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Shellfish

Quite simply, shellfish are animals contained in a shell. They have
no fins, vertebrae or skull. Their meat is tender because the
muscles are soft.

There are two types of shellfish: mollusks and crustaceans.
Mollusks have a soft body which may be completely or partially
enclosed in a shell. Clams, mussels, scallops, and oysters are some
examples of mollusks. Crustaceans possess segmented, elongated bodies
with crustlike shells. Their eyes are mounted on stalks and their
bodies may or may not be symmetrical. Lobsters, crabs, and shrimp
are some representatives of crustaceans.

Since each shellfish has distinguishing characteristics, a brief
description of each follows:

Clams -- Clams abound on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Hard,
soft, and surf clams are found in the Atlantic. Butter, littleneck,
razor and piso clams are scattered along the floor of the Pacific.
Hard-shelled clams are called "quahog" in New England, where the word
"clam" refers to the soft-shelled variety. In the middle Atlantic
states, "clam" means the hard clam. Clam meat is orange in color and
can be used in any recipe which calls for oysters.

Crabs -- There are three common types of crabs. The blue crab is
found along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Dungeness crabs inhabit the
Pacific. The king crab lives in the chilly waters off the Alaskan
coast. The stone crabs and the tanner crabs are not as well-known,
but are becoming increasingly popular. A common misconception
concerns the soft-shelled crab. They are not a separate species.
Soft- shelled crabs are blue crabs who have molted and the new shell
has not had time to harden.

Lobsters -- Northern lobster is found off the coasts of Maine and
Massachusetts, while spiny or rock lobsters pick their way along the
Florida and California coasts. Not only do lobsters vary in locale,
but in general appearance as well. Northern lobsters possess pincers
while spiny lobsters don't.

Mussels -- Mussels are found in fresh and salt-water, but only
salt-water mussels are eaten. A favorite in Europe, mussels do not
enjoy the popularity of the other seafoods in the United States.

Oysters -- There are three types of oysters. The Eastern oysters are
found or cultivated from Massachusetts to Texas along the East and
Gulf coasts. The Pacific and Western, or Olympia, oysters are found
or cultivated along the West coast from Washington to Mexico.

Periwinkles -- -Periwinkles are small snails found in fresh and
salt-water in Europe and off the Eastern coast of North America.

Prawns -- Prawns are found in temperate and tropical waters. They
resemble and are often mistaken for large shrimp. Unlike shrimp,
however, prawns do not possess a visible vein which requires cleaning.

Scallops -- Scallops differ from other mollusks in that they are
active swimmers. By snapping its shell and spurting out a jet of
water the scallop can move about. This novel form of locomotion
causes the development of an over-sized muscle called the abductor
muscle. This is the only part of the scallop which is eaten by
Americans.

Sea and bay scallops are the most common types. Sea scallops are
taken from the North and Mid-Atlantic waters. They are generally
larger than bay scallops which are found in the bays from New England
to the Gulf of Mexico. Gaining in popularity in recent years are the
calico scallops from Florida and the sea scallops from Alaska.
Scallops may be substituted for shrimp in most recipes.

Shrimp -- There are various species of shrimp. Raw shrimp is
distinguished by color. The common or white shrimp is greenish-
gray. Brown or Brazilian shrimp is brownish-red. Pink or coral
shrimp is pink or coral. When cooked, however, all shrimp turn
pinkish-red in color. Shrimp are caught in the coastal waters of the
United States, but the majority come from the Gulf of Mexico.

Like finfish, shellfish are very nutritious. They are particularly
rich in the minerals calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper, magnesium,
and iodine. Although the amounts vary with the type of shellfish,
vitamins A., B, and D are usually present. Shellfish are also a good
source of protein.

Unlike finfish, which have varying fat contents, all shellfish are
lean and low in salt. This makes mollusks and crustaceans excellent
choices for low calorie and low sodium diets.

: About the Author

Adam Starchild has combined business travel with discovering the
delights of native dishes from Hawaii and Hong Kong to Russia and the
Caribbean. He is the author of The Seafood Heritage Cookbook (Cornell
Maritime Press), co-author of another seafood cookbook, and the
author of a number of food and cooking articles.
Submitted By BARRY WEINSTEIN On 08-30-95

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