Photographs by Kindra Clineff; Food Styling by Sheila Jarnes/Anchor Artists; Prop Styling by Laura Nero/Anchor Artists

What Makes a Traditional New England Clambake?

Host a traditional clambake on the beach or in your backyard this July with one of these three local caterers who cook up the classic summertime feast.

Kurt HanssJuly 1, 2021

Succulent lobster, sweet corn, and local clams—these are the essential ingredients for a clambake, one of New England’s most cherished summer feasts. According to Kathy Neustadt, author of Clambake: A History & Celebration of an American Tradition (University of Massachusetts Press), the early settlers learned to roast clams from the Native Americans and over time turned the clambake into their own unique event. Clambakes traditionally took place on the shore, and foraging for clams was often part of the fun. The bivalves, along with other ingredients: cooked between layers of seaweed in a sandpit lined with smooth stones that beca

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The Magazine

What Makes a Traditional New England Clambake?

Host a traditional clambake on the beach or in your backyard this July with one of these three local caterers who cook up the classic summertime feast.

Keep Reading — It's Free to Join