Sunday Emmanuel

@sundayemmanuel · 22 Nov 2021

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What are scallops?

The scallop is a common name that is primarily given to any one of numerous species of saltwater clams or marine bivalve mollusks.

What do they look like?
It is called bivalve meaning that the interior muscles are surrounded by two shells similar to Oysters muscles. There is a white adductor muscle [which is the part we eat] that opens and closes the shell. There is also a bright orange section called the coral. The muscle is round and tender when cooked with both a touch of sweetness and flavourful saltiness. The coral is also edible but is not typically consumed in the US.

Types of scallops

There are two types of scallops and these are:
1.    Bay scallops
2.    Sea scallops.
The bay types are smaller about the size of a dime and more tender while the sea scallops are larger growing as big as a few inches. Bay scallops are typically found in bay estuaries and shallow waters on the East coast living in reedy seagrasses. Sea scallops are found in deep cold ocean waters up to 200 meters deep around the world.

When are scallops available?

Scallops reach peak harvest during late fall or winter. They are typically available year-round but seeking for them during the last few months of the year gives you the freshest