--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "curtisdeltablues" <curtisdeltabl...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> wrote: > > That was interesting. It makes sense that a place that would serve > the whole more expensive tiny clams would be much better then a place > that buys the cheaper bigger ones. I'm pretty sure there is nothing > to remove from a clam, you just shuck them and eat the whole thing. > > One of the most transcendent foods for me is raw oysters from Northern > cold waters. I was reminded by your description of the oceany, briny > clam bellies. It is like tasting the ocean complete with some filtered > ocean water, especially if you shuck them yourself. Only certain > cheeses have that same ability to transport me into such a subtle > flavor complexity. It is food poetry that captures the whole ocean in > one bite. I know it grosses many people out, but for me it is as > close to a spiritual connection with the ocean as I can get. > > A great read on the history of oysters and NYC is Kurlansky's The Big > Oyster, History on the Half Shell. > > http://www.amazon.com/Big-Oyster-History-Half-Shell/dp/0345476387
Curtis: Like sushi, I believe that eating oysters as you describe above is a very primordial thing: it brings us back to our oceanic roots! Back in Canada my Dad and I used to buy a case of Malpeque oysters (P.E.I. and New Brunswick) every season and, for a week, pig out on 'em. We'd basically stand over the sink in the kitchen and get into a routine of shucking, lemon, and red sauce and eat 'em standing up. 3 or 4 dozen each at a time. But, as you indicate, the brine is the essential part. And to a lesser degree, the lemon and the seafood sauce. A friend of mine -- who had never had oysters before but had heard me rave about them -- called me from his cell phone in Manhatten a few months ago announcing to me that he was on a street that had an oyster bar. And I encouraged him to go in and invest $15.00 for a dozen (or whatever they now cost). And he did. But I forgot to tell him HOW to eat 'em, assuming that everyone knew. And it ruined the experience for him because he told me he couldn't stand them (and this is a fellow sushi eater, so it wasn't the "raw" or "squeamish" factor that turned him off). Upon questioning him, I soon discovered what the problem was: he had no idea how to eat them (i.e., he didn't know there WAS a particular way to eat them) and what he did was stick his fork into the oyster while it was sitting in the shell, shaking it gently to remove the brine, and then sticking it into his mouth. Of course, that would ruin the experience for anyone: no brine, no lemon, no seafood sauce. I tried to tell him that he would have to go with me the next time so I could tell him how to eat an oyster properly but I think he's unconvinced and I think that's it for him for this lifetime as regards ever eating oysters again! > > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "shempmcgurk" <shempmcgurk@> > > wrote: > > <snip> > > > Judy: your clams are making my mouth water...but please > > > elaborate on what you mean by "clams (with bellies)". > > > You see, I understand the concept of "toro" which means > > > the fatty belly of the tuna (and toro sells for as much > > > as $100 a pound, it's so delectible) but I can't grasp > > > the concept of a clam having a belly. So please explain. > > > > Basically, it's the clam's gut. I'm not sure I want to > > know any more than that. It's the part of the clam that > > has the most oceany, briny taste and the softest texture; > > the meaty parts don't have as much flavor and are more > > chewy. > > > > Many restaurants serve only clam "strips," which are > > just the meaty parts. That's for two reasons: one, > > squeamish diners prefer not to think they're eating > > internal organs, especially of the digestive tract; > > two, it's cheaper to use big clams and just cut up the > > meaty part into strips than to use small clams whole. > > > > Clams have to be carefully cleaned in any case. I think > > (but am reluctant to find out for certain) that proper > > cleaning removes the more objectionable contents of the > > gut (at any rate, what's removed is said not to taste > > very good). I prefer to assume that the "belly" contains > > only what the clam has eaten recently and not the waste > > products of its digestion. > > > > Clam bellies are often fried and served by themselves, > > incidentally. I like the combination of bellies and > > meaty parts, though. > > > > Here's a quasi-lyrical ode to clam bellies from the > > blog of the New York Times restaurant critic, Frank > > Bruni (it also mentions tuna belly): > > > > http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/going-for-the- gut/ > > > > http://tinyurl.com/b5h4pm > > > > Also check the comments if you're interested in more > > detail on what's served where. > > > > > Also: "perfect, nongreasy crispness". Note that greasy > > > CAN be a plus. No one likes, say, a greasy outer layer > > > on your tempura butyou can't GET crispness without grease. > > > > Right, but as you say, you don't want the grease to soak > > into the batter. Ask Curtis, but I believe it's a matter > > of the proper frying temperature; it can't be too low or > > the grease invades the batter and what's inside instead > > of just cooking it from the outside. Greasy fried clams > > are yucky, by me. > > > > And sometimes grease adds to > > > a dish. Perhaps it's me but a greasy pizza is, > > > simply, fantastic. > > > > Heart trouble runs in my father's side of my family, > > so I have a highly ambivalent relationship with > > saturated fat. Pizza should be made with olive oil, > > though, no? That's good for you. It's the cheese > > that's the problem (not to mention the sausage). > > > > And I love a submarine sandwich, > > > left in its wrapper for an hour or two that leaks > > > "grease" when I finally take it out and eat it (gotta > > > watch the mayo, though, because you don't want that > > > white bacteria-catcher fermenting too long in the heat). > > > > These days commercial mayo contains so many preservatives > > it probably will last quite awhile. Better safe than > > sorry, though. > > >
