Ingredients

Clams (Canned vs. Fresh)

When I was growing up I thought all clams came in a can. This is a food phenomenon that I like to call the Dr. Gourmet Green Bean Theory.

Canned green beans are good. Frozen green beans are good. But they are not the same thing as fresh green beans. They come from the same place and have the same essential size, shape and nutritional content. They are, however, like eating three different vegetables. Is one inferior? That's for you to decide – they are your taste buds after all.

Canned clams are the same. If you know that they are a completely different product than fresh, understand that, and simply enjoy them for what they are, then you have clam dip. Not the same clam dip as if you had used fresh clams but it is still clam dip.