Tis the season: Clambakes

[Shawn Juris]

This is one that I've never been to. What's the protocol on a clambake? Is it only supposed to be during a certain time of year?

[Grace O'Malley]

Clambakes are fun and tasty but they also pose many inherent risks.

Boiling water is dangerous: you may get a cup of broth that burns your mouth or the pot of water with the clams could tip over and burn someone.

The butter for the clams is known to clog your arteries and perhaps add to your heart attack risk. The clams, as a shellfish, contain pollutants that could impair your health.

Before going to a clambake, I would insist that the host had adequate homeowners insurance to protect the guests. They would be irresponsible clambakers otherwise!

[Stan Austin]

Grace, Grace, Grace--------

All of those risks and dangers can be dealt with by imbibing copious amounts of beer which is served at bakes.

Stan

[dl meckes]

Shawn-

The usual rule of thumb is not to harvest shellfish in months that don't have "r's" in them (June, July, August).

September/October/November - perfect!

[Brad Hutchison]

Man, I love clambakes. On a beautiful, crisp, college football Saturday, set the TV up outside. It doesn't get better.

[Stephen Eisel]

Any suggestions on a good supplier of clams?

[Brad Hutchison]

I don't know about suppliers, but anyone interested can go to http://www.seachoice.org. They rate all kinds of seafood on issues of sustainable harvesting, possible toxins, etc., and they have a file you can print and fold up to keep in your wallet.

As far as clams go, they rate farmed as "Best Choice," wild Atlantic soft shell and and wild Geoduck as "Some Concerns," and dredged as "Avoid."