NATIONAL DEEP FRIED CLAMS DAY
National Deep Fried Clams Day on November 1st recognizes a popular seafood item enjoyed since the 1840s.
#DeepFriedClamsDay
Fried claims have been on menus in restaurants since the 1840s. They were served alongside mutton, liver and veal cutlets up and down the Eastern Seaboard. And they have quite a history, too.
According to legend, Lawrence Henry “Chubby” Woodman from Essex, Massachusetts deep fried the first breaded versions of clams over 100 years ago. On July 3, 1916, in his small roadside restaurant, now Woodman’s of Essex, it is believed Chubby served his customers the first modern-day deep-fried clams.
It was later on that Thomas Soffron of Soffron Brothers Clam Co., based in Ipswich, Massachusetts, created clam strips, which are made from the foot of hard-shelled sea clams. Soffron sold these to Howard Johnson’s in an exclusive deal, and as the chain expanded, they became popular throughout the country.
Clams are low in cholesterol and fat without breading and oil. However, when fried, they absorb cooking fat and calories.
Fried clams to New England are what barbecue is to the South. ~David Leite ~August 29, 2007, New York Times ~In A ’64 T-Bird, Chasing a Date With a Clam
HOW TO OBSERVE DEEP FRIED CLAMS DAY
When it comes to fried clams, the best way to celebrate is by eating some! Whether you make them at home or visit your favorite seafood restaurant, the day is worth celebrating! Be sure to share your favorite recipe or give a shout-out to the cooks who make them best.
Enjoy this Battered Fried Clams recipe.
Use #DeepFriedClamsDay to post on social media.
NATIONAL DEEP FRIED CLAMS DAY HISTORY
National Day Calendar® continues researching the origins of this food holiday.
