The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-10-11
4 Down-East Clam-Bake.

land clam-bake one must eat it in New
England, and to make it entirely enjoy
able one must assist in preparing Il, or
at least be present at the oven when the
grand funeral pile is lighted. The writer
was present at feast of this kind in the
little townof Westport, Mass, last week,
and after partaking heartily of the CLAIMS
and the ssfixins" is prepared TO make
deposition TO the fact that the genuine
clarn-bake is rare treat which it naHs.,
one to tfav6f many lnffes % ENJOY.
Cadman's Neck, where the clam-bake
was prepared, is small point of land
jutting ont into the Westport River,
about four miles from the town. Under
the trees and near the long tables two
large ssovens'' had been constructed by
excavar ng two holes about fifteen feet
long by fiiree broad and two deep, and
in eacl great fire of oak and pine
wood W aing fiercely. A score of
men We on the ground near by
CAREFUL ing and sorting 200 BUSH
els of cI.. which had been dug the
night before on the shores of the Provi-
dence River. They were not the large.
repulsive looking CLAIMS which are so
eign to New England, but small, luscious
shone as they came from the hands of
the cleaners. Close by stood twelve
bushel baskets full of Holsters, all greer
and shining as they came from the
water, and all wriggling about IS though
they foresaw the fate in store for them,
and were struggling to escape. Near by
was another gang OF men dipping high
ly spiced dressing from two large. clean
h. Ia os~
the store, which were nicely covered
with clean, white cloths securely fas-
tened around the rims. Others were
husking corn for the grand bake, and
still others were washing sweet potatoes
and tying them securely in canvas bags.
The preparations were observed by the
hungry crowd, and appetites were
whetted by the sight. There was moth
ing to repel, but everything to attract to
| the feast for which all were waiting.
Finally the great mass of food was
ready for cooking, and then the grand
event of the day,the closing of the bake.
| began. Men with pitchforks cleared the
ovens of the blazing logs, and the stones,
which had been raised to q white heat.
were carefully swept clean of ashes and
embers. These country folks are fas.
tidious in the matter of cleanliness, and
object to eating clanas garnished with
carbon. The ovens once cleaned ths
work of filing them with the edib!es
g bs eeoked rs splsl.sx RsEfoE9aa 8
of clean, shining CLAIMS. Very genti,
they were deposited in the glowing fur
mace that their shells might not b
| broken, and, as they struck the stones
Sizing noise was heard, as the thous
| ands of clans apparently breathed ou
loud sighs of agony, and a dense clout
| of salt-smelling steam arose, whicl
| tickled the nostrils and served to whe
appetites which had already been sharp
ened by rides of from FIVE to twent,
miles in the fresh morning air of tn
country The Holsters were next sent tt
bear the CLAIMS company, and as the.
struck the bed they wriggled ant
squirmed in manner which would hav
torn the heartstrings of the good Mr.
Bergh. Next came the corn, with pan
of dressing judiciously distributed from
one end of the great bake to the other
and the apex was crowned with a scor
of long and shallow baskets, in whic
were LAYERS of bluefish and tripe, an
the bags of sweet potatoes garnishin
the outer edges of the great pile. ]
heavy canvas was drawn over the whole
and on this was thrown q moss of we
and dry seaweed, until every crevic
] from which steam could possible escap
was closed, and the bake was then LEI
to cook itself in the steam of the clam
and the heat of the fiery furnace.
It ts Ses bake thus judiciously prt
pared about half an hour to be read
for the table, and at the end of ths
time the Naquachuck bake was ready
be eaten. The sea weed was tosse
aside, the canvas raised from one enc
and the bake opened by degrees.
hundred heet-footed walters dippe
their pans in the mass of steaming foo
and placed upon the tables before tt
hungry crowd the results Of the exper
ment. Everybody set to work with.
will. opening the CLANS and pickir
them out with their fingers. The groun
beneath the tables afforded convenier
place for depositing the shells, and lit
mounds of these soon appeared by tt
side of each eater. The CLAIMS wei
tender and luscious, and large pans
them disappeared in twinkling. Floa
ing in melted butter-butter churned IL
day before on the farms of Westport-
they presented an appetizing appea
ance which could not be resisted. tt
cleaners and sorters had done their wor
well, and no grit or sand entered tt
mouth to spoil the taste OF the deliciol
bivalves. The Holsters were warm ar
juicy and impregnated just enough wit
the flavor of the steam in which tht
had boiled to make them delica
morsel. The fish, too, was marvellous
improved in flavor by this same steam
in which it had been confined for ha
an hour, while the potatoes and col
tasted as potatoes and corn never taste
! before, to one individual who was e
joying his first New England clam-bak
One seems never to tire of eating at
table spread with such Injuries as thes
and, as there was plenty for all, ever
body ate until forced to desist from pu
: exhaustion.-W Westport Mass.) Cor.
. 7. Times
! The Indiana Bureau of Statistic
, estimating the benefits to be derive
, from tile drainage. show that land whi'
: yielded an average of nine and a hs
2 bushels of wheat per acre for five yea
2 before drainage, yielded nineteen al
one-half bushels for five years after |
ing drained. With corn the increa
2 was from thirty-one to seventy TO
, bushels per acre. During the saI
! period the numter of cases of malar
sickness was diminished from 1,8
; cases to 400 cases after drainage.
, Indiana State Sentinel