Here in New England the humble clam may arguably be our most beloved mascot. Grilled, fried, stuffed, sauteed and steamed, we can't get enough of them.

If you've never gone in search of clams in the wild, you need to add it to your bucket list. I grew up being tasked with going out to get the clams for dinner in Nantucket with the other kids old enough to stand in knee deep water without the watchful eyes of parents. We'd wait until the tide was heading out and wander over to the harbor side in Wauwinet. We all thought we knew the "spot", and of course there were many scattered around the tidal flats at low tide.

We had a job, and we took it seriously. A full bucket for each of us was the goal. We'd walk up the beach to the inlet, carrying our empty pails- for clam tools, we had our feet.

Wading out in the warm, shin-high water we'd start twisting our toes in the sand as we made our way to the black streaks which marked the clam beds. A joyful cry would go up each time one of our toes would touch the familiar, hard, unmistakable shells of the clams under about 4" of sand. A hand would raise high with the treasure, and then we'd hear the satisfying clank of the clam in the bucket. The thrill of victory, the water, the sunshine, and of course the clams, all remain some of my most favorite memories- and of course the taste of those clams is indelibly linked to summers at the beach.

We stayed out there for hours- perhaps that was the underlying parental goal? Laughing and shouting each time we dug a clam, it felt more like a treasure hunt game than work.

When the buckets were filled, we marched on back to the old Farmhouse where we shared our clam bounty with our moms who lavished us with praise and told us we were the best clammers around. 

Then they made this amazingly simple but delicious dish, and on those nights we got a special treat: Portugese bread. Portugese bread was a crusty peasant loaf specialty of the Nantucket bake shop, and usually reserved only for the adults. On the nights when we brought home the clams, we were treated like grownups, given the bread to sop up the delicious broth, and it was a special night indeed.

Now most adults use rakes to search for clams, and they're actually more effective than small toes I suppose. Metal teeth with a curved "belly" to catch the clams makes clamming much more efficient, but is it as fun? I doubt it, and I am here to tell you that we always managed to find plenty of clams with just our toes to feed our crowd.

Countneck clams are very similar to littlenecks, the smallest size of the hard shell native clams we have here in New England. You can use cherrystones too, or on the West coast, Manila clams.

I'm sure this recipe for clams steamed with garlic, white wine, butter, lemon and fresh herbs is probably equally as good with clams from your local fish market too. However you manage to get them, this is how you ought to cook them. Beyond these few simple ingredients, do feel free to riff on this clam recipe by adding cherry tomatoes, white beans, basil, or chili flakes. Lots of fresh black pepper is always welcome, and I'm sure you could stir in some freshly shucked corn, potatoes, or even some slices of chorizo or crispy bacon crumbles. Toss it over pasta (yes, I add parmesan which is blasphemy to some Italians) for pasta alle vongole, shower it with fresh parsley. The variations are limitless, because the sweet clam meat lends itself so well to so many flavors.

If you like clams you'll love having this simple recipe in your back pocket for when you come back from the beach or the fish market with a bucket full. Just don't forget the crusty bread because you'll want to savor every last drop.

Play with your food! Try this with sake instead of white wine, for a sweeter taste, or add veggies like summer squash and shallots instead of garlic. Coconut milk and a bit of red or yellow curry paste takes this delicious and easy meal in a totally different direction, tossed over rice or rice noodles for something truly special.