Clams to Cash: How to Make and Sell Giant Clam Shell ... - eXtension

Clams to Cash: How to Make and Sell Giant Clam Shell ProductsPage 21MMDC sold the standard T. derasa wasabi dishes for $5 each and the fancy H.hippopus dishes for $10 each, and the shop could never seem to keep enough of themstocked. This item was a real moneymaker when presented to appreciative consumers,especially elderly Japanese tourists. Local Japanese sushi chefs in Palau frequently came tothe MMDC Gift Shop specifically to buy wasabi dishes for use in their restaurants. Theywere used by literally thousands of customers.While on the subject of giant clam shells for holding wasabi and soy sauce, it is worthnoting that some authentic Okinawan sushi bars use small giant clam shells for holdinghashi, known as chop sticks in English. The hashi oki is simply a single small clam shell,about 5 centimeters long, inverted on the table top near the customer’s place setting. One endof the pair of hashi is laid over the shell, the other end rests on the table. Japanese cooking isfamous for its attention to detail and its subtle presentation touches, all of which enhance thedining experience. Using a giant clam shell for hashi oki is but one example of thisphilosophy.A dish toholdJapanesewasabi, ahot mustard,and soysauce canbe fashionedby gluingtogetherthree clamshells ofvarioussizes.Figure 21.The MMDC Gift Shop charged a higher pricefor wasabi dishes made from H. hippopusshells than for wasabi dishes made fro theshells of other species of giant clams.June 1996