Chocolate Clams - A Loreto Dining Specialty

For foodies and seafood lovers, chocolate clams are a rare treat, and one can scour the world and the top gourmet kitchens without finding them. However, these prized clams are not foreign to the country but an everyday part of traditional food in Mexico. Along the coast of the Baja Peninsula, these savory clams can be spotted in different types of authentic Mexican food and dishes, and in Loreto Mexico, chocolate clams are a regular delicacy in many Mexican food recipes. From the bay to the table, you can enjoy meaty chocolate clams prepared fresh at every meal during your stay in Loreto.

What are Chocolate Clams?

While some traditional food in Mexico does include chocolate in savory entrees like mole, chocolate clams are not named for their taste. Rather, their name comes from the rich chocolate color and silky texture of their shells. Within these shells, which can reach up to six inches in width, is tender and thick clam meat that can be prepared with a variety of Mexican food recipes for a savory dish in Loreto Mexico.

Where to Find Them

The Sea of Cortez and the Pacific coastal region of the Baja Peninsula are the only places in the world where it’s possible to harvest chocolate clams. Due to strict exportation regulations, there are few places outside of Mexico that serve this delicacy, making a vacation in Loreto Mexico the perfect time to sample not just the best Mexican food but also this rare treat. You can enjoy them in seafood restaurants, buy them straight from fishermen, or even ask a fisherman to take you diving for them. Legally, foreigners cannot harvest their own chocolate clams, so you’ll have to go diving with a local fisherman and purchase them from him. After purchasing the chocolate clams, you can enjoy the freshest and best Mexican food.

How to Eat Them

Like all seafood dishes, there is a wide range of authentic Mexican food that can be prepared with chocolate clams, from soups to salads. The simplest way to enjoy them is to lightly marinate them in an acidic sauce of lime juices and spices and eat them cold, similar to oysters. You can also dress up the clam meat with topping of cheese, salt, chiles, and garlic like other traditional food in Mexico. Chefs can also prepare the clams into creamy soups, perfect for chilly evenings.

Where to Eat Them

Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto serves some of the best Mexican food in the city and unique chocolate clam dishes. Every day, deliveries of freshly caught clams arrive to restaurants in the city to be cleaned and prepped onsite for specialty Mexican food recipes. While you can enjoy them cold at the resort, the Chef’s Special is baked chocolate clams topped with Monterey Jack cheese, garlic, chipotle, and butter. These hearty clams also appear in the Cortez Sea Salad and the Ensenada Blanca Cream Soup.

When it comes to authentic Mexican food, the country’s coastlines are teeming with delicious and fresh seafood, including the rare chocolate clam. To try this delicious treat, you’ll have to travel to the sunny shores of the Baja Peninsula, a perfect reason for a beach vacation in paradise.