Comments on: Taking the plunge

By: Brooke @ Food Woolf

Brooke @ Food Woolf — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:30:04 +0000

“Goin’ to dig for steam-ahs” was something that happened a lot while I was growing up in MA. Certainly, I’ve dug for more than a few by hand, and found out–just as you did–that actually snagging one of those sand divers is actually quite hard. So hard, in fact, I always tossed the one or two I caught back into the ocean and left catching steamers to the experts. You my dear, may be just the expert I need in my life.

By: Tamar

Tamar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:31:59 +0000

Beth — Now I see what you mean, and it makes perfect sense. We have a rake with flat tines, and one with round tines, and the flat ones undeniably work better.

B the BW — Now THAT’S a great story. Even with time and distance, I feel your pain. But you’re right — that IS why we live here.

By: Beth the beer wench

Beth the beer wench — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:42:34 +0000

I will never forget the first time I went clamming. My husband had decided to learn how to do it..and someone had shown him.. and he then decided to go out and buy all the gear..waders..basket..rake..even those long orange gloves.. he was GEAR GUY for sure..and he was going for Quahogs..me.. I was clueless…and supposed to go for the steamers…and I had a hand rake ( the kind with the thin tines..which do work faster BTW)) and a basket..and it was early spring..and the ground was cold wet and rocky…but I’m a trooper so I figured it out and after squeeezing the first few to death by crushing their amazingly thin shells I had finally started to get it..It was hard tho and after like a half hour I had like 4-5 live clams in my bucket..along with the ones I had crushed…and stood up to take a well earned break when my then 3 year came rushing over to me with a HUGE sea clam shell and declared I HELP..and dropped it in my basket promptly crushing to bits every clam in the basket…..oh my…I have had BETTER clamming days since then..note to parents: kids get their own buckets.ALWATS…my favorite when I came across someone who loved to dig for them but did not like to eat them and game me a whole basket full..the clam fairy we called him..THAT was a great clamming day! THanks for a great story..and reminding me why we live here! Beth

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:19:50 +0000

Tamar, maybe sharpen isn’t exactly the right word. We ‘lighten’ them. You know how the rake tine has a thickness in the center of the tine where it faces away from you? You grind that down and make it flat, so the rake is lighter and you can dig at a faster rate. Not to say it won’t shorten the lifespan of the tool, but when you need to dig fast, it really helps. Maybe when you go commercial!

By: Tamar

Tamar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:29:15 +0000

Beth — That floaty thing is a plain old noodle, available for about $1. wherever pool supplies are sold. (You need to double up, though, to keep the thing afloat when it’s filled with clams.) As for tine-sharpening, it’s critical for quahoging — we have lethal rakes for that. For steamers, though, it doesn’t seem to be so much about cutting through as shovelling out, and our old, rusty rakes seem to do the job.

Paula — I hadn’t had steamers in months, and they may have tasted better on that account. (The cole slaw was good too — I’ll post the recipe when I get around to measuring.)

Jen– I think most of us are cobblers at heart, but may not have the means. We had visitors recently who were very excited to go to our dump because they’d never been to one, and they’d often read about projects that start with, “Find a WHATEVER at the dump …”

Mimi — I’m sorry to hear that Bend and clams are not compatible. I hope you get somewhere clam-savvy soon for a fix.

CZ — It was WAY fun. Next time you’re on the East coast, I’ll take you out!

By: Chez Us

Chez Us — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:15:32 +0000

How much fun is that?! On my list of things a foodie must do. Love it! I can only imagine how delicious they were w/an icy cold beer!

By: Mimi

Mimi — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:03:18 +0000

Oh Tamara, you make my heart heavy with the wish to be back on Cape Cod! Nobody knows how to prepare a clam entree here in Bend, and most efforts involve sea clams, a westerner’s idea of good shellfish. Rubbery and tough, not much taste, but the word “clam” on the menu seduces me every time. I have not enjoyed real shellfish, cooked right, since my last dinner with Dan and Linda.
And, there is hardly a tool that can’t be made with a good ‘cobbling’ mind and a roll of duct tape.

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:21:19 +0000

The desire to cobble something together out of existing stuff you have laying around (and usually pulled out of a dumpster for just such a need) is what differentiates us from ‘the normals’ who are happy to pay the ten bucks for a purpose-built tool They don’t know the fun, self-satisfaction, and constant need for running repairs that they’re missing.

Those steamers look so delicious…drool, slobber….

By: Paula

Paula — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:00:20 +0000

mmmmm….steamed clams….can’t remember the last time I had some. The sides (beer and cole slaw) sound good too…

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:34:52 +0000

I like that floaty around your clam basket. If you want to dig steamers really fast you can sharpen your rake tines on a wheel and cut through the mud in about half the time. I prefer to dig them by hand, but only if they’re for dinner, not more than that.