IS a Clam Bake just an East Coast thing?
Years and years ago, When I used to visit my moms family in upstate New York, I remember being taken as a young kid to a Clam bake. It was always sponsored usually by a Lions Club, or some such similar organization. People would gather at a large picnic site, at some lovely wooded park, and there would be barrels and barrels filled with raw clams in ice water. Clams were served in two ways, either steamed (My favorite with melting butter and lemon) or eaten raw with a sauce (made up of a kind of ketchup, lemon and horse radish combination.) placed on top. There were always cases of beer, soda, and for those who were wanting something different, barbecue chicken.
When My family returned to the West Coast, I wondered why we never had them here. But, I fondly remember them back east, as it was, as my dad put it, "An entire day dedicated to eating!"
The best part, was that after the affair was over, we always came home with left over goodies, like roasted chicken, potato salads, macaroni salads, fruit salads made with jello, corn on the cob, and baked potatoes! All of these left overs lasted for days, and we got to enjoy them again and again.
I don't know if they still do that back east. I don't know if its something traditional, but I wish we had them on the West Coast. I know for sure that I would go!
*note to add: I remember clams coming in these "bags".
= new reply since forum marked as read
The closest body of water near that area was The great Sacandaga Lake
I am pretty sure it was not held there. I am thinking maybe it was Ballston Spa..or perhaps it was Lake George as we used to spend time camping up there..
but yeah it is that! Still... I prefer steamed clams to raw ones. I tend to use the Cocktail sauce on oysters instead. All this posting made me hungry..I just had some steamed clams tonight for dinner!
**didn't make it, but I had them delivered...I love this city!
Not sure I have had those before.
Fisherman's Wharf during Dungeness Crab season. Add butter and Sourdough bread and you're in Heaven!
We generally replace the clams with local shrimp and sometimes blue crab.
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The seasoning tends to be on the spicy side.
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Gulf states throw in crawdaddies.
Good times.
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Step 1: Wash Up
If you’re lucky enough to harvest your own oysters, give them a good rinse with a water hose to remove any mud. Oysters from a purveyor or seafood shack most likely have already been washed.
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Step 2: Build a Roasting Pit
Build a fire appropriate to the size of your sheet metal, and position one masonry block vertically at each corner. (Some folks prefer a burner and propane tank in lieu of a wood fire.) Place the sheet metal on top of the masonry blocks just as the flames begin to die down. Sprinkle a few drops of water on the metal—if the water sizzles, you’re ready to go. Add oysters in a single layer.
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Step 3: Create the Steam
Cover oysters with a soaking-wet burlap sack or thick beach towel. Cook oysters 8 to 10 minutes. (The shells will open about ¼ to ½ inch.) If you prefer lightly steamed oysters, stick to the lower end of the time range. Transfer the oysters with a clean shovel or large metal dustpan to a newspaper-lined table. Allow the metal to reheat; then repeat the procedure with more oysters, adding more wood as needed.
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Step 4: Dig In
Pry open oysters using an oyster knife, discarding the empty half shells. Run the knife under the oyster meat to release it. Serve with dipping sauce.
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The oysters are generally eaten standing up at long rows of waist high wooden tables with beer, cocktail sauce, and sometimes melted butter.
http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/oyster-roast-00417000070927/page11.html
Also, we save the shells to either form new oyster beds or use them to "gravel" our driveways.
Never been to an oyster bake... I tend to like my oysters on a half shell, cold and raw. Infact, there was a place around here that served oyster shooters, Oysters in a shot glass with some hot n spicy cocktail sauce.. was great, but a buck a shooter got expensive.
1 small freshly shucked raw oyster with its juice (liquor)*
1 ounce ice cold high-quality Vodka**
Dash of Tabasco sauce or your favorite hot sauce
Squeeze of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
