Razor Clams: Buried Treasure of the Pacific Northwest

by David Berger

Overview

In this lively history and celebration of the Pacific razor clam, David Berger shares with us his love affair with the glossy, gold-colored Siliqua patula and gets into the nitty-gritty of how to dig, clean, and cook them using his favorite recipes. In the course of his investigation, Berger brings to light the long history of razor clamming as a subsistence, commercial, and recreational activity, and shows the ways it has helped shape both the identity and the psyche of the Pacific Northwest.

Towing his wife along to the Long Beach razor clam festival, Berger quizzes local experts on the pressing question: tube or gun? He illuminates the science behind the perplexing rules and restrictions that seek to keep the razor clam population healthy and the biomechanics that make these delicious bivalves so challenging to catch. And he joyfully takes part in the sometimes freezing cold pursuit that nonetheless attracts tens of thousands of participants each year for an iconic “beach-to-table” experience.

Watch the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiyG20LdLVw

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780295741420
Publisher:	University of Washington Press
Publication date:	09/12/2017
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.60(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Berger has been a contributor to the food feature “Northwest Taste” in the Pacific Magazine and is former art critic for the Seattle Times. He is a recipient of a Metcalf Fellowship for Marine and Environmental Reporting.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introductions 9

Chapter 2 Lay of the Land: Long Beach and Ocean Shores 24

Chapter 3 Sacred Treaties 41

Chapter 4 Ecology and Anatomy 55

Chapter 5 Past Abundances 74

Chapter 6 The Era of NIX and Domoic Acid 89

Chapter 7 Pumping and Counting 109

Chapter 8 Licensed to Carry 127

Chapter 9 Eating Them, After All, Is the Point 146

Chapter 10 Will's First Clam 162

Coda Practical Matters 171

Appendix 1 Washington State Razor Clam Personal Use Regulations, 1929-2015 185

Appendix 2 Recreational Razor Clam License Information in Washington, 1982-1993 187

List of Recipes 191

Notes 193

Selected Bibliography 211

Index 215

Acknowledgments 221

What People are Saying About This

Dean Adams

"With his history and experience, Berger brings the sand, the wet, and the cold that embody razor clamming. His delivery is in sync with the quirks of this odd sport where you drive to a beach, park your car, open the door, grab your ‘gun,’ and harvest seafood—just like that."

Greg Johnston

"The author provides information I didn’t know and I’ve been digging razor clams for fifty years."

Tom Douglas

"Whether you grab fresh razor clams at the fish counter or with a quick shovel at low tide, this book will take you delightfully, deliciously deep into the food culture, ecology, and local history of our ‘buried treasures.’"

Nicholas O'Connell

"Sport clamming may sound like an oxymoron until you read David Berger’s captivating account of this weird and wonderful activity."

Lynda Mapes

"David Berger has written an ode not only to sea and sky and the Pacific Northwest’s most wily clam, but to the delights of this wet gray world we are so lucky to inhabit. Berger takes you away to the salt air and reflection of clouds on wet sand, the perfume of melting butter and frying clams, the invitation of a clam’s subtle show dimpling the beach. Whether it is a recipe for razor clam fritters you seek or refreshment for the soul, Razor Clams delivers. A must read for Pacific Northwest newcomers and barnacled long timers alike, Razor Clams offers delight on every page."

Editorial Reviews

"Clamming fans can pique their interest with this volume, which details the science and history surrounding the species."

Alaska Dispatch News

"An entertaining account, and guide, to the real fun of digging your own food in the beach. . . . Berger’s book is an excellent testimony that gathering is still an enriching, fun and tasty pursuit. Long may it be so."

Cool Green Science - Matthew L. Miller

"Clamming fans can pique their interest with this volume, which details the science and history surrounding the species."—Alaska Dispatch News

"An entertaining account, and guide, to the real fun of digging your own food in the beach. . . . Berger's book is an excellent testimony that gathering is still an enriching, fun and tasty pursuit. Long may it be so."—Matthew L. Miller, Cool Green Science

From the Publisher