For some obscure reason, up until this point, By the Bay Fish Mart in St. Peters has not (to HG’s dismay) been selling soft shell clams. Steamed soft shells, rinsed in clam broth and dipped in butter, is a favorite HG dish. So, HG was overjoyed yesterday to find the clams finally available at the Fish Mart. Many, many rinses in cold water to get rid of sand. BSK steamed them to perfection and they were among the best steamers HG ever tasted. Big and lush. HG’s favorite soft shell clam dish was served at the downtown Brooklyn landmark, Gage & Tollner’s. Clam bellys sauteed in butter. Recently learned that some young restaurateurs are busy fund raising to restore and reopen the restaurant. Thankfully, the antique interior has remained. HG/BSK ate many pounds of steamers during their summers in Fire Island and Nantucket. (The Nantucket fish store, where HG was addressed as “Captain”, also sold superb bay scallops and swordfish.) BSK has an unhappy steamer memory of a trip through Maine years ago with Montclair, N.J. friends, Rita and Jack N. (HG and pals were visiting children Jeremy and Evan at an athletic camp). While BSK’s husband and friends ate, with gusto, great steamed lobster and lobster rolls (never better than on the Maine seashore), BSK (allergic to crustaceans) had to dine on small, insipid steamers. Excellent blueberry pie was not adequate compensation.
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