Kiâm lâ-á—salted freshwater clams—make the perfect summer accompaniment to cold beer. One food writer captured the essence of this classic Taiwanese cold dish: "The wealthy use it to whet their appetite for more courses; the poor pair it with extra bowls of rice." Either way, everyone leaves satisfied.

Lâ-á is the Taiwanese term for freshwater clams, which thrive in rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes where water quality is high and temperatures remain stable. In Taiwan's less polluted past, these small clams were abundant in clear streams; people would wade into the water to gather them for extra income. This practice inspired a Taiwanese saying: "gathering lâ-á while washing your pants"—killing two birds with one stone. The phrase captures the image of squatting in the stream to feel for clams, pants soaking in the current, getting laundered in the process. The saying perfectly captures the art of accomplishing two things at once.

Golden Clams: Taiwan's Aquaculture Success Story

Taiwan's freshwater clam farming began in 1959, initially concentrated in Taoyuan County, Changhua County, and Yunlin County. Hualien's pristine waters later made Shoufeng Township the island's second-largest cultivation base. Taiwanese freshwater clams have nearly triangular shells with rounded ventral edges; their shells range from yellow-brown to yellow-green, earning them the nickname golden clams.

The darker-shelled clams raised in western Taiwan supply dining tables nationwide. Meanwhile, the golden-hued clams cultivated in eastern Taiwan have been marketed as liver-supporting supplements. These clams are transformed into clam essence and clam tablets, products that serve both domestic demand and export markets throughout Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia, Europe, and North America. Taiwan's shellfish aquaculture has struck gold.