North America In culinary use, within the eastern coast of the United States and large swathes of the Maritimes of Canada, the term "clam" most often refers to the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. It may also refer to a few other common edible species, such as the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria, and the ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. Another species commercially exploited on the Atlantic Coast of the United States is the surf clam, Spisula solidissima. Scallops are also used for food nationwide, but not cockles: they are more difficult to get than in Europe because of their habit of being further out in the tide than European species on the West Coast, and on the East Coast they are often found in salt marshes and mudflats where mosquitoes are abundant.- There are several edible species in the Eastern United States: Americardia media, also known as the strawberry cockle, is found from Cape Hatteras down into the Caribbean Sea and all of Florida; Trachycardium muricatum has a similar range to the strawberry cockle; and Dinocardium robustum, which grows to be many times the size of the European cockle. Historically, they were caught on a small scale on the Outer Banks, barrier islands off North Carolina, and put in soups, steamed or pickled.
North America In culinary use within the eastern coast of the United States and large swathes of the Maritimes of Canada the term "clam" most often refers to the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria It may also refer to a few other common edible species such as the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria and the ocean quahog Arctica islandica Another species commercially exploited on the Atlantic Coast of the United States is the surf clam Spisula solidissima Scallops are also used for food nationwide but not cockles they are more difficult to get than in Europe because of their habit of being further out in the tide than European species on the West Coast and on the East Coast they are often found in salt marshes and mudflats where mosquitoes are abundant- There are several edible species in the Eastern United States Americardia media also known as the strawberry cockle is found from Cape Hatteras down into the Caribbean Sea and all of Florida; Trachycardium muricatum has a similar range to the strawberry cockle; and Dinocardium robustum which grows to be many times the size of the European cockle Historically they were caught on a small scale on the Outer Banks barrier islands off North Carolina and put in soups steamed or pickled