Pacific Northwest. Washington State has a thriving razor-clam harvesting industry. Overseas, China is a major harvester of clams of every type. Typically, the clams harvested in China are shelled and canned for export. Hunting for clams yourself is something you can do if you are ever in these areas. If you happen to be at the beach during low tide, look along the shoreline closely for what might appear to be small breathing holes. Bring a rake or a shovel, and gently move the sand around, and you'll be sure to find clams just beneath the surface.

Identification

While all clams have similarities, there are many characteristics that set the two major groups apart from one another. Hard-shell clams are slightly oblong in shape, and do not have nearly as oval a shape as their cousins the soft-shell clams. The hard-shell clams will vary much more in size than the soft-shell clam varieties as well. The coloring on soft-shell clams tends to be much lighter, with colors ranging from light gray to beige, while hard-shell clams tend to be darker and can sometimes look almost black. Soft-shell clams are also more likely to have a tail. Some subspecies of clams have a look completely their own. Razor clams, mentioned before, are long, thin and slightly curved and don't look at all like any of their other hard-shell cousins.

Size

There is no other shellfish that varies in size quite as dramatically as the clam. The modern day clam can be as small as the eraser on the end of a pencil or be very large and heavy. The largest type of clam in the world is known very plainly as the giant clam. The giant clam is not appropriate for consumption, but is certainly a marvel of nature. These clams are native to the Pacific Ocean, primarily in the waters surrounding Asia and reaching up toward Hawaii. They are coral animals, so they do not move around a lot. Their presence is sometimes mistaken as a rock or piece of sediment. They can live to be more than 100 years old.

Misconceptions

Like all shellfish, there are a number of misconceptions about clams concerning what, where and when one should and shouldn't consume them. The first and foremost is that if you bring home a clam that is open, you must discard it because it is bad. That is not necessarily true. The first thing to do is to tap the clam on the shell gently with the back of a knife or other blunt object. Set the clam down and wait. It will most likely close back up all by itself. If it does not close after thirty or forty seconds, you must throw it away. The other major misconception about steamer clams is that if there is a tail present, the clam is no good. While it is not the most attractive attribute of the soft-shell clam, the tail does not mean that a clam is spoiled. It may have more to say about the age of the clam than anything else.