Scallop

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  Scallop
  Scallops are mollusks that have two beautiful convexly ridged, or scalloped, shells. Their two-part shell is why scallops are viewed by marine scientists as bi-valve mollusks. The part of the scallop that is generally consumed is the "nut," the white muscle that opens and closes the two shells. It has a soft, fleshy texture and a delicate flavor that may be mild or briny depending upon the variety. The "coral," the reproductive glands, are also edible, although they are not widely consumed in North America.

• In the United States, the most widely available types of scallops include the Atlantic deep-sea scallop and the bay scallop. The flesh of the sea scallop is large, usually about one-and-a-half inches in diameter, while the bay scallop is tiny, averaging about one-half of an inch in diameter. In Europe, the most popular type is the great scallop, more commonly called Coquille St Jacques. Several hundred different species of scallops are found worldwide, in shallow areas of most seas. The Latin name of the common bay scallop is Agropecten irradians.

Contents 1 History 2 Anatomy 3 Diet 4 Predators of the Scallop

[edit] History

• People have been enjoying scallops as a food ever since this beautiful mollusk appeared in the Earth's waters, basically since time immemorial. The great scallop gained great prestige during the medieval era. Pilgrims visiting the shrine of St. James in Spain began to use empty scallop shells for both eating and begging. The scallop and its shell quickly became a symbol of this magnificent shrine with people using them to decorate their doorways as well as their coats of arms. In honor of the shrine, they were called the shell of St. James, now best known by their translated French name of Coquille St. Jacques. Scallops are found in many waters throughout the world. The great scallop is abundant in the Mediterranean, while the sea and bay scallop are found concentrated in the Atlantic Ocean off North America.

[edit] Anatomy

• The two hard shells (also called valves) are attached by a muscular hinge called the adductor muscle The Bay Scallop is about 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter; other scallops can reach 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter. The shell is secreted by the mantle, which is a thin sheet of tissue located between the shell and the body. Scallops have many primitive eyes; they can only sense changed in light and motion, helping them to detect predators.

• Scallops are edible bivalves similar to oysters and clams. They are found both in bay waters and in the sea. They do not attach themselves to a permanent anchorage, but move themselves through the water by opening and closing their shells. As a result, the muscle that controls the 'hinge' of the shell is much larger than that of oysters or clams.

• The whole of the organism is edible, and in Europe, they are eaten in their entirety like oysters. In the US, however, only the shell muscle is eaten and it is this white cylinder of flesh that is commonly thought of in America as a scallop. The flavor is sweet and delicate, and is best served with a mild sauce of cream, cheese or butter that will not overpower the subtle flavor of the scallop itself. Scallops are both fished and 'farmed' (that is, cultivated in water for harvest). Since they cannot survive out of water, they are shucked from their shells on board the fishing boat.

• The bay scallop is much smaller than the sea scallop, and the edible muscle is less than an inch in diameter; usually a half-inch (about a centimeter) or smaller. The sea scallop's muscle can be as large as two inches (about 5 centimeters) in diameter. Sea scallops are sometimes cut into smaller shapes to pass as bay scallops. A 'faux scallop' made of shark is also available.

• The scallop shell is the most familiar of shell-shapes; Shell Oil uses its distinctive fan-shape on all their service station signs. The shell is the symbol of the apostle James, and 'coquilles St. Jacques' means 'shells of St. James'. Crusaders of the Order of St. James wore a scallop shell as a sign of their allegiance.

[edit] Diet

Scallops eat microscopic food, like algae and plankton that floats through the water.

[edit] Predators of the Scallop

Many animals eat scallops, including sea stars, crabs, and people.