So I am travelling to Branford, CT for work. Will I be able to buy some fresh streamer clams somewhere there (or in New Haven)? What about mussells? Will I be able to buy them Friday sometime before my flight home that evening? Will they travel well?
Hmm... Good question. I suppose you can, but it's not like it's a huge local phenomenon (like, say, lobsters in Maine). At least where I live, which is a good 45 minutes south of Branford. Also, some of the LI Sound clam beds are periodically closed because of PCB contamination, if memory serves me (I don't think it's been a good idea to eat striped bass out of the Sound for a long time for just that reason - PCB). You'll be able to find some decent local clams at a seafood shop, though - and I doubt you'll have to go to New Haven to do it (though it's not that far). If the weather is good (can't say it's been that great around here lately), you should take a boat tour of the Thimble Islands, just off Branford's coast. I've never gone and done this, but I've heard it's really beautiful. I worked for a time in the Branford/Guilford area and the shoreline in the summertime is pretty nice. Of course, if you're just there for a day or so on business, I guess this really isn't an option.
i pretty much live in and around new haven, and i honestly have never heard anything about clams...i personally dont eat things like that and i wouldnt want to eat anything coming out of the sound anyways. but if you head into the old saybrook, clinton, westbrook area there are some good seafood places and good resteraunts with good seaford...or atleast thats what im told...
There's some clamming done here along the Fairfield County coast....as for me, I'd be afraid that if I set foot in the Sound, my skin would fall off.
hehe it probably would, unless for some reason the fairfield county sound water is better then the rest...which wouldnt suprise me in the least
Good responses, thanks. So it's not a big area for that kind of thing, that's cool. I didn't really know, I assumed. Is there anything else worth doing while I am there from Monday evening to Friday?
it really depends what your into.... http://www2.thingstodo.com/states/CT/ http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28928-Activities-Connecticut.html http://ctcool.com/beaches.html http://www.kelseypub.com/ct-guide/ix-ctg.shtml idunno if those will provide any help but if you in new haven -- you have to go to Sallys or Pepe's pizza...its world famous and most def. the best pizza in the world.
I heard eelgrass is coming back in the Mystic area. It's a harbinger of cleaner water, more oxygen, etc. In general, I prefer my shellfish from the northern NE area (esp. Maine).
I would hang in New Haven if I were you, as you can find enough bars and pizzah joints to hang out in for a week. Spare yourself the drive to Hartford, it's the insurance capital of the world (or was), so that tells you how much fun those people are looking to have. You are only an hour or so from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos (Foxwoods is about 20+ min further), so if you are stuck for something to do at 2 am on a Thursday and think that watching a busload of Asians gamble until dawn might do the trick, those are the places to be. CT is the home to an event called Oyster fest, held in Norwalk in the fall (?). I've managed to work in CT for 5 years without going, but I think Oysters moreso than clams are the local favorite in the Mollusca Phylum.
Mohegan Sun is nice to visit but I wouldn't gamble there. Foxwoods I would (and have). Someone need to teach me how to play all those Pai Gow games they have there.
I grew up in the East Lyme area so I have a pretty good idea of decent thing to do: 1. Visit Pepe's pizza. It is as someone already mentioned, famous and very good. 2. From Branford, Mohegan sun and foxwoods are about about an hour away from you.. definitly worth the trip... 3. The bars in new haven are pretty weak. Hartford is decent if you can make it up there.. Try murphy and scarlettis or the Martini Bar next door..
Go to Rhode Island, not far away. They have quahogs, the big ones. Great clambaked or stuffed, and pretty much every American food restaurant in RI seems to have stuffers. And you can have a coffee frappe with 'em.
The Norwalk Oyster Festival is held during the first (or second) weekend of September. Try going to Mystic, some great places to eat there.
I'm sorry I didn't seen this thread earlier. My grandmother lived on the coast in Branford for a long time and I spent almost every weekend of the summers of my youth up there. It was a great place. But the highlight of each weekend was our big Saturday night dinner at Lenny's in Branford (technically, I think it's in Indian Neck but I think Indian Neck is just a part of Branford). It's the best seafood place I've ever been to. My wife and I will make a special trip to Lenny's anytime we are driving through the area. It's exactly the kind of place you are looking for. Just take Exit 53 off of I-95 and ask anyone how to get to Lenny's. Everyone knows where it is. Enjoy, Murf
I just got back and thanks for the suggestions. I went to Pepes, great pizza, good atmosphere. I also stopped by Libby's bakery for a cannoli, enough said. Went past Lenny's everyday on my way to the Indian Neck Market. What a great place for lunch. Didn't get any clams, but that's ok.