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THE JOYce OF COOKING
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Residential Real Estate
THE JOYce OF COOKING
school
Coldwell Banker
Residential Real Estate
RESTAURANTS/REVIEWS - J0YCE'S CHOICES
JOYCE’S CHOICESJoyce’s monthly choice and restaurant recommendations should be taken as good advice. After graduating from college she started her culinary career in Boston and Cambridge, MA restaurants as a pastry chef. She attended cooking school in Paris at LaVarrenne. Upon returning to the USA she studied and received a Master’s of Science Degree in Hotel and Food Service Management at Florida International University in Miami. Her experience in South Florida began at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. She owned and operated From the Oven, a catering business, for ten years. Her volunteer career included the position of Bailli for the Boca Raton La Conférie de la Chaîne de Rotisseur, an international food and wine society. Listed below are area restaurants reviewed by Joyce. Look for monthly additions to this informative section of EastBocaRatonLiving . THIS MONTH'S FEATURE REVIEW Joyce's Choice August 2010 Clams, Clams, Clams Clams are the heart beat of a New England summer. They are served from Maine to Connecticut and further south to include New York. Clams are bivalve mollusks that borough into mud or sand, unlike oysters, and mussels that attach themselves to solid structures. There are over 2,000 types of clams either hard shell or soft shell. New Englanders are most familiar with quahogs, cherrystones, middle necks, little necks, Manila and Ipswich clams. All the above clams except for the Ipswich are hard shell clams or quahogs, an Indian name. Quahogs have many culinary uses. The larger or cherrystone size clam which can be up to 3” to 5” wide are best chopped and used for chowder (chowda as pronounced north of Connecticut) or for stuffing back into their shells. Check out recipes in this month’s newsletter for Teddy’s Clam Chowder and Cape Cod Stuffed Clams from Cataumet. It’s the soft shell clams that become confusing. They are most commonly referred to as Ipswich clams but are often called steamers, longnecks or piss clams. Steaming them is a healthy way to enjoy their briny flavor. Cooked in a small amount of liquid until the shells open they are eaten individually. After removing the clam from its shell, first remove the sheath or beard on the neck, dip it into its own broth with a final dip into melted butter. Often accompanied by lobster, corn on the cob, linguica and potatoes it is the major component of a New England clam bake. A New England delicacy, the fried Ipswich clam, is made by dipping shucked clams into breading and deep fried. Claimed to be invented in Ipswich by Woodman’s in 1916 it is a summer time menu favorite. Purist will demand the whole body clam which includes the belly rather than clam strips which are cut up from the larger quahog clam. Once fried in lard they are now fried in non hydrogenated oils including canola. The preparation of soft shell clam in crunchy coating with a soft and chewy briny center is a concoction that can’t be resisted. Refer to recipe for Cape Cod Fried Clams in the month’s newsletter. Now fried clams have become a treat not only because of their high calorie content but also because of their high price. Decades ago fried clams often appeared on children’s menus in New England because of their low price and abundant availability. The Ipswich flats where soft shell clams use to be harvested starts in Massachusetts extends north through New Hampshire. Though the most of soft shell clams called Ipswich are no longer harvested there, only a small percentage, and are now harvested in Maine where there are muddy flats. The soft shell clam from Ipswich has been affected by predators, pollution and runoff. Much of the shucking is still done in Ipswich where Cambodian immigrants shuck up to a gallon of clams an hour. The clams that come from Cape Cod are harvested from sandy flats and tend to be gritty. Just like agriculture where vegetables take on the flavor of their soil so do clams take on the flavor of their muddy flats. Where to find these amazing mollusks? All over New England at clam shacks and road side stands: On Cape Cod – Baxter’s, Hyannis, MA; Arnold’s, Orleans, MA; Captain Frosty’s, Dennis, MA; Neptune’s Oyster, North End, Boston; No Name Restaurant, Fish Piers, Boston; B & G Oysters, Boston (Best of Boston 2009); Summer Shack, Cambridge, MA; Clam Box, Ipswich, MA; Woodman’s, Essex, MA; Newick’s, Dover Point, NH; Bob’s, Kittery, ME; Sea Basket, Wicasset, ME; Flo’s, Middleton, RI; and Sea Swirl, Mystic, Conn. Expect your fried clam dinner to be served on a paper plate accompanied by cole slaw, French fries and the mandatory tartar sauce. Dig in!!! |
