Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book

Steamed Clams. — Wash and scrub the shells. Put them in a kettle without water, cover closely, and cook till the shells open. Take them out with a skimmer, pour the clam water into a pitcher, and let it settle. Straining is not sufficient, as the fine sand will go through the finest strainer ; but the water will be clear if care be taken not to disturb the sediment. Remove the clams from the shells, peel off the thin skin around the edge, and cut off the whole of the black end. Scissors are better than a knife for this purpose. Rinse each clam in a little of the clam water, and if very large, cut the tough part into small pieces. When the water is clear, pour it into a saucepan, add the clams, and heat again till just hot, but i8o The Boston Cook Book. do not let them boil.Serve with brown bread or toasted crackers; and let each person season them to taste with melted butter, pepper, and vinegar. Scalloped Clams. — Prepare the clams as in steamed clams. Make a white sauce, as for fish (see page 189) ; put the clams in a shallow dish or in clean shells ; cover with the sauce and buttered crumbs, and bake till brown. For Clam Soup, Clam Chowder, and Clam Fritters, see the Index. A Clam Bake. An impromptu clam bake may be had at any time at low tide along the coast where clams are found. If you wish to have genuine fun, and to know what an appetite one can have for the bivalves, make up a pleasant party and dig for the clams yourselves. A short thick dress, shade hat, rubber boots, — or, better still, no boots at all, if you can bring your mind to the comfort of bare feet, — a small garden trowel, a fork, and a basket, and 3^ou are ready. Let those who are not digging gather a large pile of driftwood and seaweed, always to be found along the shore. Select a dozen or more large stones, and of them make a level floor ; pile the driftwood upon them, and make a good brisk fire to heat the stones thoroughly. When hot enough to crackle as you sprinkle water upon them, brush off the embers, letting them fall between the stones. Put a thin layer of seaweed on the hot stones, to keep the lower clams from burning. Rinse the clams in salt water by plunging the basket which contains them in the briny pools near by. Pile them over the hot stones, heaping them high in the centre. Cover with a thick layer of seaweed, and a piece of old canvas, blanket, carpet, or dry leaves, to keep in the steam. The time for baking will depend upon the size and quantity of the clams. Peep in occasionally at those around the edge. When the shells are open, the clams are done. They are delicious eaten from the shell, with no other sauce than their own briny sweetness. Melted butter, pepper, and vinegar should be The Boston Cook Book.