Clam Bake

For a party of 8 plan on layering:. Use combination of greens and damp cheesecloth for seaweed, firewood for driftwood and heavy duty aluminum foil for the traditional sand covering. About 12 lbs. of mixed greens (collard greens, kale, etc.) and 15 yards of cheesecloth will hold in moisture as food cooks. Three rolls of heavy duty 37 1/2 ft. aluminum foil will both line and seal pit. Use about 100 lbs. of completely dry rocks (size of grapefruit) to line pit and hold in heat as food cooks. Dig a bow-shaped pit 3 ft. in diameter and 1.5 feet deep in the center. Using crisscross pattern, line with double thickness of heavy duty aluminum foil, then a layer of dry rocks about the size of grapefruit. Caution: Wet rocks can explode. Build a bonfire on top of rocks in the pit. Use firewood and kindling. Let the fire burn 1.5 to 2 hours or until burned down and rocks are hot. NOTE: Do not use charcoal. Soak corn-on-the-cob (with silk removed) and mixed greens in cold water while fire is burning. Wash clams and set aside. Peel onions; remove ends. Oil potatoes. Refrigerate lobster on ice. Once fire has burned down, work quickly to prevent rocks from losing heat. Tamp down embers. On top of rocks, layer pit in the following order: Half of the greens, strips of wet cheesecloth, potatoes, corn, onions, chicken halves, live lobsters and clams. Cover food with remaining wet cheesecloth, then greens. Cover pit with heavy duty aluminum foil. Crimp all sides to the edges of aluminum foil used to line the pit. Let food steam cook 40 to 60 minutes. Remove foods immediately when done. Cooking times will vary depending on temperature of rocks. Peek at clams after 40 minutes. If they are open and lobsters are bright red, dinner is ready. Serve with melted butter and lemon. Serve with clam chowder as an appetizer, and watermelon for dessert.