The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
It’s that time of year for a shell game
Clams by the tens of thousands are rolling into Euclid Fish in Mentor as clambake season gains momentum.
Clams by the tens of thousands are rolling into Euclid Fish in Mentor as the area’s clambake season gains momentum. They arrive daily by refrigerated truck, are gathered into bags holding a dozen clams and are assembled into clambakes that are delivered to restaurants and picked up by those hosting backyard reunions, tailgate parties and any other fall party.
“We’re getting the majority of our clams from Canada until waters from the recent hurricane and rains settle down,” said John Young, CEO of Euclid Fish.
Chef John Comella began Euclid Fish Co. in 1944, and it has thrived ever since, moving to Mentor in 1980. It’s now operated by the third- and fourth-generation family members.
Last month, Young and his adult sons visited the east coast providers of their clams. “We met the fishermen and those who process them for delivery,” Young said. “It’s always good to know the people who provide your food.”
Clams live buried in the sand on the bottom of the ocean, often in fairly shallow water, off the coasts of Long Island, New York; Rhode Island; Maine; Massachusetts; and Nova Scotia.
Clambakes became a custom in Northeast Ohio early in the last century when John D. Rockefeller and his friends discovered that clams could be iced and shipped overnight to Ohio by train. They began having clambakes for their friends and families, and soon a tradition was born.
Clams are plentiful this year, Young said, although huge Hurricane Florence disrupted their harvesting.
“The clams themselves hunker down and aren’t really affected by summer storms,” he said. “But they’re more difficult to dig up when there’s been a lot of rain.”
Very cold temperatures, such as experienced along the coast this past winter, can be a hazard to clams, he said.
“The young ones are killed when they get frozen.”
Middleneck clams are the most popular size sold for clambakes at
Euclid Fish.
“Topnecks are bigger, and cherrystones are bigger yet,” Young said. “They all taste pretty much the same, but people have their preferences.”
Littlenecks are the smallest clams.
They can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, baked or fried, made into clam chowders, clams casino and clam cakes. Here, they are typically boiled, but in New England they can be cooked using hot rocks and seaweed.
Clams are eaten all over the world, but different varieties are found along America’s East and West coasts.
“My wife, Terri, likes to throw them on a charcoal grill,” said Young.
This year, Euclid Fish is celebrating its 75th anniversary with some delightful clambake variations.
“We’ve devised a line of boils to go along with the clams, including an oyster roast in which we give you 100 Chesapeake Bay oysters for $60.”
The boils include regional favorites such as a Low Country Boil with clams, crawfish, easy peel shrimp, kielbasa, red skin potatoes, coleslaw and corn on the cob for $18.95 per person. That also includes a returnable steamer plus plastic and paperware and full instructions.
“We like to sell at least six bakes to include the steamer,” Young said.
Chicken is the traditional accompaniment to clams, but lobster, steak and a variety of types of crab also are available. Orders must be received by Euclid Fish at least two days in advance, Young said.
“Although Euclid Fish FedExes many others among its
Clambakes became a custom in Northeast Ohio early in the last century when John D. Rockefeller and his friends discovered that clams could be iced and shipped overnight to Ohio by train. They began having clambakes for their friends and families, and soon a tradition was born.
fish, it won’t ship clams that way,” Young said. “They’re just too perishable.”
So the company has established branches in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati to satisfy the clam cravings of people in those areas.
“Clams come by refrigerated truck directly to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati,” he said.
Those who order clambakes will find all the ingredients on ice in a steamer when they pick up their bakes. The ice is removed, and water added for each bake and the steaming begins. Corn, chicken and potatoes are added at the appropriate times, according to the instructions provided.
“We used to do a lot more catering,” Young said. “But we’ve devised a good system, and most people are comfortable doing it themselves.”
Euclid Fish will, however, take care of the bakes on premises for groups of 50 or more.
Many people like to drink beer with their clams, but Muscadet from France’s Loire Valley is a perfect white wine to have with a clambake, said Brian Fife, wine director and sommelier at World Wines and Liquor in Mentor.
“Red wine drinkers will like a French Cabernet Franc or a Cote du Rhone, “he said.
An ideal beer to drink with a clambake is a Belgian beer or one of the many Oktoberfest-style beers that recently have made their appearance.