Bivalves

Of all types of shellfish, bivalves offer the widest cooking possibilities. The most highly prized of them all is the oyster, which is so outstanding fresh that some people say to cook it at all is sacrilege. In fact there are more than 12 species that reach tables around the world and some are excellent when cooked. The sweet meat of scallops is a universal favorite, whether marinated raw in South American seviche or cooked in one of half a dozen ways. Mussels and clams arouse partisan feelings, with northern Europeans preferring the mussel and North Americans the clam.