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A wonderful thing to eat all year round is fresh shellfish. It includes clams, scallops, mussels and more. Farm-raised cultured mussels are fresh and readily available. Wild varieties are equally delicious. Clams are a very popular addition to pasta dishes. Hard clams, also called quahogs, live in sandy coves and can be caught when the tide is low. A great dish to enjoy with butter and garlic is stuffed quahogs. And there is always clam chowder of course.

Between May and September, fresh shellfish will take your mind off the blaze outside. For a light, yet flavorful meal consider a plate of raw or cooked oysters and an appetizer. These delights are available in most supermarkets and grocery stores, as well as farms that exist specifically for that purpose. Further, if you live close to the water, perhaps near the ocean fresh oysters can be found particularly inexpensively.

Sea scallops are delightfully large, though must be shucked (removed from their shells) almost immediately after capture to ensure they don't lose moisture and die.It is important not to overcook scallops, or you will end up with a chewy, inedible morsel.Scallops are meatier than clams and require very little preparation.

When looking for shellfish, don't overlook the mussel. Known for their blue-black shells and orange colored meat, these little guys are full of good protein! Keep in mind that they taste best steamed, but can be added to many dishes. They need to remain in their shells until they are cooked.

Other fresh shellfish includes lobster and crab. Both are bigger and more substantial than their other, small shelled relatives. They are truly tasty and are a symbol of excellence in every type of cuisine. Lobster is a cuisine favorite in fancy, high-end restaurants and is the most expensive of all fresh shellfish.

Maybe the most popular shellfish is crab and is widely bought and eaten. The crabbing industry is a multi-million dollar one. While eating crab can be messy and often difficult, special tools have been created to make cracking crab easier. Once you get down to the meaty goodness of crab legs, you will want to make this fresh shellfish part of your everyday meals.

Clams are a popular addition to pasta dishes and quahogs, a type of hard clams, can be enjoyed with butter and garlic. Raw or barbequed oysters make a delicious appetizer. Scallops are larger and meatier than clams and need little preparation for cooking. The orange colored meat of cultured mussels is full of protein and taste best if steamed. Unlike scallops, they should remain in their shells till they are cooked. Bigger and more substantial than any other shellfish are the crabs and lobsters, used in many types of cuisine with the latter being most expensive of all fresh shellfish.