On Food and Cooking

tissues are prized in Europe but not in the
United States. The oyster body (right) is
mainly digestive and reproductive organs
enclosed in a fleshy mantle; it’s usually eaten
whole, the adductor and catch muscles
providing a crunchy chewiness.
Scallops The scallop family includes about
400 species that range from a few millimeters
to a yard across. Most food scallops are still
harvested from the ocean floor. Large “sea
scallops” (species of Pecten and Placopecten)
are dredged from deep, cold waters year-
round on trips that may last weeks, while
smaller “bay” and “calico” scallops
(Argopecten) are either dredged or hand-
gathered by divers closer to shore during a
defined season.
Unlike all the other molluscs, the scallop is
mostly delectably tender, sweet muscle! This
is because it’s the only bivalve that swims. It
defends itself from predators by clapping its
shells together and forcing water out the hinge