Dump my delicious chowder down the sink or down my throat?

January 12, 2009 6:41 PM

Should I eat it filter: Can of Bumblebee whole baby clams. Dumped them into my chowder only to notice that they looked a bit green. Google indicates this might be algae in their tummies? Should I eat them? Chowder is currently simmering, but will be tossed if that is what I need to do.
posted by silkygreenbelly to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

Eat 'em.
posted by Max Power at 6:48 PM on January 12, 2009

they look fine to me.

Also, it's not hysterical, but it's eponys...something.
posted by peachfuzz at 6:51 PM on January 12, 2009 [3 favorites]

They look alright to me. Smell OK? If so, eat away.
posted by lottie at 6:53 PM on January 12, 2009

Response by poster: They smell like clams. I normally buy the chopped clams which come with all weird bits removed so I wasn't sure if this greenness was normal weird or weird weird.
posted by silkygreenbelly at 6:59 PM on January 12, 2009

Clams are filter feeders so it seems probable they'd suck up some algae during their filter-feeding shenanigans, and some kinds of algae are actually quite nutritious, so there's a 50/50 chance you'll either die slowly or develop some kind of superhuman power, which is good odds, when you think about it.

Really though just boil the crap out of them until the are leathery little flavourless nuggets and you'll be fine.
posted by turgid dahlia at 7:07 PM on January 12, 2009

Of course not. Throw it away.
posted by Zambrano at 7:19 PM on January 12, 2009

They're fine.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 7:20 PM on January 12, 2009

They look normal to me.
posted by ikkyu2 at 7:23 PM on January 12, 2009

If that green bothers you, next time get some fresh clams, put them in a pot of water salted to sea level, then add some oatmeal. Leave them overnight, and they'll eat the oatmeal and be nice and plump and algae-free.
posted by StickyCarpet at 7:40 PM on January 12, 2009 [5 favorites]

yea, baby clams are always green, eat em and see what happens...

hopefully just a satisfied hunger...
posted by Black_Umbrella at 9:08 PM on January 12, 2009

omg! Is this the first definitive "yes" on should I eat it filter?
posted by jeffburdges at 11:58 PM on January 12, 2009

I live in the land of clams (Washington State) and go clam digging often. That is what really fresh clams look like. We soak the live clams in fresh sea water and cornmeal. They purge the seaweed and ingest the corn. After steaming, they are a delightful "stuffed" clam tidbit.
posted by Acacia at 12:18 AM on January 13, 2009 [2 favorites]

Is this the first definitive "yes" on should I eat it filter?

No, there've been several others, which I'm too lazy to look up right now.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:13 AM on January 13, 2009