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causing the other side to open up. If a predator should approach, clams can close their shells suddenly and tightly (clam up) by constricting two tough muscles that extend between the shells. These adductor (from the Latin adducere, “to bring together”) muscles are the main reason that clams are a commercial food source. If it weren’t for them, clams would dehydrate quickly after being drawn from the sea, but because the adductors keep them tightly closed, clams can stay alive under refrigeration for days. If the shell of a raw clam is open, the clam has probably died and should not be eaten. To make sure, tap on the shell firmly; if the clam closes, it is fine but should be cooked as soon as possible.

Some clams don’t follow this model. Their siphons extend beyond the rims of their shells, making it impossible to close them up. These “soft-shell” clams are highly perishable and need to be cooked as close to purchase as possible.

Mussels are similar to clams, except that they attach their feet permanently to rocks, where they can filter food from water that passes between their shells. They have no need for a siphon, and one adductor muscle is always larger than the other. Oysters also attach themselves to rocks but have much thicker, heavier shells than mussels, with a single large adductor muscle at their center.

Clams, mussels, and oysters are easy to grill. Start by scrubbing the shells clean. Any of them, but especially clams, benefit by being immersed in ice-cold salt water (1 tablespoon salt per 3 cups water) for several hours, which will help them expel sand and grit. To cook them, after checking that all are tightly closed, put the shellfish in a metal pan (a disposable aluminum one is fine) with seasoning, cover, and grill over medium direct heat until the mollusks open. As soon as they open they are done. Discard any that are still closed.

Scallops neither burrow nor attach themselves to rocks. They sit freely on the ocean floor, and when a predator approaches they use their adductor muscles to open and close their shells, propelling themselves away. Scallops cannot clamp shut, and because of that they are very susceptible to dehydration when they are caught. In fact, they are so perishable that only the single large adductor muscle, which is less prone to spoilage, is commonly sold.

Did you ever wonder why a scallop doesn’t look anything like a clam, mussel, or oyster? Adductor muscles have two functions—they close the shells, and they hold them closed. The portion of the muscle that closes the shell is made up of quick-responding white muscle fiber that is very tender; the part that keeps the shells closed, on the other hand, is one of the strongest and toughest muscles known. These clamping muscle fibers are abundant in the adductors of other mollusks, but in scallops they are relatively tiny. You will notice them on most scallops as a tiny rubbery flap attached to one side. Be sure to remove this flap before cooking, or it will make the scallop incredibly tough.

Squid and octopuses are mollusks turned inside out. The remnant of the shell forms an internal bony support, and the mantle forms a sheet of muscle that expands and contracts, creating jet propulsion that powers the animal through the water. The body sac and the tentacles of squid and small octopuses can be grilled. Once they are cleaned, there is no special technique, other than doing everything in one’s power to get them brown before they overcook. As soon as they are firm, they are done, which means they are best grilled over the highest possible flame for the shortest possible time.

D. Mastering Produce

Vegetables vary greatly. Some are leaves. Some are roots. Some are stems. Some can even be fruits. The same vegetable can go by several names, and the same plant can produce a number of distinct vegetables, which is why judging vegetable quality is such a complex issue.

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Looking, smelling, and poking are not enough. It helps to know what you’re looking at. It helps to know that although white and purple eggplant may look