Mystic Seafood: Great Recipes, History, and Seafaring Lore from Mystic Seaport

Even those who have never been to Mystic Seaport, a maritime museum in Connecticut that boasts a faithful recreation of a 19th century seaport, will want to check out this fine collection. Part history lesson and part cookbook, authors Kerr and Smith have created a valentine to New England and seafood cookery. Bivalves, crustaceans and finned fish all get plenty of attention, and each segment includes a culinary and sociological history of the animal and how it became part of the American diet. The recipes run the gamut from traditional fare such as Crab Cakes and Clams Casino to innovative, inspired dishes such as Baked Sea Scallops in Apple Sour Cream Sauce, Maine Shrimp Risotto with Prosciutto and Peas and ""California Roll"" oysters, in which oysters on the half shell are dressed with avocado, wasabi and salmon roe, mimicking a traditional California sushi roll. Written with the novice in mind, the book even includes an essay titled ""How to Eat a Lobster and Maintain Your Dignity,"" complete with illustrations. Virtually all the recipes call for commonly found ingredients, although cooks far from the East Coast might have trouble sourcing shad or quahogs, also known as hard clams. Regardless of where seafood lovers are located, this is sure to become a dog-eared favorite.