10.04.2007

The Clam Dip Edition


So ... it's still in the 90's around here. Someone needs to take a stand, and I am just guessing that person would be me. Talking about the "frost" on the pumpkins didn't even phase it, so I'll obviously have to take it one step further. Today I'm going to talk about Thanksgiving.

Or more specifically . . . clam dip.

You see this daughter did a fun and entertaining thing on her blog today. She has been blogging for almost 2 years now and has quite the following of ardent fans. Many of them she knows well, a few she knows a little and the rest have been total strangers . . . until today. Today she said she was having a party and asked everyone to introduce themselves and explain how they found their way to her blog. She also mentioned something about bringing clam dip to the party ... a long time family tradition ... particularly at Thanksgiving.

(Is any of this making sense? Try to stay with me, people.)

As her "fan club" introduced themselves, some of them took issue with the Clam Dip thing. Someone even went so far to say that it sounded "disgusting". Mrs. Dub (aka my daughter) suggested that they might look here for further enlightenment on the CD issue. All I can offer is my somewhat vague recipe since I have never had a written one. All I can say is that I have been eating it since my own childhood and have never, ever tired of it.

Take one 8 oz. package of cream cheese that has been softened and mix it with the following: (All of the following measurements have only ever been in my head with the word "some" in front. So basically, play around with it until you are happy.)
1/2 cup mayonaisse
1 T lemon juice
1 t. worchestershire sauce
2 t. grated onion and juice.
1/4 t garlic salt
Drain one can of clams but save the juice. Add the clams and then add clam juice until you are happy with the consistency. Serve with crackers or veggies or . . . best of all . . . Ruffles potato chips.

Nums-ville. Now ... is it at least in the 80's now??

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9 comments:

Leslie said...

my sincere apologies, mrs S. had i known that the clam dip was an actual family tradition and not just some random food item thrown into mrs dub's post, i certainly would not have been so derogatory.
truth be told, i make clam chowder every Christmas eve for my husband, but i usually eat around the clams. this year, i will actually eat them, in honor of the S family and as a way to make myself feel better for being mean. :)

Mrs. Dub said...

no worries, les! clam dip has a divided loyalty even among our own fam. it is a strange concept, but one i have a hankering for every now and then.

you're under no obligation to eat your clams. i'm sure the ess matron would agree.

janaya said...

hi laura's mom! :) i migrated this way to check out the clam dip (which i assure you i will never eat myself, because i hate seafood... but my husband would be DYING of cravings right now if he read the ingredients). and actually, in my family, the real test of whether we will think you are cool or uncool is whether or not you like clamato juice. (which i love, despite my abhorence for seafood). if my parents have americans over for dinner, you better believe my dad will find a way to work it in to the menu. you can buy in the states, but it's definitely more popular in canada. clamato juice, with a little worchestershire sauce, tabasco, and a squeeze of lime, served with a stick of celery... mmm. anyway, love the family clam-something traditions. :)

and i know i'm a broken record on here, but it is very clear where laura gets her wit and charm (though your hubby can sure talk circles around most people too!)

Kate said...

Sounds delicious to me! Thanks for the recipe.

stephanie said...

i have been hearing rumors of 81 degrees on saturday. it might just be too good to be true!

P Daddy said...

Personally, I like clams on the halfshell (but not as much as oysters), steamed clams, fried clams, clam chowder (New England, the only true kind, but I'll eat Manhattan, too), and, of course, my wife's wonderful clam dip (though I try to sneak in a little more onion, clam juice, and some hot sauce). The tradition makes it taste even better.

I grew up in SoCal but like Clamato Juice, but it does seem to have a bigger Canadian and Northeastern US following. The Clamato based, alcohol-free bloody mary sounds brilliant and delicious.

And maybe there is a Fall theme in here, the Native Americans were great clam diggers and clams (and eels, bet that makes the seafood haters' mouths water) were as much a part of the first Thanksgiving feast as turkey.

steph said...

ooh, how i love the ess family... and yet i still cannot wrap my head around clam dip. sorry!

Mary said...

Leslie,
I took no offense at your "icky" reference to clam dip, not even to the one that said "disgusting". Because I have eaten all my life, I never knew it was an acquired taste.

Even my most-loved dil hasn't gotten the acquisition.

sara said...

Count me in on the "for" side of the CD debate. Although the recipe I use has sour cream and a little cottage cheese along with cream cheese & most everything else you mentioned. The way I do it is, make a batch of clam dip & buy a bag of chips... and if the chips run out first, buy more chips... if they run out before the dip, make more dip... and so on until everything is EVEN. That's with me eating it all myself, so I only do it once every few years :)