This Is One Tasty Treat

The savoury flavour of the Pacific Bearded Clam is an irresistible temptation to most people.

This furry little mollusk is often compared to chicken in its texture, although it can smell fishy if not snatched up fresh. Inside its shell, the bearded clam stews in its own juices, and the delightful taste is revealed every time it is opened up.

The bearded clam gets its name from the seaweed that grows on its shell. The seaweed nourishes itself on the minerals in the clam's shell, and clings to it like lichen. The mossy seaweed gives the clams an appearance of facial growth--like a beard.

The bearded clam is found in the northern Pacific regions, buried deep in hard-to-reach seabeds. Bearded clam divers toil hard to get to their tasty treasure, but they know the reward is worth the effort.

Restaurateurs admit that men love the bearded clam, and that for women it in an acquired taste. They say that the bearded clam is best when it's tasted for the first time, moist and dripping in its own succulent juices.

The clams make for an excellent chowder, but connoisseurs insist they be kept uncooked, preferring to pry them open with their fingers and slowly lick the insides. Many Canadians find that the bearded clam is almost as desirable as beaver, another delicacy.

Creston Colgate, a Seattle chef working in Vancouver, has a few tips for would-be gourmets.

"Coaxing them out is half the battle," said Creston. "And they go very well with zucchini. You'll find them juicier and almost begging to be swallowed. For bearded clam, you'll definitely need to head downtown."

Those who have tried bearded clams are passionate about them. "I love them when they're hot and steamy," said Diana Butcher, a recent convert. "I let the juices run down my chin. It's so sensuous."

"I love chowing down on bearded clams," agreed Woody Normus, seafood lover. "I can't get enough of them. In fact, bearded clams are the reason I like to eat out so much!"

"I've never seen a bearded clam," said young Billy Roth. "But someday, when I'm older, I hope to sink my face into one."

Although most bearded clams are bearded, there is are some recipes that call for the beard to be shaved off. Incidentally, bearded clam chowder is one of the only soups where it's normal to find a hair.