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The scallop is perhaps best known for its beautiful and distinctive shell. The beauty of the shell has inspired many works of ornamental art dating back thousands of years. The scallop is a bivalve mollusk made up of two shells. The shells are opened and closed by a single, over-sized adductor muscle. This adductor muscle is the part of the scallop that is eaten in the U.S. In other parts of the world the entire scallop is eaten. The adductor muscle is larger and more developed in scallops than in other shellfish, such as clams and oysters, because scallops are active swimmers. They glide freely through water and over the ocean floor by snapping their shells together. In the U.S. scallops are considered a premium seafood item. This is due in part to limited availability but primarily because of its delicious, sweet flavor and delicate texture. |
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