Clams To Go, Please

     

      We dug clams earlier during this trip, but this would be our last go around for awhile.  This is the last scheduled 'dig' of the season.  Once again we camped at Screaming Eagle RV Campground at Ocean City, although the digs would be further north at Mocrocks.  This area, especially this time of year REALLY DRAWS A CROWD.  We hoped to really 'sack them up' the last 4 days of this season.  It was the first 'morning dig' of the year so the beach would be much more crowded.  Obviously, if you follow our blog this is something we do often when visiting here so I won't labor you with the specifics.  Relax (we did) and enjoy the pictures.

Although this poor guy gave himself up after we had already dug here,

this is often what you look for when the waves recede. 

When the tides are low, they WILL come.....LOTS of 'em

Trying to stay ahead of the surf

Once the shell is removed (they will pop open after 30 sec in boiling water) this is the remaining clam.  We immediately put these in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Completely cleaned razor clam (before trimming for use)
You can also use just the intact left portion above for fried clam steaks.  
We save a few of these for PoBoys or steaks, but mostly trim for Diggers (salads), Trimmed Frill (clam strips)and Chopped Necks (chowder meat) 

 Trimmed Diggers, Chowder Meat, & Strip Meat 

Vacuum Sealing for freezing

      Because we were digging in the mornings we ate small breakfasts such as grits or oatmeal with juice or coffee and toast, and then had a large late afternoon meal.  The clams soaked all day in a bucket of water and we cleaned and processed them each evening.  While at the beach we dined on Cudighi Stroganoff, Bacon Razor Clam PoBoys, Wild Boar Pizza, and Mangu Con Los Tres Golpes (a Dominican Breakfast with Sausage, Plantains, Fried Cheese, and Eggs) 

Dominican Sausage, Plantains, Fried Cheese, & Egg

Wild Boar Sausage Pizza

Bacon Clam Poboy

     Another successful trip with 90 more clams vacuum sealed and frozen.  The first day's limits were on the small-ish size and only I dug a limit on Day 2 as Barb's allergies won out.  Day 3 opened up the area much closer to camp at Copalis and Barb rejoined the fray fully rested.  In fact she dug her limit and helped me with a single to finish out mine.  Day 4 we returned to our first area, but found the digging much tougher with small-sh clams that were located deeper,  never fun.  So we tally 90 clams for our 4 day dig.  Our total for the entire spring season equates to nearly 7 pounds of digger meat, 7 pounds of clam strips, 3 pounds of steaks, and 7 pounds of chowder meat, but it will be another year before we are back here again on our way to Alaska.   Along with the wild boar, rabbit, turtle, pheasant, gator, scallops, stuffed pork chops, pork/clam sausage, Dominican Sausage, Schweinhaxen, and Tasso that's a lot of good eating stocking both RV freezers for the coming year.  Hmmmmm, might have to stop off in Ishpeming to stock up on some Cudighi as well.   Joie de Vivre........always pursuing the happiness, joy, and best; the spice of life.      

NOTE:  Diesel prices during our stay here ranged from 3.09 to $3.39.  We will leave Mom's and Western Washington in the next couple of weels, boondocking along the way heading east towards our 'other home' in NW Michigan....2400 miles.  I hope that we have been able to finalize or at least set in motion the next phase of mom's life.  These visits are always harder than you think with all your efforts born from love, but it never seems as though it is enough.  We look forward to getting back to Casa Hilts, once the snow is gone with the most beautiful time of year arriving.  There really is NO TELLING when we will actually arrive.  Spring and summer, although a bit late arriving sometimes, are beautiful at our place.  Maybe one day, one of you will come visit us.   

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey" 

Babs Hoffman

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