I'm always a sucker for good cookbooks for sea food especially for cakes and fritters. And this one is indeed one of those.

We love a good clam in my house so this book was right up our alley! Tons of history on the clam recipes, as well as the recipe & where you can get it. I’m excited to try these recipes out this summer!

One of the things that most people experience when visiting New England is the availability of fresh seafood – especially clams – made into dozens of mouthwatering dishes. Everything you ever wanted to know about these (mostly fried) dishes is included in The Great Clam Cake and Fritter Guide: Why We Love Them, How to Make Them, and Where to Find Them from Maine to Virginia by veteran cookbook author, Carolyn Wyman.

Not only does this cookbook include a few recipes for delicious specialties made of clams and other types of seafood, it introduces readers to the history of the dishes and where to find the best of the best throughout New England.

While some of the recipes include professional photographs of the dishes, not all of them are pictured, n This is unfortunate because photographs transform an okay cookbook to a fabulous cookbook.

There is a lot of interesting information included in this book, and it is suitable for curling up and reading even for those who aren’t ready to cook. It is especially recommended for those who plan on visiting New England; while most are familiar with crab cakes and lobster rolls, this book makes clams the star, and will make them and a few other not-so-popular types of seafood into favorites.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Fritter. Is that a totally fun food word or what? THE GREAT CLAM CAKE AND FRITTER COOKBOOK is more than just fun. It's a savory read with recipes and photo that will have you drooling on the pages. Carolyn Wyman with have you craving so much seafood, your go running for the ocean!

This is a great guide to locate the best fritters from Maine to NC. There is interesting history and backstories. You will find some recipes but not many. It is a fun book to browse through, especially if you live or are traveling near the eastern seaboard, I wouldn’t purchase it thinking I am getting a cookbook.

A history of fritters and clam cakes with a handful of recipes and pictures.

The book is divided into the following sections:

Digging into the Clam Cake and Fritter History. This chapter was loaded with historical information on clam cakes and fritters.

Delicious Destinations which included Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

Celebrating Clam Cakes and Fritters which was about how the clam cakes and fritters are featured in a celebratory way.

DIY Claim Cakes and Fritters which had recipes and a section on Clam Cake Making Tips From the Masters.

A Recipe Index that included all the recipes included in the book.

A Restaurant Index that included all the restaurants mentioned in the book.

Overall, the book was interesting but it seemed to lack something. It was more of a historical book of clam cakes and fritters as opposed to a cookbook or guide.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions are my own.

Synopsis:
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One of the East Coast’s more beloved and affectionately derided food is the clam cake or clam fritter. Fans clamour for these clam-studded savoury beignets that are served as an appetizer to a possibly even more calorie-filled fried fish dinner or paired with a chowder for a "light" lunch. Clam cakes and fritters—despite their bad nutrition, frequent greasiness, and seasonal availability (or, actually, because of these things)—are the focus of countless "best of" articles, blogs, jokes, contests, fund-raising dinners, sampling crawls, and T-shirts. This fun little guide takes on the cultural history of clam cakes and fritters, tells you where to find the best ones, and how to make and enjoy them at home.

I love clams and clam strips but I don't get a lot of them where I live in Canada unless they are canned, frozen or already part of frozen food. Oh, how I love clam strips and clam chowder but nothing beats fresh out-of-the-ocean clam ... COVID has kept us in Canada and I did eat my body weight in clams while in Halifax last September so this book made me hungry all over again for them.

Great stories and recipes - I will recommend this book to all my ocean-state and ocean-province friends. There is no point getting it in my library at the moment, but if asked, I will ILLO it from another library for my foodie fanatics. Of course, the Canadian in me wants to have her add a Caesar recipe with a fired clam as a garnish but that is a Canuck-thang.


NOTE: it is now on Goodreads...finally. TWICE. so two links to it until I can get the titles joined via a librarian there...I am one there (passed the test) but have yet to be given the power to edit.

I received a free copy of, The Great Clam Cake and Fritter Guide by Carolyn Wyman, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book made me so hungry and I wanted to book a trip to New England. This is a great guide on good food, so many places to try, so little time to do it.

If you've ever thought about doing a food tour across New England you'll need this!

The guide gives you history into the famed "clam bake" along with insight in the eateries the local frequent.

Oh! and there's recipes from several of the restaruants ranging from side dishes, clam cakes and fritters, and desserts.

I do wish there were more recipes, but that's just me.

I can't wait to visit New England and visit all of these!

Having grown up on the East Coast, clams were part of the menu and one of the things we looked forward to. Living in the MidWest, you just don’t get to order something like this and get what you’d expect back home. But this book? It brings a taste of home to me and I can’t wait to get some clams shipped in and make some of these recipes. These are the down-home recipes that I grew up on and you’re going to love them too!

My husband, who is from the Midwest, was drooling over the cover. He loves seafood and knows we need to go to the coast to get some good eating. That changes very soon as we’re placing an order for fresh clams soon!

I am not exaggerating when I say this book solved a 7 year old mystery of what clam fritter I had at a festival in Chincoteague, VA and had been searching for ever since. Now I know what was in it and where I can get it again. Invaluable.

A great book for anyone who loves regional food and is willing to travel to get it.