Clams

I like to think I'm as adventuresome about my food as the next person. But I draw the line at someone decorating a plate of oysters, crab, shrimp, spinach and bearnaise with chocolate syrup squiggles. The chef at the new Atlantis Seafood restaurant and grill in Columbia has no such qualms. Nor does he hesitate to overcook tuna and lobster. Or add so much thickening to cream of crab soup that it has the consistency of library paste. And yet, it's hard to get enraged at this pleasant little restaurant.

Republican Larry Hogan entered the 38th annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake to the sound of his name being chanted. Because his opponent in the governor's race had a funeral to attend, Hogan was largely uncontested as he worked the crowd of about 4,200 of the most politically active people in Maryland. As a dozen or so supporters cheered him on, Hogan addressed reporters and accused Democrat Anthony G. Brown of not wanting to schedule enough debates. "I think the people of Maryland deserve to a have a real clear choice for a change," Hogan said.

Marine scientists have identified a new parasite in the Chesapeake Bay that may be a major factor in the sharp decline of the state's soft-shell clam population. The microscopic creature, which scientists dubbed Perkinsus Chesapeaki on Tuesday, is closely related to Perkinsus marinus, or Dermo, a pest that has devastated Chesapeake Bay oysters for the past 20 years. Dermo and Perkinsus Chesapeaki were found in clams taken from 10 sites in the upper bay between 1990 and 1998. Scientists studying the new parasite say they aren't sure whether it can kill soft-shell clams, the variety that Maryland clam dredgers rely on for their catch.

The Liberatore family is on a roll. Well known in the northern Baltimore suburbs for their eponymous Italian restaurants, the Liberatore family is branching out. Lib's Grill in Perry Hall, the family's seventh restaurant, ditches the Italian in favor of a steak and seafood concept. The menu feels familiar, and diners will find few surprises or adventurous choices among its snacks, sandwiches, steak and seafood. But some dishes are classics for a reason. When they're well executed, as most are at Lib's Grill, and served with aplomb, even commonplace foods are cause for celebration.

Mount Pleasant Beach residents hope the thousands of clams nestled in the silt beneath neighbor Dan Anthony's pier herald a healthier Stony Creek.Anthony, who has lived on the creek 33 years, said he first noticed the brackish-water clams -- which are half the size of commercially harvested clams -- a year ago.Now, large beds are clearly visible several feet below the green algae-tinted water."

Gov. Parris N. Glendening challenged his Republican counterpart in New York yesterday to put up or clam up over the outcome of the Orioles-Yankee series.New York Gov. George E. Pataki did both.Glendening, he of the baseball ties, wagered a bushel of Maryland blue crabs that the Orioles will win the best-of-seven series against the Yankees for the American League championship.Pataki wasted no time in agreeing to the bet, backing it with the promise of a bushel of Long Island hard-shell clams -- "steam-ehs" in New York parlance -- that the Yanks will prevail.

Parts of three waterways have been opened to shellfish harvesting after tests showed declines in bacteria there, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced Monday. An area of the Wicomico River on the Eastern Shore, at the border between Wicomico and Somerset counties, is now approved for commercial harvests. Waters below Bay Point had been closed because of high bacteria levels in the water. The headwaters of Broad Creek in Talbot County have been conditionally approved, meaning that oysters and clams can be harvested there except after a heavy rainfall.

ANNAPOLIS -- The Department of Natural Resources must come up with a new plan to determine the legal size limit of hardshell clams, a legislative review committee ruled last week.The Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review Joint Committee took the action Thursday in light of complaints from watermen, said Del. John S. Arnick, a Baltimore County Democrat and chairman of the committee. He said another factor was Virginia's lack of restrictions on clam fishing and the competitive disadvantage that creates for Maryland anglers.

In a television ad tailored for Eastern Shore voters, Gov. William Donald Schaefer cites sales of Maryland clams to New England seafood lovers as proof of his commitment to improving Chesapeake Bay."Four years ago, I promised to clean up the bay," Schaefer says, peering directly into the camera lens."Now, New England is buying Maryland clams."There's something, well, almost fishy about the governor's clam claim.Schaefer did talk about cleaning the bay when he ran for governor four years ago. And New England states are buying much of Maryland's soft clams, which are harvested from Chesapeake waters.

When Germaine Ginies Grandjean talks of preparing for Christmas Eve supper, her eyes sparkle. She describes the ritual of soaking salt cod, the sound of leeks sizzling on the wood stove and the warm aroma of the golden fruit tart as it emerges from the ancient bread oven.With more than 80 years of practice, Mme. Grandjean knows these rituals well. She and her family have always lived in the tiny village of Reilhanette, 20 miles east of Vaisons-la-Romaine. Here in rural Provence, the Christmas Eve feast is a mystical blend of Christianity and folklore.

