A Rhode Island Tradition of Quahogging is at Your Fingertips

Thanks to the nationally acclaimed TV show Family Guy, many have become familiar with the term quahog—though some may only know it as the name of Seth McFarlane’s Rhode Island–based fictional town, home to the beloved Griffin family. Here in the non-fictional state of Rhode Island, the quahog is the official state shellfish and a hallmark of our culture, cuisine and economy. Recently, I had the pleasure of wading through Quonochontaug Pond, a large salt pond located in both Westerly and Charlestown, to seek and find my own quahogs. 

To give a little context, quahogs essentially refers to any hard-shelled saltwater clams native to the East Coast of North America. So yes, you could technically call them clams in simple terms, but not here in Rhode Island. There are a variety of quahogs, based on their size, including littlenecks, cherrystones and chowders. I was on the hunt for littlenecks and cherrystones, the perfect size for a clams and linguini dish. (Note: No license is required for recreational shellfishing for Rhode Island residents.) 

On the Water

Long-time Westerly resident and seasoned quahogger Mark Bullinger kindly agreed to show me the ropes, bringing along his trusty rake and handmade floating crate. The key, he informed me, is to rake for quahogs at the lowest tide—we freely walked into the pond, the water not coming much above my knees. Mark instructed me on how to properly dig the rake into the bottom of the pond, gently guiding it back and forth while strongly walking backward. One might think that quahogging is a needle-in-a-haystack sort of search, attempting to dredge up these small mollusks from the seemingly endless seabed. And while our first few attempts were fruitless, after our first successful pull I was hooked! Something to note is that while quahogging, you must carry a clam or quahog sizer (they can be purchased at a local bait and tackle shop or online). Each clam that is collected must be checked for its size: If it is too small, it must be placed back in the water. Slowly, one quahog turned into 15, as we kept finding small clusters of quahogs. I couldn’t believe the growing bounty in the floating crate—these quahogs all from the pond in which I have grown up swimming. 

With such an abundant crop for the day, climbing to a total of about 30 clams, I wondered how this small pond could continue to foster such a lively ecosystem of mollusks. Mark shed light on this question, saying that local volunteers collect quahogs from the rather polluted East Greenwich Bay in larger Narragansett Bay, transporting them to Quonochontaug Pond, a cleaner and safer home for them. Harvested quahogs from East Greenwich Bay would not typically be allowed to be eaten or sold due to the water’s toxic chemicals, however, as quahogs are filter feeders, they rebound quite quickly once placed in clean water. This process not only improves the overall ecosystem for the pond and mollusks alike, but allows the quahog population to continually grow. 

Linguine Vongole: A Rhode Island Tradition

Now, let’s get into the really fun part: cooking and eating! To store the quahogs until they were ready to be cooked, I lined a large bowl with a damp dishcloth. I then placed the quahogs into the bowl and covered them with the rest of the dishcloth, storing the bowl in the fridge for a few hours. To start the cleaning process, place the clams in a bowl with cold salted water, allowing them to soak for 30 minutes. This helps remove any caked sand or grit. 

I did not follow a recipe when making my clam linguine—I prefer to measure by feel for this dish. Nevertheless, here is a loose guide to my version of linguine with local quahogs: 

Once ready to begin cooking, start by boiling a pot of non-salted water to prepare the linguine. In the meantime, while the pasta cooks, use a small brush to scrub any grime from each quahog. (Remember: Anything that is not scrubbed off could end up in the linguine.)

After the quahogs are cleaned and the pasta is cooked, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Place about ¼ cup of olive oil with freshly minced garlic and a hearty serving of fresh parsley. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Next, add your white wine—whatever amount feels right! Once the ingredients have combined, place the quahogs in the saucepan and cover. Leave them for 5–8 minutes, or until the majority of the shells have opened. Discard any unopened quahogs as they are not safe to eat. Once the clams are ready to go, add the pasta to the saucepan and ensure that the pasta is well coated by the sauce. Season additionally with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on a plate or bowl and garnish with fresh parsley! My favorite way to enjoy this dish is with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc. 

I had the most wonderful adventure collecting quahogs, learning about their life cycle and ecosystem and preparing this delicious dish. There is nothing more satisfying than sourcing food yourself, straight from the source—pond to table.