Clam juice is a
broth derived from steamed
clams,[1] which can be consumed on its own or used as an ingredient in various dishes and beverages.
Preparation
Clam juice is typically prepared from the liquid obtained from
steamed clams.[1] Clam juice may be prepared fresh for consumption,[2] or purchased in prepared bottled form.[1][3] Some companies
mass-produce prepared clam juice, which is made by steaming fresh clams in water with salt, collecting the extracted liquid known as clam extract or clam liquor, and then filtering it.[1][4]
In 1937, William G. Frazier invented a clam opener devised to easily open clams and retain all of the clam juice, which was collected in a bowl.[5] A patent for the clam opener was issued by the
United States Patent and Trademark Office on November 15, 1938.[5]
Use in dishes
Clam juice is sometimes used in the preparation of
clam chowder and other
chowders.[3] It may be used as an ingredient in various sauces and meat sauces,
seafood dishes, in
soup bases, and as a condiment to top foods, similar to the manner that
fish sauce may be used.[1][6][7]
Italian chefs sometimes use clam juice as an ingredient in
seafood dishes and pasta sauces.[1] It is sometimes used during the
deglazing process in cooking.[1] It may provide a mineral-like flavor to dishes, and serve as a substrate to assist in combining flavors present in a dish.[1]
As a beverage
Some restaurants and bars in the US serve
shots of pure clam juice.[8] For example, the Old Clam House in San Francisco, California serves a shot glass of hot clam juice at the beginning of each meal.[8] In the early 1900s in the United States, clam juice was purported to be a
hangover remedy.[1]
The
Everleigh Club, a former
brothel in Chicago, Illinois, that was in operation from 1900 to October 1911, would serve iced clam juice and a tablet of aspirin as a starter for breakfast, which began at 2:00 in the afternoon.[9][10]
Beverages with clam juice
Soda fountains
In the United States in the early 1900s, clam juice was used as an ingredient for various beverages at
soda fountains.[11] Beverages prepared with clam juice included hot clam juice, hot clam soda, hot ginger clam broth, hot celery punch, hot clam cream, clam night cap, tomato clam broth and others.[11][12][13][14]
During this time, a recipe for hot clam juice used one-half to one-ounce of clam juice in an eight-ounce glass, the remainder of which was filled with hot water.[11] Accompaniments included soda crackers, celery salt, salt and pepper.[11] The beverage was sometimes prepared with the addition of milk or hot milk.[11] The addition of a small portion of butter would enhance the flavor of hot clam juice.[11]
^Paul Harrington & Laura Moorhead (1998). Cocktail : the drinks bible for the 21st century. Designed and illustrated by Douglas Bowman. New York: Viking. pp. 68–69.
ISBN978-0-670-88022-5.
Hill, Edward C. (M.D.) (1905).
"Rational Diet in Disease". Medical News. Henry C. Lea's Son & Company. Clam juice may be tried in the vomiting of pregnancy (Thompson). p. 586.