July 3id is National Fried Clam Day #NationalFriedClamDay. I don’t know about you but I will pass on celebrating Clams and so will Charlie. Before you ask I have no, clue about David. If you like Fried Clams do you fix them at home or do you get Fried Clams at a restaurant? If so which restaurant do you go to. What do you have with Fried Clams and why?
For New Englanders, an addiction to fried Clams is a rite of passage, one that is celebrated every on July 3rd on National Fried Clam Day. Fried Clams have been part of the New England coastal culture for more than a century. Fried Clams are an acquired taste for some; for others, it is 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 on the cheek, and a basket of fried Clams and a cold drink in hand.
It’s rare to know exactly who, when and where the first of anything was created or invented. Imitation is, after all, 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 was a serendipitous 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 3rd, 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 quipped, “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 some of 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. Chubby and Bessie 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. Chubby and Bessie 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 Clams aficionados swear the only place on the planet to enjoy authentic fresh, sweet, and 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 recipe 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 still 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 shellibrate National Fried Clam Day, mostly to the delight of the kids. Don’t clam up if you don’t know any good Clam jokes, including, “If you find yourself addicted to fried Clams, you should sea kelp.”
- You 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 a perfect batch of Clams but go for one that fries the whole Cam so you get a tender belly in each bite. Trust us when we say, “Take a pass on Clam strips.”
SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT CLAMS
- 1,500 is the number of different species of Clams there are worldwide.
- Softshell Clams are the kind of Clams that are deep-fried. Softshell Clams are also called long necks, steamers, nanny nose Clams, or Ipsowich Clams.
- Softshell Clams are members of the Mollusk family of invertebrates, which are animals without a backbone. Clams are also considered Shellfish.
- Clams are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet, being packed with protein, 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 PEOPLE LOVE THE WOODMAN’S FRIED CLAM STORY
- While Chubby and Bessie Woodman’s story may sound like a Fairy Tale come true, it is the quintessential rags-to-riches American success story that dreams are made of and what keeps 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 at 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 probably surrounds you right where you begin.
- If the Woodmans had not rolled up their sleeves, shucked a few Steamer Clams, battered, and dropped them 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. Their story inspires us to be willing to take a risk.
Recipe for Fried Clams
PREP TIME: 10MINUTES MINUTES
COOK TIME: 20MINUTES MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 30MINUTES MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound shucked clams cherrystones, littlenecks, Western littlenecks or Manila clams
- 1 cup corn flour, as in “fish fry” mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 cup buttermilk or evaporated milk
- oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pick through the clams to make sure there are no bits of shell or obvious grit. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Submerge the clams in buttermilk.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºF and put a rack set over a baking sheet inside the oven. Heat enough oil to float the clams, about a quart or so. What oil? Anything you feel like, but I prefer peanut oil. You want the oil hot, about 360ºF.
- When the oil is almost ready, coat a few clams in the breading. Don’t do more than your fryer can handle in one batch, as you want the clams to go right from breading into the fryer. If you want super-extra crispy clams, dip the breaded clams back in the buttermilk and again in the breading; I think this is too much, but some people like them that way.
- Fry the clams until they are golden brown, about 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Move them to the rack in the oven and repeat with the remaining clams — make sure the oil gets back up to temperature between batches. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, malt vinegar, remoulade, ketchup or hot sauce.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
