Summer Getaway: Clamming on Martha’s Vineyard

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What’s your ideal summer getaway? Clamming on Martha’s Vineyard needs to be on your list! Its the simple joy of catching dinner on a summer’s day.

 

A summer getaway on the Vineyard wouldn’t be complete without a clamming excursion. That’s right, Martha’s Vineyard is known for clamming and its a lot of fun! I love watching my family share special moments together, and last summer I took them clamming in a remote area of the island. You wouldn’t believe how many clams we caught.

Clamming has always held a special place with me. My childhood memories of summer had been folded and tucked away, hiding under years of excursions. But they quickly resurfaced as my family went clamming.

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I remember the slow cooked, brown as a berry days on the Jersey Shore. I would get up early and run down to the water, beach bucket and shovel in hand. My mornings were spent digging for clams until my grandmother found me at lunch time. This was the best of times, just me and the seagulls jockeying for clams, coexisting on the beach. Now that I’m on the Vineyard each year, I’ve recreated this moment for my grandchildren on their own summer getaway.

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What makes clamming so much fun? Its the simplicity and reward. Since trading the Jersey Shore for Martha’s Vineyard, I wanted my family to experience the simple joy of clamming on the beach. My husband Chris and I purchased clam rakes and a wire floating basket from Coops Bait and Tackle in Edgartown. We also obtained a family clamming permit, a must on the Vineyard. Then we packed the entire family into our vehicles, toddlers included, and tested the clamming waters of the Lake Street landing of Lake Tashmoo.

I could not have been happier with our clamming adventure. The entire family loved clamming as much I do. Their smiling faces brought back memories of my own as a child. We easily filled our basket to the brim as we took turns using the clam rakes. Dinner was served.

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Life doesn’t get much simpler or enjoyable than spending precious time with family. Catching our own dinner took this summer getaway to another level of satisfaction. We splashed in the water, caught clams, then enjoyed a well earned family meal as the sun set on the island.

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Because I’m a chef, I of course had a recipe for my clams. First I cleaned and soaked the clams. Then I placed them in a glass baking dish and added four whole garlic cloves, sea salt, a pinch of red crushed pepper, and a cup of dry white wine over top. Finally, I covered the dish with aluminum foil, heated the outside grill to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and placed the glass dish directly on the grill rack to cook the clams for about 15 minutes, or until most of the clams opened up.

After throwing away any unopened clams, I served them with a side of pasta, fresh bread, and my homemade caprese salad. They were absolutely delicious and not one remained at the end of our meal. It was the cherry on the top of a perfect summer day!

 

More from the Chef:
GoodDinnerMrsMellen.com and GoodDinnerMrsMellen.blogspot.com

 

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