Ginny Rose Stewart

Eating steamers—the large, soft-shell steamed clams sold almost anywhere you can see the Maine shoreline—takes more finesse than preparing them. The closed clams are simply steamed open in a boiling pot of water (or beer), and then the real fun begins. Order steamers by the pound. Your clams will be served with a bowl of watery clam broth, plenty of melted butter, and an empty bucket for the shells and such.