Editing Clam (section)

=== North America ===
In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the United States and large swathes of [[the Maritimes]] of Canada, the term "clam" most often refers to the [[hard clam]], ''[[Mercenaria mercenaria]]''. It may also refer to a few other common edible species, such as the [[soft-shell clam]], ''Mya arenaria'', and the ocean quahog, ''[[Arctica islandica]]''. Another species commercially exploited on the [[Atlantic]] Coast of the United States is the surf clam, ''[[Spisula solidissima]]''. [[Scallop]]s are also used for food nationwide, but not [[Cockle (bivalve)|cockles]]: they are more difficult to get than in Europe because of their habit of being further out in the tide than European species on the West Coast, and on the East Coast they are often found in salt marshes and mudflats where mosquitoes are abundant.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/clams/cockles.html|title=Clams|publisher=Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife|website=Fishing & Shellfishing|access-date=8 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316220015/https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/clams/cockles.html|archive-date=2018-03-16|url-status=dead}}<br>- {{cite web|title=Cockle|date=23 January 2014|website=SeafoodSource|publisher=Diversified Communications|url=https://www.seafoodsource.com/seafood-handbook/shellfish/cockle}}</ref>  There are several edible species in the Eastern United States: ''[[Americardia media]],''  also known as the strawberry cockle, is found from Cape Hatteras down into the Caribbean Sea and all of Florida; ''[[Trachycardium muricatum]]'' has a similar range to the strawberry cockle; and ''[[Dinocardium robustum]]'', which grows to be many times the size of the European cockle.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Atlantic Giant Cockle (Dinocardium robustum)|url=http://oceanica.cofc.edu/shellguide/shells/giantcockle.htm|access-date=8 November 2021|publisher= College of Charleston}}</ref> Historically, they were caught on a small scale on the [[Outer Banks]], barrier islands off North Carolina, and put in soups, steamed or pickled.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Prudence|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYBxSUcWBJQC&q=cockle+recipe+america&pg=PA109|title=Modern American Cookery ... With a list of family medical recipes, and a valuable miscellany|page=109|publisher= J. and J. Harper|date=1831|via=Google Books}}</ref>

Up and down the coast of the Eastern U.S., the [[Atlantic jackknife clam|bamboo clam]], ''Ensis directus'', is prized by Americans for making [[clam strips]], although because of its nature of burrowing into the sand very close to the beach, it cannot be harvested by mechanical means without damaging the beaches.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/197697.pdf|title=dredging of clams|access-date=16 March 2018|archive-date=16 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316215110/http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/197697.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The bamboo clam is also notorious for having a very sharp edge of its shell, and when harvested by hand must be handled with great care.

On the U.S. West Coast, there are several species that have been consumed for thousands of years, evidenced by [[midden]]s full of clamshells near the shore and their consumption by nations including the [[Chumash people|Chumash]] of California, the [[Nisqually people|Nisqually]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington state]] and the [[Tsawwassen First Nation|Tsawwassen]] of [[British Columbia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yelmhistoryproject.com/?p=674|title=Nisqually People and the River|publisher=Yelm History Project|access-date=2018-03-10|archive-date=13 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913173753/http://www.yelmhistoryproject.com/?p=674|url-status=dead}}<br>- {{Cite news|url=https://classroom.synonym.com/what-did-the-chumash-eat-12083749.html|title=What Did the Chumash Eat?|website=Classroom|author=Sophia Cross|date=29 September 2017|access-date=8 November 2021}}<br>- {{Cite web|url=http://tsawwassenfirstnation.com/general-info/tfn-history-and-timeline/|title=Tsawwassen First Nation History and Timeline|date=November 10, 2011|publisher=Tsawwassen First Nation|access-date=10 November 2018|archive-date=11 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111000132/http://tsawwassenfirstnation.com/general-info/tfn-history-and-timeline/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The butter clam, ''[[Saxidomus gigantea]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/other-sports/plenty-of-clams-oysters-in-puget-sound-and-hood-canal/|title=Plenty of clams, oysters in Puget Sound and Hood Canal|author= Mark Yuasa|date=2015-06-27|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=8 November 2021}}</ref> the Pacific razor clam, ''[[Siliqua patula]],''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/dig-those-razor-clams/Content?oid=7775381|title=Dig Those Razor Clams|last=Kelly|first=Mike|website=North Coast Journal|date=1 February 2018|access-date=8 November 2021}}</ref> gaper clams ''[[Tresus capax]]'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://theworldlink.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/oregon-clam-chowder/article_c4c50bdb-5a0e-565b-a820-1d40a7547ba5.html|title=Oregon clam chowder|last=Lackner|first=Bill|work=Coos Bay World|access-date=2018-03-10}}</ref> the geoduck clam, ''[[Panopea generosa]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/05/what-is-a-geoduck-clam-seattle-pacific-northwest-how-geoduck-are-farmed.html|title=All About Geoduck: The Life of a (Delicious) Oversized Mollusk|website=serious eats|author= Naomi Tomky|date=10 August 2018|access-date=8 November 2021}}</ref> and the Pismo clam, ''[[Tivela stultorum]]''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/apr/12/digging-pismo-clams-san-diego-beaches/|title=Digging for Pismo clams at San Diego Beaches|author=Christopher Young|date=12 April 2013|work=San Diego Reader|access-date=8 November 2021}}</ref> are all eaten as delicacies.

Clams can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, baked or [[Fried clams|fried]]. They can also be made into [[clam chowder]], [[clams casino]], [[clam cakes]], or [[Stuffed clam|stuffies]], or they can be cooked using hot rocks and seaweed in a [[New England clam bake]]. On the West Coast, they are an ingredient in making [[cioppino]] and local variants of [[ceviche]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://langdoncook.com/category/razor-clams/|title=razor clams |author=Langdon Cook |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=2018-03-16}}</ref>