The Fried Clam and the Start of a Yankee Tradition

New England Seafood – Fried Clams at Woodmans

Wondering how our New England seafood restaurant came into being?

IT BEGAN BACK IN 1914 when “Chubby” and Bessie Woodman opened their roadside clam shack on the causeway in Essex, MA. At that time, the TV hadn’t been invented, the average yearly salary was $750, and a gallon of milk cost 32 cents. WWI was just beginning, Babe Ruth was a rookie for the Red Sox, the fried clam hadn’t been created, and it took all day on a beach to cook a New England clambake.

Inventor of the Fried Clam

IN 1916 CHUBBY INVENTED THE FRIED CLAM and presented his new creation—clams coated with corn flour and deep fried in a kettle of lard—during the 4th of July parade in Essex, MA. Read the full story »

Perfecting Clambake Catering

CHUBBY IMPROVED ON THE ORIGINAL “INDIAN” CLAMBAKE which required a beach (digging a hole in the sand, heating the rocks, and waiting hours for the food to cook). True to his entrepreneurial spirit, Chubby designed a more efficient method, allowing him to boast, “we come to you and cook.” He loaded everything onto a truck and drove to his customer’s site where he cooked the clambake over a wood fire in large boiler pots. His new clambake system gave him the flexibility to travel throughout New England and serve groups of all sizes, allowing more people to experience a traditional New England clambake.

Woodman’s of Essex is Proud to Have Donated to a Wide Variety of Massachusetts Organizations

Everyone at Woodman’s is proud to contribute to our community and make a difference for our friends and neighbors by giving back to the following types of local organizations:

  • Schools
  • Health Care Providers
  • Food Pantries
  • Business Organizations
  • Veteran’s Groups