Meghan Winkler
Ryan Marino has fond memories of helping his father serve fall clambakes since he was 10 years old. He worked up to making New England-style white clam chowder for a catering company owned by his dad, uncle and grandfather.
“Clambakes are what started my culinary career,” says the now executive chef and owner of Corkscrew Saloon in Medina. “It’s a fun outdoor fall event.”
Now, he serves clambakes at the restaurant and at private parties where he cooks in parks, backyards and more from late September to November. The spread is massive, with each person getting a half chicken, a dozen middleneck clams, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, coleslaw, clam broth and chowder ($36 restaurant, parties by request). Marino sources clams from Rhode Island and picks them so they’re juicy and not too small and flimsy or big and rubbery.
“I stick with middle sizing,” he says, “to get that nice succulent clam.”
He starts by heavily seasoning a Medina pasture-raised half chicken in his custom fresh herb blend, steaming it and finishing it on a hardwood charcoal grill. Next, he adds corn, which is fresh from Richardson Farms in Medina, and sweet potatoes to the steamer. Then he steams the clams. Each step adds depth.
“When they’re steaming, that starts to give beautiful flavor to the clam broth,” he says.
That rich broth is the secret to his clam chowder, which he makes from a family recipe. It starts with cooking diced bacon, spices, garlic, clams, potatoes and heavy cream. Then he adds clam broth and simmers it together for about three hours.
Choosing how to eat it adds to the experience. “I always start with the clams … while they’re fresh and hot,” he advises. Many dip the clams in melted butter, while others drink the broth and some request to take home broth and chowder in to-go containers.
His retired dad helps at Marino’s private clambakes. It rekindles the ambiance and excitement of fall clambakes that sparked Marino’s love of cooking.
“The brisk air outside,” he says, “we have the fire pit going, the steamer roaring, the smells going. It’s a good time.”
811 W. Liberty St., Medina, thecorkscrewsaloon.com
