The first time I had a surfclam — or, maybe more accurately, the first time I had a local surfclam and knew it was a surfclam — was last year, sitting with my toes in the sand and watching the sun drop at Eddie’s, the special (truly; there’s nowhere else like it on the East End) beachside eatery at Silver Sands Motel in Greenport that’s helmed by chef Finn O’Hara. It landed in front of me, the biggest clam shell I’ve ever seen in my life, filled with a velvety ceviche-version of the mollusk’s meat. It was, in a word, revelatory.
But the thing is, I had eaten surfclams, as fried clam strips slapped on a hotdog bun and slathered in tartar sauce, or chopped into chowder, creamy and smelling of the sea. I just didn’t know it.
The adventure of getting to know the source of your food is a pretty delicious journey, whether that’s where the actual ingredients come from, the human beings who grow, harvest, raise or catch it, or the stories that lead to all the above to that moment of being on your plate. It makes you slow down and savor. I am guilty of eating at my desk, mindlessly, in an effort to just fuel myself to keep plugging away. But those moments, like with that surfclam, when the whole world slows down and every bite is enjoyed and considered, joyfully and wondrously? Those are pretty great moments.
I think we managed to pull together a lot of that same feeling into this Food & Drink issue of Northforker, including a rabbit-hole dive into that surfclam and a whole bunch of other bycatch, bait and seemingly undesirable local fish, crustaceans and shellfish that are rarely considered on menus — except for the folks we talked to here (p. 70).
Senior editor Stephanie Villani returned to a favorite haunt, Cliff’s Elbow Room (and its two other iterations), to get the story of the family that’s done the good work of holding steady for decades (p. 48).
I showed up at the North Fork Shack, initially to cover the much-loved lunch spot for a version of our column The Dish. But after talking with its thoroughly wonderful owner Samy Sabil and realizing that this Route 48 spot, which manages to make everything from scratch yet remain as cool as a cucumber salad, turns 10 this year — well, it just seemed like it needed a few more pages and pictures to do it justice (p. 88).
Last but not least, we got word that Lin Beach House was trying something different for guests. Not just giving them nice amenities and suggestions for things to do, but actually creating an amenity that is all about uniquely North Fork things to do! Staff reporter Parker Schug got in on a weekend of oyster farming, gin making and a whole lot more and tells the tale on p. 106.
We hopped on the North Fork Foodie Tour, now in its 20th year (p. 122), visited the wonderful Encanto Crepes (p. 30), got a sugar fix at Love Lane Sweet Shoppe (p. 26), made corn chowder with George Hirsch (p. 125) and sipped a stunning new release from Bedell Cellars (p. 28). We’re full, for sure, but always have room for new adventures — and we hope you’re hungry for the ones on these pages. Dig in, North Forkers!
Amy Zavatto
Editor-in-Chief
