Friday, September 26, 2008

Landlocked In Dallas - It's A Clam-ity

Ok, so people who know me are going to wonder why a non-seafood eater would post about seafood. Well I do know what delicious looks like, and the clams, above, came in an email from one of our seafood vendors, Steve Connolly Seafood in Boston who ships their premium products to the restaurant overnight express.

I asked our salesman Willy Warner where non-restaurant folks could buy their goods, and it turns out it's available right on my little Preston-Forest corner at TJ's Seafood Market. They are the only retail seafood market in Dallas that Connolly's ships fresh seafood to. Willy says they can ship anything, including the clams above to TJ's. Currently they have a fresh shipment of Patagonian Toothfish (more commonly called Sea Bass) in.

Growing up we had a HoJo's restaurant in our neighborhood, and my sisters loved the fried clams. They are not a complicated dish and with the invention of the FryDaddy, easy to make at home. According to Willy, "Fried clams are to New England what barbecue is to the South..... All [recipes] work with the same four elements: soft-shell clams, a dipping liquid, a coating and oil According to almost all cooks the liquid is usually evaporated milk, and the coating is nothing more than some combination of flours; regular, corn or pastry."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amy
I forgot to mention when the cold water returns in the fall clams become less active and fatten up. Our shellfish harvesters are digging the most flavorful catches of the year. Peak flavor you surely will enjoy.
Willy

jon said...

My family owns TJ's and we would LOVE to have you visit our store. Family owned since 1989, TJ's has been recognized by D Mag, DMN, Observer and even Texas Monthly for fresh seafood and more.

We also cater!

check out our website: www.tjsseafood.com

feel free to email me directly if i can ever be of service:

jon@tjsmarketandcatering.com

Unknown said...

TJ's is really great. Used to be the only place we'd buy seafood before CM opened on Lovers. Much closer. That's the only reason we switched.