> She admitted they were quite good, but there were no "bellies" (a particularly repellent portion of the dish). I mean for, you, maybe. But throughout the eas

> She admitted they were quite good, but there were no "bellies" (a particularly repellent portion of the dish). I mean for, you, maybe. But throughout the eastern US, clams in all sort are not an obscure food item. Steamed clams are a common preparation (which is famously referenced in one of thr most memeified Simpsons scenes) and that is served as the whole clam not just the “strip”. Also HoJos was pretty much responsible for popularizing the strip only variation throughout the US. https://newengland.com/today/food/main-dishes/fish-seafood/fried-clams-bellies-vs-strips/ https://newengland.com/today/food/main-dishes/fish-seafood/f... Whole fried clams may not be popular outside of the Northeast, they’re not exactly obscure. As for HoJo style strips, it’s not like you can’t just get a fucking box in any supermarket freezer aisle. These are a Midwest food more than a New Hampshire food. Your secretary was humoring your “insistence”. Looking at the other comments, it’s amusing how this post has pretty much drawn out the xenophobic middle American rubes of HN.