Archive:Midnight Clamming Extravaganza
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Old Trip |
| This is the sign up and organization page for an old trip. It already happened. Please do not sign up for it. |
Contents
UPDATE
The clamming group successfully harvested a large number of clams. The feast at Champagne's tonight, February 10, 6pm is ON. It would be rad if someone brought drinks (soft and hard) and dessert.
Trip Plan
On Feb 9, late in the night, up to ten VOCers will arrive at Porpoise Bay (near Sechelt) each carrying a bucket, a garden trowel, a headlamp and a valid saltwater fishing licence. They will descend into the intertidal zone and dig up a big pile of clams. Once enough clams have been collected they'll set up camp and sleep. A couple good people will have to wake up and tend the clams. In the morning of Feb 10, the clams will travel back to Vancouver. In the evening the ten or fewer proud clammers will hold a feast for everybody, at a location yet to be determined. Good times will be had by all.
To get to Sechelt, you need to take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale. The last one is at 11:00 pm, although taking the 9:15 is probably a better idea. We'll come back on either the 8:20 or 10:20 am sailing, depending on when we feel like getting up.
Questions That People Will Ask
Is this for real?
Yes. Yes it is.
Why at night? How does that make any sense at all?
It's because of the tides. There are two low tides every day, but one is much lower than the other. The lower low tide is the good one for digging clams. In the winter, it happens at night. In the summer, it happens in the day. It's winter now, so that's the way it is.
Up to ten? Why can't everybody go?
We are trying to be sustainable here. It'd be pretty bad if we brought a hundred people and totally declammed a section of beach.
I don't know anything about digging clams. Can I still go?
The trip organizer doesn't know anything about anything, and he always succeeds when he goes clamming, so you'll do fine.
Speaking of which, what kind of yahoo would organize this trip in the first place?
Jeff Mottershead
Bucket? Garden trowel? Salt water fishing licence? Do we actually need all that crap?
Yes. Yes you do.
A feast for everyone? Will we have enough clams for everybody?
Well, everyone in the VOC that wants to come and eat clam-based dishes on a Sunday night.
I wouldn't mind helping cook, but I've never cooked with clams before. Can I still do it?
Yes. Iva will tell you what to do.
I see you're looking for a place to host this thing. I might be interested, but my house is pretty small. Is this a good idea?
It's a better idea than going with the default of Jeff's tiny apartment.
I want to eat, but I haven't done anything else. Is that cool?
Yes, it certainly is, although it would be good if your brought five bucks to cover the ingredients.
Sign-up
Please note that there are a few things to sign up for here--digging, cooking and eating. Sign up for ALL that you want to do.
Clam Digging
(Max. 10 people)
Clam cooking
Led by Iva Cheung (who has had to deal with husbands and brother-in-laws showing up with tonnes of clams many times before)
Jeff and Iva will show up at 4:00. Most of the extra hands needed will be closer to 6:00. If people show up whenever they feel like, it will probably work out.
Eating
Don't go blaming Jeff for food poisoning if Red tide comes around.
Red tide should not be an issue, as clam diggers always check whether it is safe before heading out. Actually, you can be fined if you harvest from a closed area.
Hosting
The feast will begin at 6:00ish. It'll be at Champagne's VOC Westssssside house. Adrian wants a firefighter stripper...
...but there won't be one.
Here comes a french receipe.... 1- Lavez les praires puis faites-les tremper pendant une heure dans de l'eau légèrement salée, pour bien éliminer le sable. Egouttez-les et rangez-les dans un plat à four. Glissez celui-ci à four moyen (th. 6-200°) pendant quelques minutes. Retirez-le dès que les praires sont ouvertes. Otez une coquille en décollant le mollusque.
=> Clean the clams, than let them seat for an hour in a slightly salted water to get rid of the sand/mud. Dry them and put them on a oven plate. Put the plate in the oven at middle temperature (200 oC) for a few minutes. Take the plate out as soon as the clams are open. Take the upper shell out.
2- Epluchez puis hachez l'ail, l'échalote, la ciboulette et le persil. Pétrissez le tout avec le beurre ramolli. Poivrez la préparation.
=> Chop or crush garlic, shallots, chive and parsley, and mix with softened semi-salted butter (room temperature), add a bit of pepper.
3- Recouvrez les praires de farce une à une et rangez-les à nouveau dans le plat à four. Saupoudrez-les de chapelure et faites-les gratiner quelques minutes à four chaud (th. 7-8, 220-250°). Servez bien chaud dans le plat de cuisson.
=> Fill the clams with the above mixture and put them back on the oven plate. Put a bit of fine bread crump on top and then put the plate in the oven (broil) to roast them supperfically, with a hot temperature (220-250 oC). Serve them very hot directly from the oven plate. Use fingers, forks, and bread ...
