Ginger Garlic Steamed Clams

Growing up in the Northwest has its privileges. As much as Seattle folks love to complain about the cold, wet, and grey weather (present company included), living in Seattle has many wonderful perks. The view of driving along Interstate 5 into downtown Seattle in either direction with majestic mountains as a subtle but breathtaking backdrop always reminds me how this city is truly one of the most gorgeous cities to live in--especially during the summer. Walk through the Pike Place Market on any given day during this time of year and the hustle and bustle of the vendors, tourists, and street performers anchor this must-see tourist destination as a place not to miss while visiting this city. Don't forget to pick up some fresh flowers while you're there and give in to the urge to eat some hot mini-doughnuts in a brown paper bag on your way out.

Sometimes I forget how fortunate I am to live in the Puget Sound area. There is never a shortage of fresh seafood and preparing it at home is as simple as making an apple pie. As a native Seattle resident, I'm fortunate enough to live in this beautiful city where digging for clams is a short drive to the beach and fishing for salmon is a common as picking local strawberries in one of many numerous farms nearby. We are abundantly blessed with great food in the Northwest.

Today's recipe is for Ginger Garlic Steamed Clams. This dish is perfect for summer entertaining or as a starter course for a larger seafood dinner. My daughter Mimi can eat two pounds of clams without any problem all by herself. I always have to remind her to save some clams for the rest of the family. If you've been intimidated to prepare clams at home, don't be.  Really, they are hard to mess up and so simple to prepare. They are also very inexpensive to make at home compared to what restaurants would charge if you were to go eat out. You'll also want to make sure to have a nice baguette on hand to dip into the savory broth. After you make this dish once, you'll wonder how you ever did without making steamed clams at home all this time. Enjoy