The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-02
RHODE ISLAND cLAMeAkss.
What They Are. How Prepared and How
Consumed.
Especial Correspondencc.i

t-lSSAai OoiiSotOidCuSc.I
PROVIDENCE, July 7.-Rhode Island
clambakes arc renowned tho country
over, but there is scarcely any one out
side the state who is at all acquainted
with the process of preparing clani
dinner. All individuals not thus in
formed Rhode Islanders regard as
hopelessly benighted; and so, for the en-
lightenment of such unfortunates,
have thought it well to give % descrip-
ton of the modus operandi of genuine
old fashioned Rhode Island clambake,
together with such observations as may
suggest themselves rs proceed.
1t is. really now, an interesting proc
ess. The requisite materials for a small
bake are as follows; A few sticks of
cordwood. a number of stones about the
size of mans head-and the smoother
and the more nearly round the better
lot of wet seaweed. n big piece of can
vas, and last, but not least, the clans
Themselves
The man upon whom devolves the ire
mendous responsibility of conducting
the bake-and he always has deep
sense OF tho dignity of his position-hav-
ing collected the material. first piles up
the cordwood in "corncob" fashion. He
then sets fire to it. and after the fire
has gotten well under way throws the
stones in, around and above the blazing,
cracking sticks. AS tho wood burns
away and the 'corncob" structure grad
ually settles the stones settle with it,
until finally nothing remains but pile
of stones so hot that it burns ones face
to stand within three feet of them.
'Our hero" MS the story books say.
now covers the hot stones with seaweed.
pours the CLAIMS over the seaweed. dis
tributing them evenly, puts on more
seaweed and over the whole thing throws
tho piece of canvas, so arranging it that
as little steam rs possible will escape;
for the stones being kissing hot and the
seaweed dripping wet, there is steam in
abundance, and it is the steam thus pro-
duced that cooks the CLANS; SO that it is
not strictly accurate to speak of baked
CLAIMS. Steamed CLAIMS is the correct
term
1t takes about three-quarters of an
hour for the CLAIMS to cook thoroughly.
At tho expiration of that time the canvas
Is removed, the upper layer of seaweed
raked away, and the CLANS, steam
ing hot. removed and placed upon the
table ready for the diners when they
shall have finished their clam chowder
and fish, which are always the first and
second courses of a genuine "shore din
ner.' This chowder is grand con-
glomcration of clam, potato, onion and
cracker oil boiled up together, with q
few pieces of salt pork to "give charac-
ter to the mixture Strange as it NAV
seem, Rhode Islanders really like it, or
at least imagine that they do.
Following is the menu of q tynical
clam dinner:
Chowtler. Fish.
Sweet Potato. Corn.
Brown Bread Watermelon Ice wo,er
The fish and corn are cooked with
tho CLANS. The fish, rolled up in wet
cloth, and the corn i'll its husk are tucked
i'll among the seaweed about twenty
minutes before the time of opening the
bake, and left there with the CLANS to
be steamed into u condition of edibility.
Bluefish, nackerel, N-ordfish, cod ard
other kinds of "sea fruit" are cooked il
this way.
The eating of CLAIMS is IN art in itself
\ quart dish of the bivalves, shell and
ALL is placed before you, and with Il
pitcher of hot, melted butter, or some
thing supposed to be that. Anyway it
Is hot, yellow and greasy. You pour
out little on your plate Then you
pick up clam i'll the shell with Your
left hand-your left hand. remember
separate the shells and remove the ugly
looking skin enveloping the head and
neck, remove the clam with your other
hand, holding tho head and neck be-
tween the thumb and the forefinger, dip
the clam in the hot yellow grease float
ing around on your plate and then gen
tly insert it in your mouth-that is, all
but the head and neck.
When you get as far as the neck yon
must bring Your teeth together with
considerable energy. This leaves tie
body Of the clam in your mouth, and the
neck and head outside, still between the
thumb and the forefinger. A swallow
most people regard mastication in such
cases as superfiuous-an the deed is
done. Down your throat has glided a
hot, dead clam-lungs, stomach, liver,
entrails and all. except the organs of the
head and neck. that go to mako up e
first class, we'll regulated clam. Ugh!
AS might be anticipated, it takes time
to master this art. and nothing anuses
Rhode Islander more than to watch
novice eat clans. But sometimes tho
novice is so ignorant as to eat the CLAIMS
neck and head, and then the veteran
clam eater is quite Disguised The lat
ter can swallow q CLAIMS entrails with