CLAM CHOWDER FROM THE SAND UP - A SUMMER LIFE LESSON

"But when that smoking chowder came in, the mystery was delightfully explained. Oh! sweet friends, hearken to me. It was made of small juicy clams, scarcely bigger than hazel nuts, mixed with pounded ship biscuits and salted pork cut up into little flakes! the whole enriched with butter, and plentifully seasoned with pepper and salt.....we dispatched it with great expedition." Herman Melville - Ishmael in 'Moby Dick' (1851)


I fell in love with clam chowder in the sixties at the Illahee summer cabin of my now deceased in-laws. Illahee is a little community north of Bremerton, Washington which enjoys pristine salt waterfront and rocky beaches abundant with clams. At least that was the case back in the day, when low tides sent us trudging down a steep trail in search of clams for my mother-in-law’s wonderful seafood concoction.

There were no limits and no permits required. All one needed was a bucket and a shovel. If one was desperate for clam chowder and the only low tide was in the middle of the night, one added a “bug” – an old timer’s light made with a tin can and a candle.

My father-in-law taught me how to make and use a “bug” and on one of our vacations, I trekked down to the beach by myself at two o’clock in the morning to seek clams. No one would come with me and it ranks in my memory as a favorite clam digging experience. I picked a spot, started digging a small area, turning over the rocks and swishing water around with my hand as I went. Soon I found small groups of clams which were easily plucked from their rocky bed. I came back, victorious, with a large bucket of manilla, butter and long neck clams.

My mission the next day was to make clam chowder under Mom’s tutelage. The first step was to put corn meal in the bucket to help cleanse the clams of sand. Then we began the lengthy process of preparing the ingredients, cleaning and grinding up the clams and cooking the chowder. Later, after gorging ourselves on bowl after bowl of this hearty soup, we relaxed on the deck surrounded by tall evergreens and madronas, basking in the sunshine, and enjoying the fruits of our labor. The recipe for Illahee clam chowder is in the Book Nook below. I challenge you to find a better recipe.

Summer is a time for experiencing little adventures with your family, and teaching children lessons they don’t find in a text book. These days digging clams at night is not recommended, but if there is a way of taking a beach walk using a bug lantern, do it for your kids. You simply take an old tin coffee or other can, gouge large holes in the sides, poke holes at the top through which you thread wire or twice for a handle, and anchor a candle in the bottom. For those of you lucky enough to live in the Pacific Northwest or any other place where clams can be dug, you can have truly fresh clam chowder that is made “from the sand up.” No canned or restaurant chowder can compare.

Clams can also be bought at the store, of course. Now that I am a Washington resident, if the tides aren’t right, or I have time restraints, I head over to Barlean’s at 4936 Lake Terrell Road in Ferndale, Washington. Located in the country and surrounded by dairy farms and forest land, it’s another place worth visiting for a fishy experience. You can almost smell the salty air from nearby Sandy Point. Much larger now than the little shed it once was, this assortment of buildings houses storage and shipping areas and a very modern shop where one can buy everything from all kinds of fish, crab, shrimp, scallops, clams, etc., to fish and flax seed oil and small gift items. If you want fish heads for crabbing, even if the store is not open, you simply put a dollar in a can near a large freezer, and help yourself. It’s on the honor system.

For those who live too far away for a visit, check Barlean’s web site to learn about their online store, interesting reef netting information and tasty seafood recipes.
http://www.barleansfishery.com/PageID/1/default.aspx

Nowadays a permit in Washington costs $12.00 for residents ages l6-69. Children under sixteen must be licensed, but at no cost. Seniors get a price break at $9.60. The number of clams and sizes can vary, and that information can be found on the website here.
https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/licenses_fees.html

Watching out for red tide and other toxin warnings is important and can be found on the next website. http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish.html

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BOOK NOOK

Illahee Clam Chowder by Mrs. Fred. A Lind

Clams in shells, 2-3 quarts
Bacon or salt port ½-3/4 pound diced
Onion, ¾ cup diced
Celery, ½ cup diced
Potatoes, 2-3 cups diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Evaporated milk or cream, ½ to 1 cup
Tomatoes, thinly sliced, 2 or 3

Scrub clams thoroughly. Place in a large kettle. Almost cover with water and boil until shells open. Drain and reserve the clam nectar. Discard black tips of necks and green stomach portions of the largest clams. Grind the remainder.

Fry the bacon or salt pork and onions. Add celery (carrots may be added or substituted), and clam nectar. After cooking for ten minutes, add potatoes. Add ground clams and tomatoes during the last five minutes of cooking time. Just before serving add the hot cream.

Serve with rolls and a green salad. Sit back and enjoy!