If you like clams, mussels, or oysters, they all exist here in Wenzhou. You see some varieties in the montage above. If you go to almost any four-season market (sometimes referred to as a wet market because the floors are always damp and always hosed down at the end of the day), fish stalls will have live versions of any of these in basins with some circulating water, right next to shrimp, crabs, and smaller fish. So you bring these home very fresh, to be steamed with ginger, garlic, green onions, and served in the steaming broth with not much spice if you are in Wenzhou.
Wenzhou’s native food tends to be bland to a western taste, and many soup shops have ground pepper that can be added to soup. There are many popular Sichuan dishes for those that want a small or substantial kick in their diet.
And for those of you used to eating fresh sea mussels in Italian restaurants, these are one of the least expensive and neglected in the Wenzhou marketplace. Here you can see what I enjoyed at home:
ducktongue 