Instructions: A few summers back, my family took a vacation to Nantucket, the posh island located south of Cape Cod and just east of Marthas Vineyard. While strolling across a swath of sandy beach one afternoon, I spotted the unmistakable fan-shaped shell of a scallop sitting in the shallows, half-buried in the sand beside a patch of eelgrass. I approached it with my feet loudly sloshing through the shallows. There was not a trace of guile in my step, and why should there be? No shellfish was quick enough to elude me.

Seconds later I stood in shock, my hand grasping nothing but silty water. The scallop had jettisoned backwards with the speed of a fish, and was now watching me with its row of trailing blue eyes as it flapped its way into deeper water.

Id never seen a clam do that.

But then again, there really is no shellfish quite like a scallop, and theres no scallop quite like the Nantucket Bay scallop (which, if you are in the Cape Cod area, is pronounced "SKAUL-up").

Bay scallop season will be shortly getting into gear on Nantucket, which in the 18 th Century was the capital of the whaling industry. In town, the rough cobblestone of Water Street, and a dim, underground tavern called The Brotherhood of Thieves hark back to that grittier era. Summer brings tourists to this East Coast hot spot while fall brings quieter times, colorful maple tress, cranberry-studded bogs, and the beginning of the scallop season.

When it comes to eating, scallops are the most personable of shellfish.

Though some cooks, mostly in Europe, shuck and eat the whole critter, scallop meat is most often presented in a neat chunk. Their sweet flavor and meaty texture makes scallops a favorite with seafood lovers and landlubbers alike.

There are also no beards or strange-looking feet projecting from them, and they present less of a task than breaking up a lobster.

The Nantucket Bay scallop, which is not much larger than a thumbnail and found only in Cape Cod waters, is considered the most flavorful. It contains a sweeter, crisper seafood flavor than the much larger sea scallops and the similar-sized calico variety, found further south. Its small range and recent scarcity (due to environmental conditions, most believe) have driven the prices up.

If you are fortunate enough to find some Nantucket Bays, keep the cooking simple. The sweet flavor of the scallops is subtle, and comes through best when dressed lightly. If youve never had wild Nantucket Bay scallops, do the following before you pull up any other recipe: sear them very briefly on both sides (never more than a minute per side) and sprinkle them with lemon juice.

The natural sweetness will really come through.

Scallops are usually off-white in color; beware of gleaming white, perfectly round samples that are characteristic of fake scallops, which are actually made from ray or shark and cut out like a cookie. The nerve!

Nantucket Bay scallops will be in season until early spring.

Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche. In Peru, this seafood "soup" has been prepared for centuries. Though the seafood is raw, the lime juice in the ceviche actually "cooks" the seafood. The dish is traditionally made with scallops.

Chinese Scallop Kabobs. Scallops are one of the best fish for grilling, and their nugget-shape is ideal for kabobs.

This recipe uses a Chinese marinade.

Scallops in a Sherry-Garlic Sauce.

This recipe spruces the Bay scallops up a bit with the garlic and sherry, two favorite flavorings in Spain for scallops.

This would be a nice addition to a tapas bar.

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