When it comes to seafood cuisine, is there any tastier food than clams? If you want to find the perfect clams to eat, there are a few things that you need to know to get started. Part of what gives clams their great flavor is their freshness. If you bite into a clam that lacks this trait, you likely won’t like what you get! Fortunately, there are a few tests that you can do to determine the freshness of a clam before you ever eat it. We show you some tips on determining the freshness of your clams below!
Check The Shells For Damages
Most of the cues you’ll get as to whether or not your clams are fresh are visual. The first step you should take to determine their freshness is to give their shells a closer look. Do they have noticeable signs of damage on them? Look for cracks and chips in the shell. If your clam’s shell has these, throw it away! It’s likely that the clam won’t be fresh as a result. When the shell is compromised like that, the clam will be as well. It doesn’t matter if the clam passes the other tests – this is a surefire sign that it won’t be good!
Hard Shell Clams: Closed Shells
The next step to determine how fresh your clams will vary by what type of clam you’re using. Hard shell clams and soft shell clams have slightly different methods to check for freshness. With hard shell clams, you’ll want to ensure that the shells are completely closed. If they’re slightly open, don’t assume the worst-case scenario yet; instead, tap the clamshell. If it doesn’t close itself, that’s when you’ll know that it isn’t fresh! When you buy clams initially, they’re supposed to be alive, so this will tell you that your clam isn’t.
Soft Shell Clams: Checking For Movement
Soft shell clams differ in the freshness test because their shells aren’t supposed to close completely! The method for determining whether they’ll be good or not is slightly different as a result. In these types of clams, you’ll want to tap their shell. A clam will have gone bad if it doesn’t respond to this sensation. This means that your clam has died and it won’t be nearly as fresh as one that was alive during purchase. If there isn’t any response from the clam, throw it out!
Fresh Clams at AquaPazza
When you come to AquaPazza, performing the freshness test on clams will never be something you have to worry about! All of our seafood is as fresh as it gets, and it’s a big part of the reason why we’ve gained popularity in the North End. Do you want to experience fresh seafood and an unbeatable ambiance for yourself? Make a reservation with us today!
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