http://www.jetsetextra.com/insiders/maralynhill/2012/09/10/bellingham-wa-usa-an-evening-at-taylor-shellfish-farms/ Jetset Extra September 10, 2012

Bellingham, WA, USA_ An Evening at Taylor Shellfish Farms | Maralyn is in Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Bellingham, WA, USA: An Evening at Taylor Shellfish Farms

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa Photo-Maralyn D. Hill
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The Chrysalis Inn & Spa Photo-Maralyn D. Hill

Having just checked into The Chrysalis Inn and Spa and enjoyed a tour of this delightful property with 48 rooms, we took off for an early evening out.Our goal for this trip was to discover Bellingham, WA and all it has to offer. We could not have asked for a better start. We pulled into Taylor Shellfish Farms (the largest in the U.S.), for a seafood demo and scrumptious dinner. The catch was, we had to work a little for it.

Nicole Hopper Preparing Geoduck Photo-Maralyn D. Hill
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Nicole Hopper Preparing Geoduck Photo-Maralyn D. Hill

We started by watching a geoduck clam being prepared. We all took turns slicing it to enjoy raw, and then saw the muscle chopped for ceviche and covered with about two cups of lime juice to marinate.

Several of us had never seen geoduck before. The one we had was about six years old and the muscle extended three feet beyond its shell. It was odd looking, but tasty.  The geoduck clam have some specimens that exceed 15 pounds. The cost for one of these is close to $60 in the U.S. and more than $200 in Japan. They are regional to Washington and British Columbia.

While our ceviche was marinating, we learned how to crack and open our dungeness crab. I had done this once before, so I was somewhat familiar with what we were doing. After we had our crab prepared and ready, it was time to learn to shuck the oysters, and remove the muscle from the clams.

Sunset at Taylor Shellfish Farms Photo-Maralyn D. Hill
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Sunset at Taylor Shellfish Farms Photo-Maralyn D. Hill

Once everything was prepared, from the ceviche to the grilled oysters and boiled clams, our group sat down to enjoy our wine, salad, and delicious shellfish overlooking Samish Bay and the sunset.

As a side note, Taylor Shellfish Farms is set up so customers can come in and purchase shellfish, bring their own side dishes, use Taylor’s grills and picnic tables, and enjoy the freshest fish ever with a beautiful view.

That is all for now as tomorrow we are going to do some hiking and foraging with Jennifer Hahn in Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. So, I’m back at The Chrysalis in my lovely room in my home away from home and ready to get some sleep.