By: Brendan Dry | July 05 2010
Posted in Cook It - In Season

As the days grown long and warm, our culinary center shifts from kitchen to back porch. Lighting a grill offers the perfect excuse for shared meals of simple fare—none more communal or more humble than a traditional New England clambake. Clam-baking is quintessentially pilgrim. The European settlers, to whom New Englanders trace their own personal and collective roots, received the recipe from the Native American tribes of the Northeast. It was a huge victory for New England cuisine, as BBQ won out over the dominant trend of 17^th century English gastronomy, the "meat-pie."

Photo: Brendan Dry

The basic method, which remains the de facto method for traditional bakes, was simple, brilliant, and utterly primal. Bakes were often held right on the beach for accessibility, but also, I imagine, to acknowledge the sufficiency of the earth and the importance of common, rather than personal, space. A pit dug in the earth replaced the brick oven; fire-heated stones sufficed in place of the cast-iron pot. When the seaweed bed was laid out over the stone, with the clams, lobsters, and mussels blanketed in its leaves, the chef covered the colorful spread with an animal skin.

Looking for a spot to try this uniquely New England way of doing BBQ? Try The Place. Selling restaurant merchandise comes with the risk of an all-kitsch, no-quality label. Fortunately, The Place's "Put your Rump on a Stump" slogan is not a marketing gimmick to capitalize on its ultra rustic décor. It is the no-frills philosophy behind its perfectly simple menu and picnic-style outdoor dining room. Everything (except for the ice cream) goes right on the grill—clams, mussels, lobster, chicken, steak, and corn on the cob—and comes to you done just right. The clam special is their signature dish and when you’re done, just throw the shells right on the ground. The Place is BYOB (non-alcoholic drinks are fine) and it’s on you to bring the beans and potato salad.

Recipes are available for traditional homemade bakes with or without contemporary shortcuts. Catering companies and casual restaurants generally use portable grills rather than holes in the ground and canvas rather than animal skin (necessary adjustments due to obvious restrictions on making Native American grill pits on public beaches).

But the general recipe remains the same: one lobster, four to six clams or mussels, and of course, an ear of fresh corn grilled in its husk for each person. A more budget-friendly bake could substitute sausage and potatoes for the lobster. Whatever goes on the grill, in the pit, or on the stove, plan on cooking for a crowd. When you pull back the edge of the canvas to reveal an orange lobster-claw wrapped around a vibrant green corn-husk this summer, remember the history of the meal, one of the most authentically American meals around.

Slide photo: Flickr

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