A less expensive, farmed bay scallop is imported from China. Oversoaked scallops look artificially shiny, opaque and flabby and will have a soapy feel and aftertaste. They will also release more liquid and shrink more when cooked. Raw, the lean, cork-shaped meat is translucent, with color ranging from creamy to pink. The texture should be firm and moist, not slippery and spongy.
Cooked meat is opaque white and firm.
Top-quality scallops should have an ivory translucence and elastic springiness that allows them to keep their shape. Fresh bay scallops smell sweet and seaweedy. They should not be sitting in water. Beware of calico scallops being sold as bays. While scallops are most commonly eaten cooked, bays are sometimes enjoyed raw because of their size and freshness.