Wild varieties are equally delicious. Clams are a very popular addition to pasta dishes. Hard clams, also called quahogs, live in sandy coves and can be caught when the tide is low.Fresh shellfish is a wonderful thing to eat all year round. It includes clams, scallops, mussels and more. Farm-raised cultured mussels are fresh and readily available. A great dish to enjoy with butter and garlic is stuffed quahogs. And, of course, there is always clam chowder!



In the summer, fresh shellfish will take your mind off the hot weather. For a light yet delicious meal, consider an appetizer of raw or barbequed oysters. These tasty treats can be bought in most markets as well as chosen farms that specially breed them to sell. If you are lucky enough to live by a port or in a town near the ocean, you will probably find oysters easily and for an affordable cost.

Sea scallops are delightfully large, though must be shucked (removed from their shells) almost immediately after capture to ensure they don't lose moisture and die.It is important not to overcook scallops, or you will end up with a chewy, inedible morsel.Scallops are meatier than clams and require very little preparation.

Mussels have blue-black shells and brown hairs called byssal threads attached to their shell. Their meat is usually an orange color and they are full of protein. As with clams, mussels taste best steamed and should remain encased in their shell until cooked.

Other fresh shellfish includes lobster and crab. Both are bigger and more substantial than their other, small shelled relatives. They are truly tasty and are a symbol of excellence in every type of cuisine. Lobster is a cuisine favorite in fancy, high-end restaurants and is the most expensive of all fresh shellfish.

Once you get down to the meaty goodness of crab legs, you will want to make this fresh shellfish part of your everyday meal planning. Crab is maybe the most popular shellfish and is widely bought and eaten. The crabbing industry is a multi-million dollar one. While eating crab can be messy and often difficult, special tools have been created to make cracking crab easier.

Living a healthier lifestyle is becoming more and more difficult. Food items purchased at the local grocery are not necessarily all that good for you. The packaging may look great but the contents could be worse than you think. This is not an issue with fresh shellfish or other fresh seafood items. The ocean is the perfect nursery to grow these healthy and tasty critters. Keep your healthy lifestyle on track and satisfy your tastebuds with fresh shellfish on a regular basis.

You no longer have to live in close proximity to the ocean or coast, you can get fresh shellfish no matter what. Online vendors now deliver fresh shellfish, crabs, lobsters and much more overnight. Straight from the ocean to your front door. Quality Fresh Seafood specializes in this and uses Fedex to overnight your seafood order.