Farmed clams

Recipes:  7 ways with farmed clams

Taste: Briny-sweet, chewy-tender, and plump.

Source: Pacific Coast, California to Alaska.

Eco factor: Clams make the water cleaner because they're filter feeders. They're harvested by hand-raking, which doesn't damage the sea floor.

How to choose and prepare: Select clams that are tightly closed or that close when tapped; they should smell clean and salty, like the sea. At home, discard any clams with cracked shells. Give them a quick scrub under running water, then cook.