They never used the bellies...the best part of the clam!
What did they do with all the bellies?
LOL. I saw that picture and instantly recalled the fried clams as well. Except I liked them. I was growing up in southern Indiana, far from the coasts, and from our perspective clams hadn't been invented until Howard Johnson's brought them to town. Used to be one of the reasons we went. But that was 60 years ago. But I'm older and wiser today, and I know better: clams come from the freezer section at Safeway.
Not all clams have bellies. They used giant clams. That’s why they were in strips.