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. 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. A great dish to enjoy with butter and garlic is stuffed quahogs. And, of course, there is always clam chowder!

There is nothing like fresh shellfish to take your mind off the hot weather of the summer. A plate of raw or barbequed oysters can be good appetizer to a light yet delicious meal. You can buy them in most markets and also from reputed farms breeding them especially for sale. Buying them easily and at good prices is an advantage enjoyed by people lucky enough to live by a port or in coastal zones.

The scallops are meatier than clams and require very little preparation. 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 taste.

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.

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. 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.

People are so busy and life is so fast paced it is often difficult to slow down enough to eat healthy. With processed foods all around us it is refreshing to enjoy a tasty and healthy seafood dinner on occasion. The ocean does not add harmful ingredients to its bounty. It simply nurtures its inhabitants until they are delivered straight to your door. Stay healthy by including tasty shellfish items into your busy lifestyle.

Do not worry about not living close to the ocean or in a coastal region. Even if you live in the central United States you can still get fresh shellfish to appease your tastebuds. Online seafood vendors, such as Quality Fresh Seafood offer a great selection at excellent prices and can ship your ordered seafood and shellfish straight to your door. It is no longer necessary to only have fresh shellfish during a coastal vacation. You can enjoy it anytime you like.