Directions: |
Directions:Clammer was filled in a particular order. First about a gallon of water. Chicken was put into bottom tray. Next was put corn (if people wanted it in the clammer,otherwise on stove in cottage). In top trays were put the clams. On the very top was always put a potato. The clammer was put on top of some concrete blocks and a wood fire was lite between the blocks to heat the clammer. It cooked about an hour, but always checked and was done when the potato was cooked fully.
My Father & Uncle Frank Harter would carry the trays around the table (all families were seated) with Aunt Marge Harter following with pad telling them how many clams to hand out, and chicken.
Clam broth was put into metal pitchers and persons that wanted some put into mugs. Some would put clams into broth to keep warm and when done drink the broth.
There was always platters of sliced tomatoes topped with chopped red onions.
When done eating the teenagers would bring kettles of hot water out to do the dishes outside (no hot water heaters or even running water at the time.) |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Laborday weekend at the cottage was always celebrated as the last of the summer. My Father, Bert Rapp, had a large clammer made (about 4 feet in height, with 4 trays that fit on top of each other, (with space at bottom for the water) each with heavy screening on bottom and handles. The top fit tightly.
The men put up tables that were made of boards on top of sawhorses (I remember they were painted purple because my father would get auto paint remains and mix together to make whatever color came out). Uncle Frank Harter worked at Kodak and could get remains of rolls of paper (with one side poly coated) which were rolled as tablecloth. Teenagers moved chairs from each of the cottages for seating. About 4 eight foot tables were put end to end into one long table in the yard. If bad weather they would be set up in the Rapp cottage.
A table was set up next to an old double wash sink - filled with cold well water. The men/teens would scrub the clams with brushes and move to table. The women/teens would count the clams into piles of a dozen and kids would put into clam bags and tie. Filling the amount of bags to whatever had been ordered. Aunt Marge Harter had previously taken orders. The clams in bags would then be put into the refrigerator (or an old refrigerator with a large block of ice) until Sunday for the clambake.
The clams for casinos would then be cleaned and prepared. The remaining clams would be cleans and for whoever ordered raw. Sometimes there would be clams with broken shells, which were usually eaten raw. The raw clams were eaten with apple cider or hot sauce, depending on who was doing the eating.
Chicken would be prepared. Each half a chicken would have a slice of onion and a piece of celery tucked under it's wing and put into a clam bag - then tied. Women and kids usually did this as a group.
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This recipe for Clambake as it was at the Cottage in Early Years is from