108
J.T. Farnham's
in Essex
has been
in business
since 1941.
J.T. Farnham's
In that same lashing rain, we drove out to
Essex, to J.T. Farnham's, on Route 133. Open
since 1941, when the Wilson family launched
what was then called Wilson's Fried Clams,
Farnham's has a storied history in Essex; the
business later changed its name to honor
the Farnham family, who owned it next. It is
now owned by the Cellucci family, and they
continue to abide by New England tradition
with their clam boxes.
It wasn't the sort of day for eating outside,
so we tucked into one of the restaurant's
booths. Farnham's is all hand-written bills
and cash. (You can still pay by check, as
we saw a fellow traveler as we ate.) Clams,
fried to order, arrive blisteringly hot. Ours
were brought to the table without fanfare,
a cardboard parcel that smelled of the sea.
Inside, we found perfect jewels: clams with
crisp exteriors and yielding bellies, and, on
the Formica counters, a bin filled to the brim
with tartar sauce.
jtfarnhams.com
