Mix things up this Labor Day weekend by hosting a New England Clam Bake

Forget about hamburgers and hot dogs try a clam bake this Labor Day! Chef Todd from Fred's at Barneys New York is bringing an East Coast tradition to Scottsdale this Labor Day weekend by hosting a New England Clam Bake.

Chef Todd says a New England Clam Bake is a traditional method of cooking seafood such as clams, lobster, mussels and quahogs. The seafood is often supplemented by linguica sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob. Clam Bakes are traditionally held on the beach and done by digging a hole in the sand, building a fire and steaming the seafood with seaweed layered in between.

Forget the beach, you can create this fun summer tradition in your backyard. Chef Todd showed how to prepare a clam bake at home using cast iron skillets in the oven.

The skillet overflowing with seafood makes for a great table presentation. When you open up the skillet you should find opened clams and mussels, bright red lobsters, tender potatoes and steamed corn on the cob. Serve this feast on a picnic table with lots of lemon wedges, melted butter, salt and pepper and a loaf of crispy bread. Let your guests serve themselves straight out of the skillet and even hand out some lobster bibs to add to the fun. You can also serve sodas, beer and wine out of galvanized buckets to add to the beach theme.

When buying clams for a clam bake, you'll want to purchase soft shell clams, also called steamers. Tap on each clam to make sure it is still alive. The siphon should shrink back when you tap it. Don't buy any clams that don't respond when tapped. Make sure the clams you buy don't feel too light or too heavy. You don't want to buy dead clams or clams with an excessive amount of sand inside their shells. Never buy clams that are cracked. The clam inside is most likely dead or dying. Buy more clams than your recipe calls for in case any clams die between the time of purchase and the time of cooking.

Buy small, live lobsters for your clam bake along with fresh, live mussels and scrub and debeard them just before cooking.

Fred's is located on the second floor of Barneys New York, Fred's is open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday and brunch and lunch on Sunday. Happy Hour is daily from 4-7 p.m.

Fred's
Barneys New York
Second Floor
Scottsdale Fashion Square
602-337-6111
www.barneys.com