Oyster roast is a traditional event originating from the Low Country, an area along the South Carolina coast. Similar to a clambake in the Northeast, the oysters are placed into a roasting kettle, covered with a burlap sack, then placed over hot coals until fully cooked.

Once done, they are traditionally served on picnic tables lined with newspapers and pried open with special knives. The oyster roast has some standard accompaniments such as crackers, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, and sometimes horseradish. When hosting an oyster roast, it's recommended to have a few bottles of cold beer on hand, or gin and whiskey-based cocktails.

One of the earliest and quintessential American dishes, New England-style clam chowder is a creamy stew made with briny clams, chunks of salt pork, sweet onions, potatoes, and milk. The dish was invented by the Pilgrims who had landed near Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Hungry and with nothing to eat, they turned to delicious clams that are commonly found on New England's shores and cooked them in pots filled with water over an open flame. As for the word chowder, some claim it stems from the French chaudiére, denoting an iron cooking pot, while others claim it stems from chaudeau, meaning hot water. 

Charbroiled oysters is a traditional dish originating from New Orleans. In order to make the dish, freshly shucked Louisiana oysters on the half shell are placed on the hot grill and cooked in their own juices until bubbling and the edges start to curl.

The oysters are topped with a sauce consisting of butter, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice, and grated Pecorino Romano. Once the sauce has started to bubble, each oyster is sprinkled with grated Pecorino and garnished with minced parsley. 

Originally invented in New Orleans' French Quarter, these oysters are baked in their shells with bread crumbs, grated cheese, onions, mushrooms, shrimp, wine, and a buttery roux. The oysters are baked until lightly browned, then served immediately, preferably garnished with chopped green onions and lemon wedges.

This elegant appetizer is served in many fine dining restaurants in New Orleans, including the famous Antoine's and Arnaud's.

Regularly served at clam shacks throughout New England, fried clams are a delicious appetizer made with clams which have been dipped in milk and corn flour, then deep-fried. The appetizer is typically prepared with whole soft-shell clams, which have a fuller flavor than regular clams.

Although clams have been fried since 1840, the modern version of deep-fried, breaded clams is credited to Lawrence Henry Woodman from Massachusetts, who supposedly created the first version of the dish in 1916.

The technique of frying oysters is traditionally associated with the coastal areas of the United States, namely the West and the Southeast. It is said that pan-fried oysters were initially a frugal dish, but by the 19th century they became a well-known delicacy, while the technique of deep-frying developed in the 20th century.

When shucked, the oysters are usually dipped in batter, optionally coated in breadcrumbs and various seasonings, and finally shortly fried until crispy and golden. The batter is occasionally made with buttermilk, which creates a lighter, slightly sour coating that perfectly complements the oysters. 

Oysters Rockefeller is a popular American appetizer consisting of oysters served on half-shells that are topped with ingredients such as butter sauce, bread crumbs, and various green herbs such as parsley. They are then either broiled or baked.

The appetizer was invented in 1899 in America's oldest family-run restaurant called Antoine's in New Orleans, when Jules Alciatore, the original owner's son adapted his father's signature dish known as escargot Bourguignon, but he replaced the snails with oysters, a local food source that was abundant in the area.

Oyster Rockefeller was born, and the original recipe is still a closely-guarded secret of Antoine's.

Following in the footsteps of the classic New England-style clam chowder, Californian clam chowder is a creamy stew containing clams, potatoes, and onions. The key to making it Californian-style is to carefully tuck the chowder inside a sourdough bread bowl, which is the Californian way to enjoy this iconic American dish.

Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl is believed to have originated in 1849, in the San Francisco restaurant called Boudin, and has since become the signature dish of the city.

Clam cakes are a summer tradition throughout New England, most commonly found in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. It is a deep-fried combination of chopped clams (usually quahog clams) and batter, usually consisting of flour, milk, clam juice, eggs, and a leavening agent.

The cakes are crispy and golden brown on the exterior, with a light and fluffy texture on the interior. They are especially popular during the clamming season, when clams are in abundance and must be used quickly so they do not spoil over time. Clam cakes are served throughout coastal New England, at restaurants and roadside stands, typically consumed as finger food and accompanied by a bowl of clam chowder for dipping.