Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: March 301st, 2022. I don’t know about you but today is National Oysters on the Half Shell Day and again this is a Holiday Charlie, and I don’t plan on taking part it. Because we don’t care for Seafood. How about you?
National Oysters on the Half Shell Day
National Clam Day
For New Englanders, an addiction to Fried Clams is a rite of passage, that is celebrated every July 3rd on National Fried Clam Day and Fried clams have been part of the New England Coastal Culture for more than a Century. Did you know Fried Clams are an acquired taste for some? For others, Fried Clams are nothing short of love at first bite. Folks who live or Summer along New England’s stunning Atlantic Coast cannot imagine Summer without the brush of a salty sea breeze and a basket of Fried Clams and a cold Beer.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL FRIED CLAM DAY
It’s rare to know exactly who, when and where the first of anything was created or invented but imitation is, the sincerest form of flattery, and then everyone stakes a claim to the original invention. Fried Clams are an exception, with a documented back story validating when freshly dug New England Clams were first battered and deep-fried in a sleepy little New England Coastal town.
Deep frying Clams came from the brainchild of Lawrence Henry “Chubby” Woodman and his wife, Bessie. The couple began operating a small seaside stand in 1914, in Essex, Massachusetts, selling Soft Shell Clams that Chubby dug himself and other goods to locals on the weekends. Business was slow the first two years, until July 3, 1916.
On that day, a local fisherman named Tarr was “shootin’ the breeze” with Chubby while enjoying a basket of Bessie’s delicious homemade Potato Chips. When Tarr asked Chubby how business was doing, Chubby said “business is slower than a couple of Snails headed uphill.” Tarr wisecracked that maybe Bessie should deep fry some of Chubby’s freshly dug Clams, heaped in a nearby bucket, the way she deep-fried Potato Chips. The two friends had a good laugh over the thought of Deep-Fried Clams. But the idea intrigued the Woodmans, who talked about the idea of shucking and deep frying those Clams that were in that bucket after Tarr left the store.
Chubby and Bessie reasoned If Fried Clams tasted good, they may have a way to increase the demand for their shucked Clams and be more competitive. They agreed it was worth a try. Bessie heated fresh Lard in the fry pot used to make her irresistible Potato Chips, and the two shucked Clams and experimented with different batters all afternoon. They asked a few willing locals to be taste testers. By the end of the day, the verdict was in, and it was an overwhelming “delicious.” That’s when Chubby and Bessie Woodman knew they were on to something big.
The next day, during the town’s annual Fourth of July Parade, Chubby and Bessie introduced the citizens of Essex to the first fried Clams and just like that, a New England tradition was born. New England Summers have never been the same since.
HOW TO ENJOY NATIONAL FRIED CLAM DAY
- New England Fried Clam aficionados swear the only place on the planet to enjoy authentic fresh, tender fried Clams is in New England. While there are dozens of Clam Shacks dotting the New England Coast serving mouth-watering Fried Clams, the only place you can enjoy original Fried Clams requires a trip to Woodman’s of Essex in Essex, Massachusetts, North of Boston. There you will find fifth-generation members of the Woodman family frying Clams the same way Chubby, and Bessie did over 100 years ago.
- Dads especially will enjoy telling Clam jokes and using Clam Puns to celebrate National Fried Clam Day. You don’t have to Clam up if you don’t know any good Clam jokes just research online and you will find Clam jokes to share.
- ou will never know what you have been missing until you give deep-fried Clams a try. It may be challenging to find a restaurant near you that knows the New England secrets to frying Clams but go for one that fries the Whole Clam so you get a tender belly in each bite.
5 FACTS ABOUT CLAMS
- 1,500is the number of different species of Clams worldwide.
- Softshell Clams are the kind of Clams which people deep-fry, and Softshell Clams can becalled long necks, steamers, and Ipsowich clams.
- Softshell Clams are members of the Mollusk family of Invertebrates, which are Animals without a backbone. Although Clams are also considered Shellfish.
- Did you know Clams are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Clams are packed with protein, and they are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol, and full of essential vitamins and minerals.
- Softshell Clams are found along the East Coast of the United States, from Northern Canada to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Softshell Clams are also found in regions of Alaska, Washington State, and California on the Pacific Coast, and in Western Europe.
WHY WE LOVE THE WOODMAN’S FRIED CLAM STORY
- While Chubby and Bessie Woodman’s story may sound like a fairy tale come true, the story is the rags-to-riches American success story that dreams are made of keeping entrepreneurs motivated to be part of the American Dream.
- One hundred years and five generations later the Woodman’s legacy lives on as a thriving family business, right where it all began in the home. In a Culture where families are more likely to be separated by hundreds if not thousands of miles, with everyone pursuing their own dream, the Woodman’s story reminds us that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. What matters most is right where you begin.
- If the Woodmans had not rolled up their sleeves, and shucked a few steamer Clams, then battered, and dropped the Clams into the fry kettle, there would be no National Fried Clam Day. Chubby and Bessie figured they had nothing to lose except a few Clams that were just sitting in a bucket on the floor anyway which is why their story inspires us to be willing to take a risk.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
