Clam Bake in Area 51

How do you relieve the stress of visiting relatives? Well my sister's idea is to have a clam-bake in the desert for 20 people. We start with appetizers: spicy roasted cashews, cheese puffs, and bread sticks wrapped in prosciutto.

Next, we add a dozen lobsters, a hundred clams, mussels, and shrimp. Also, there was 20 lbs. of red potatoes, 5 lbs. of Polish kielbasa, 5 bottles of wine and a case of Coors.




We had a little logistical problem getting all this stuff done on time. Hopping over the two mastiffs sleeping in the kitchen did not help. You don't see that on the cooking channel. It seemed like we couldn't get the water to boil well in the big lobster pots. The lobsters were so big only two fit in the pot at a time and it was hard to get the water back up to a boil. It wasn't the fast steaming it was suppose to be. Going by the clock and taking the lobsters out in three minutes caused me to serve a live lobster; technically it was almost dead. Team Carousel Farms was saved by one guest who actually knew how to cut up and serve a lobster. Desert was authentic New York miniature cannolis. What an ambitious undertaking. I would have served buffet style and wouldn't consider such an illustrious menu. When I entertain I always fall back on old trusted dishes. There were about eight more guests than were expected but everyone had their fill. We left my sister and brother in law at 10 pm and sneaked off to bed. They were both passed out in the den with the two English Mastiffs: Sherman and Mack.