FRIED CLAMS Cooked right, clams are a moist and chewy and delicious treat. Overcook them and they are tough and impossible to chew.   lakes and rivers,streams and even little creeks abound with delicious freshwater clams. Hunter gatherer peoples can pick up a large amount with little effort and the clams are a ready source of protein. They can be prepared in a variety of ways. The easiest is simply roasted until they open. Here is a favorite of mine, deep fried clams. Remember, the larger the clam the tougher the clam and the more you cook them the tougher they will be. Deep frying in very hot oil for less than a minute makes these clams tender and chewy. I usually serve just a handful in a little napkin lined basket as an hors d'oeuvre, but have had them often as an entree in restaurants. You can shuck and bread them way ahead of time and just pop them in the hot oil for a minute before serving them. keep them refrigerated until ready to fry. They are available pre cooked and frozen. Some brands are inedible like tiny pencil erasers fried and some are not bad. If you are lucky enough to live where you can by them pre shucked, you save a lot of effort. The shucked clams must be breaded and there are many kinds of breading. The simplest is a batter made from equal amounts of beer and flour. The best is an egg wash made of beaten eggs and thinned with the juice of the clams. dip the clams into the wash and then coat them with any sort of dry crumbs. The Down East traditional way uses crushed oyster crackers. I now use panko bread crumbs as they make a lighter and more crisp coating. Drop them at once into the hot oil, 375º. Do not overcook them. As soon as they start to turn a golden brown, remove to a flat pan lined with paper towels to drain away the excess oil. Options There are many elaborate recipes which add various seasonings to the wash or the crumbs. I have experimented with several, but clams have a delicate taste and are easily overpowered by seasonings. I add nothing to them as it is the taste of the clam I want. Oils are a matter of preference and I have tried many kinds. in the end, I have returned to the old fashion corn oil as it imparts the least taste and I am trying to feature the taste of the clam. A variety of sauces are served from american style cocktail sauce to tartar sauce. The taste of the clam is entirely lost to me with a sauce of any kind. I serve a lemon wedge with them.