Some cravings will not be ignored. Deny yourself for too long, and the craving may become an obsession. The foods we crave are often regional specialties that are seemingly out of reach - a Philly cheese steak, barbecue pulled pork, red velvet cake or a big bowl of New England clam chowder. Luckily, you don't have to set the GPS and gas up the car to get what you want. We've found local chefs who are preparing these classics with authenticity - and willing to share their recipes, so you can have what makes you happy on your Baltimore food staycation.

I know this will probably never get further than here, but I have to speak my mind. Its upsetting to see all the protests going on because of the not guilty verdict in the George Zimmerman trial ("Martin verdict fires debate," July 15). If a non-black man shoots a black man all hell breaks loose, but let a black man shoot another black man, like all the violence going on in Baltimore now, and nothing is said and all the witnesses shut their mouths like clams on the seashore at low tide.

In the off-season, Ocean City often adds some new feature for tourists: a miniature golf course perhaps, a seafood restaurant or maybe a bar that caters to the beachgoing crowd. But here's a possible addition that might not be so welcome - parking meters north of 10 t h Street. On Friday, the Ocean City Council is expected to be briefed on a proposal to create a whopping 4,800 paid parking spaces. The most ambitious version of the plan would require visitors to pay for parking at any space along the streets on the Atlantic Ocean side of Coastal Highway from 10 t h Street to the Delaware line.

Parts of three waterways have been opened to shellfish harvesting after tests showed declines in bacteria there, the Maryland Department of the Environment announced Monday. An area of the Wicomico River on the Eastern Shore, at the border between Wicomico and Somerset counties, is now approved for commercial harvests. Waters below Bay Point had been closed because of high bacteria levels in the water. The headwaters of Broad Creek in Talbot County have been conditionally approved, meaning that oysters and clams can be harvested there except after a heavy rainfall.

How old-fashioned is Lewnes' Steakhouse? The best appetizers are shrimp scampi and clams casino, the most desirable side dish is potatoes Lyonnaise, and the bar still makes a Manhattan with two parts whiskey to one part vermouth, and no one does that anymore. Without any drama, Lewnes' serves its regulars a plain and proper dinner of exquisite steak. Imagine the Prime Rib mixed with the old Burke's, and you'll have a rough picture of Lewnes', a corner landmark in the cozy Eastport neighborhood of Annapolis.

It's a Maryland thing. Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley and Republican former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. joined thousands of sweltering crab-pickers Wednesday who circled though tents and tables at the annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake. O'Malley labeled it a "must-attend event. " Ehrlich called it a "have-to. " The 34-year-old tradition draws politicians from across Maryland — never more so than in an election year — to a sleepy Eastern Shore town. This fall, voters will choose a governor, all 188 state legislators, local officials, a U.S. senator and members of Congress.

HOG ISLAND, Va. -- A cool, dry, northwest breeze moderates the August sun, and a blue sky with fluffy clouds vaults green-golden, sea-smelling marshes that roll to the horizons. We're happy as clams out here. And the clams out here are happy, indeed, according to our little expedition's host, Curtis J. Badger. Badger, a naturalist and historian of the Virginia Eastern Shore's Atlantic seaside, has written a delightful little book called Clams -- How to Find, Catch and Cook Them (Stackpole Books, $7.95)

This version of classic linguine and clams comes together quickly if you keep canned clams in your pantry. For a simple end-of-summer side dish, toss cubed cucumbers and cubed tomatoes with salt and pepper. Saving tip: : Compare the unit prices on cans of chopped clams. You might be able to save by buying bigger clams and chopping them yourself. shopping list Linguine: $1 Garlic: 30 cents Onion: 40 cents Clams: $3.89 Parsley: 74 cents Lemon: 50 cents Wine: $1.25 Chicken broth: 35 cents Tomatoes: $2 Cucumber: $1.50 From the pantry: salt, pepper TOTAL: $11.93* Note: Prices are based on the amount of each ingredient used in the recipe.

Kareem Guest ignored the "stop snitching" credo, and authorities say his candid chatter to the FBI about drug dealers got him killed. The woman police say saw him get shot won't talk about it, and prosecutors have charged her with lying to a grand jury and want her imprisoned for 30 years. It is at first glance an all-too-familiar and tragic tale of witness intimidation and a demonstration of the collateral damage of Baltimore's epic drug war, but with a sardonic twist: The silence of one witness has thwarted efforts to make an arrest in the silencing of another.

This version of classic linguine and clams comes together quickly if you keep canned clams in your pantry. For a simple end-of-summer side dish, toss cubed cucumbers and cubed tomatoes with salt and pepper. Saving tip: : Compare the unit prices on cans of chopped clams. You might be able to save by buying bigger clams and chopping them yourself. shopping list Linguine: $1 Garlic: 30 cents Onion: 40 cents Clams: $3.89 Parsley: 74 cents Lemon: 50 cents Wine: $1.25 Chicken broth: 35 cents Tomatoes: $2 Cucumber: $1.50 From the pantry: salt, pepper TOTAL: $11.93* Note: Prices are based on the amount of each ingredient used in the recipe.