Creole Fried Clams, ca. 1885 with Remoulade and Herb Salad ($9)

I am among many things a clam junkie, so when one of my favorite 19th-century Junio League cookbooks, Creole Cookery by the Christian Women's Exchange of New Orleans, included a recipe for clam fritters I was intrigued. This is fairly straightforward but there are a few things distinctive about it. We source our clams our of Hampton, Virginia, opting for larger ones which make good strips for frying. They are held in their own liquor and dredged in a combination of rice and corn flours, a fairly ubiquitous dredge for seafood from the Carolina Lowcountry to south Louisiana in the old says. It lends a finely crisp texture and a much toastier flavor than a wheat fluor dredge, which can also be a little chewy because of wheat's gluten content. The clams are gloriously chewey enough so wheat flour makes a poor dredge for them. They fry up in 90 seconds at 425 degrees and are served simply in a pool of our remoulade sauce, a spicy concoction of mayonnaise, Crystal hot sauce, Creole mustard, and a sinus-clearing infusion of freshly grated horseradish. A simple herb salad of parsley, pea shoots, and chives with frisee and shallots to the side provides a welcome bit of refreshing bitterness. These have been selling phenomenally well so we expect them to be on the menu for a long time to come. They are available at both dinner and lunch.

Pairing: Cold beer

gluten-free, farm-raised, historical dish, and regional favorite