For those who grew up in New England, summer clambakes are a time-honored tradition. You gather your friends and family, grab some fresh seafood, cook out on the shoreline, and enjoy your time together. However, even if you don’t hail from that area, you can still join in on the fun. Follow the tips below to help you add clam bake to your summer entertaining repertoire.

Summer Entertaining: Tips for Throwing the Perfect Clam bake  

Prep the Cooking Area Beforehand:

If you’re taking the traditional route, preparing for a clambake involves gathering stones and seaweed, digging a pit, building a fire, and layering the pit with the seaweed to create a cooking bed for the seafood. It’s a long process that unquestionably needs to be taken care of before the guests arrive. But, even if you are going a more modern direction, you don’t want people to stand around waiting for the party to start. Get your cooking equipment ready so that you can get the food started before anyone becomes too hungry.

 Go Disposable with Dinnerware:

At their essence, clambakes are very casual gatherings. Incorporate this feeling into your party by using disposable dinnerware wherever possible. Lay down newspaper on the tables to hold shells and keep cleanup easy. Use disposable plates and utensils. Carry any side dishes that don’t need to be steamed in takeout containers, which are also great for separating out individualized portions.

 Make it a Potluck:

Odds are that even if most of your food for the occasion can be cooked on the fire, you’ll want a few other bites to round off the meal – cocktails, dessert, a cold salad or two. Plus, any accompaniments like drawn butter or lemon wedges. If you’re going to be in charge of the seafood, make things easier on yourself by making the party potluck-style and asking each of your friends to bring a dish. You’ll end up with a variety of different foods to enjoy while only doing a fraction of the work.

Bring Activities:

The main focus of a clambake should be mingling, so you don’t have to go too crazy deciding which activities to bring. But, it never hurts to be prepared. If you have a speaker set lying around, bring those and use music to set the party atmosphere. When there are kids on the guest list, bring some baseballs to get an impromptu game of catch started. When in doubt, twister is perfect for breaking the ice and very easy to clean up.

Clambakes are the epitome of summer entertaining. There is something so special about enjoying the great weather with family and friends while reveling in seasonal delicacies. But, contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be at the beach to enjoy one. By using these tips you can throw a clambake anywhere, even in your own back yard.

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